KNOXVILLE, Tenn. – The Southeastern Conference announced Tuesday afternoon the game times, network designations and final date selections for the upcoming 2025-26 men’s basketball season.
During league action, the Volunteers have three games slated for ESPN, five for ESPN/2, two for ESPN/2/U, two for ESPN2, one for ESPN2/U and five for SEC Network. Five of those contests are listed at 3 p.m. or earlier; the other 13 are set for 6 p.m. or later, including seven beginning at 8:30 or 9 p.m. It has 10 games on Saturday, six on Tuesday and two on Wednesday.
In regular season non-conference play—including games previously announced—Tennessee has two affairs on ESPN, one on ESPN2, two on SEC Network, five on SEC Network+ and three on both TNT (or truTV) and HBO. Three games are at 3 p.m. or earlier, with nine at 6 p.m. or later, as well as one that is still to be determined.
Along with the aforementioned 31 regular season outings, Volunteers will also play an exhibition game Oct. 26 against Duke (7 p.m. on ESPN2).
Tennessee officially begins play on its home court Nov. 3 against Mercer (7 p.m. on SECN+). It then has a Nov. 8 game versus Northern Kentucky (3 p.m. on SECN+) and a Nov. 12 contest against North Florida (7 p.m. on SECN+). The team’s first regular season contest on linear television is Nov. 17 versus Rice (8:30 p.m. on SECN) and it then concludes a five-game homestand Nov. 20 against Tennessee State (7 p.m. on SECN+).
The Volunteers then head to Las Vegas for the Players Era Men’s Championship. It opens the tournament Nov. 24 against Rutgers (1 p.m. on TNT & HBO Max) and then plays Nov. 25 versus Houston (6 p.m. on TNT & HBO Max). Tennessee will cap the event Nov. 26 or 27 against a to-be-determined team, with the game time and network—it will be on TNT or truTV, along with HBO Max—also not set yet.
Head coach Rick Barnes’ team starts the second month of the season with an ACC/SEC Challenge matchup Dec. 2 at Syracuse (7 p.m. on ESPN2). The Volunteers then play Dec. 6 in the Music City Madness event in Nashville, Tenn., versus Illinois (8 p.m. on ESPN). Their potential sixth straight game against a Power Five foe comes Dec. 16 at home when they square off with Louisville (7 p.m. on ESPN).
To conclude the 2025 calendar year, Tennessee takes on a pair of non-conference foes at Food City Center. It plays Dec. 21 versus Gardner-Webb (3 p.m. on SECN+) and Dec. 30 against South Carolina State (8 p.m. on SECN).
The Volunteers start 2026 with their SEC opener Jan. 3 at Arkansas (3 p.m. on ESPN2) and then begin their league home slate Jan. 6 with Texas (9 p.m. on ESPN/2). Barnes’ team then plays a Jan. 10 matchup at Florida (12 p.m. on ESPN/2), before back-to-back home games, the first Jan. 13 against Texas A&M (7 p.m. on SECN) and the second Jan. 17 versus Kentucky (12 p.m. on ESPN).
Following a midweek bye, Tennessee makes a Jan. 24 visit to Alabama (8:30 p.m. on ESPN/2) and then plays a second straight road game Jan. 27 at Georgia (7 p.m. on SECN). To finish the month, the Volunteers play Jan. 31 versus Auburn (8:30 p.m. on ESPN).
Tennessee begins the next month with a second straight home affair, Feb. 3 against Ole Miss (9 p.m. on ESPN2). It then hits the road for two contests, first Feb. 7 at Kentucky (8:30 p.m. on ESPN) and then Feb. 11 at Mississippi State (9 p.m. on ESPN2/U).
The Volunteers next have a Feb. 14 home clash with LSU (6 p.m. on SECN) and a Feb. 18 home meeting with Oklahoma (7 p.m. on ESPN/2/U). They then make an in-state trip for a Feb. 21 game at Vanderbilt (2/2:30 p.m. on ESPN/2) and follow that with a Feb. 24 outing at Missouri (9 p.m. on SECN). The team wraps up the month with a Feb. 28 home game versus Alabama (6/6:30 p.m. on ESPN/2).
Tennessee finishes its SEC road slate March 3 at South Carolina (6 p.m. on SECN) and concludes the regular season at home March 7 against Vanderbilt (2 p.m. on ESPN/2).
To keep up with the University of Tennessee men’s basketball team on social media, follow @Vol_Hoops on Instagram and X/Twitter, as well as /tennesseebasketball on Facebook.
FULL 2025-26 SCHEDULE (all times Eastern and subject to change)
Oct. 26 – DUKE [Exhib.] (7 p.m. on ESPN2)
Nov. 3 – MERCER (7 p.m. on SECN+)
Nov. 8 – NORTHERN KENTUCKY (3 p.m. on SECN+)
Nov. 12 – NORTH FLORIDA (7 p.m. on SECN+)
Nov. 17 – RICE (8:30 p.m. on SECN)
Nov. 20 – TENNESSEE STATE (7 p.m. on SECN+)
Nov. 24 – vs. Rutgers (1 p.m. on TNT & HBO Max)
Nov. 25 – vs. Houston (6 p.m. on TNT & HBO Max)
Nov. 26/27 – vs. TBD (TBD on TNT/truTV & HBO Max)
Dec. 2 – at Syracuse (7 p.m. on ESPN2)
Dec. 6 – vs. Illinois (8 p.m. on ESPN)
Dec. 16 – LOUISVILLE (7 p.m. on ESPN)
Dec. 21 – GARDNER-WEBB (3 p.m. on SECN+)
Dec. 30 – SOUTH CAROLINA STATE (8 p.m. on SECN)
Jan. 3 – at Arkansas (3 p.m. on ESPN2)
Jan. 6 – TEXAS (9 p.m. on ESPN/2)
Jan. 10 – at Florida (12 p.m. on ESPN/2)
Jan. 13 – TEXAS A&M (7 p.m. on SECN)
Jan. 17 – KENTUCKY (12 p.m. on ESPN)
Jan. 24 – at Alabama (8:30 p.m. on ESPN/2)
Jan. 27 – at Georgia (7 p.m. on SECN)
Jan. 31 – AUBURN (8:30 p.m. on ESPN)
Feb. 3 – OLE MISS (9 p.m. on ESPN2)
Feb. 7 – at Kentucky (8:30 p.m. on ESPN)
Feb. 11 – at Mississippi State (9 p.m. on ESPN2/U)
Feb. 14 – LSU (6 p.m. on SECN)
Feb. 18 – OKLAHOMA (7 p.m. on ESPN/2/U)
Feb. 21 – at Vanderbilt (2/2:30 p.m. on ESPN/2)
Feb. 24 – at Missouri (9 p.m. on SECN)
Feb. 28 – ALABAMA (6/6:30 p.m. on ESPN/2)
March 3 – at South Carolina (6 p.m. on SECN)
March 7 – VANDERBILT (2 p.m. on ESPN/2/U)
