SAN ANTONIO, TX - December 16, 2023 - Guard Jahmai Mashack #15 of the Tennessee Volunteers during the Basketball Hall of Fame Series game between the NC State Wolfpack and the Tennessee Volunteers at Frost Bank Center in San Antonio, TX. Photo By Andrew Ferguson/Tennessee Athletics
KNOXVILLE, Tenn. – The Tennessee men’s basketball team is set to host Syracuse in the second annual SEC/ACC Challenge, ESPN announced Wednesday evening.
The SEC/ACC Challenge, which started last season, succeeded the SEC/Big 12 Challenge that ran from 2014 to 2023. The Volunteers will face the Orange on December 3 at Food City Center, with the game time and specific ESPN network to be determined later.
Tennessee has a 4-3 record against Syracuse, winning the last three matchups. Their most recent encounter was on November 20, 2023, in Honolulu during the Allstate Maui Invitational, where Tennessee triumphed 73-56. Dalton Knecht led the Volunteers with 17 points despite missing nearly eight minutes of the second half due to cramps. Fellow fifth-year guard Josiah-Jordan James achieved his sixth career double-double with 15 points and 12 rebounds, helping Tennessee overcome an early eight-point deficit to hand Syracuse its first-ever loss in the tournament.
Tennessee is 2-1 against Syracuse in Knoxville. Before the Maui Invitational, their last meeting was on January 19, 2002, when Tennessee upset the eighth-ranked Orange 66-62. Jenis Grindstaff led the Volunteers with 18 points, five rebounds, four assists, and two steals.
Overall, Tennessee is 122-101 against current ACC members, including incoming schools Cal, SMU, and Stanford. UT head coach Rick Barnes holds an 81-77 record against those 18 schools, with a 5-10 record against Syracuse.
Senior guard Zakai Zeigler, a current Vol, is from Long Island, New York.
Season ticket holders can renew their tickets for the 2024-25 season by logging onto their AllVols Account [HERE](#). The renewal deadline is Tuesday, June 12.
Fans interested in purchasing season tickets for the 2024-25 season can find more information [HERE](#).
