Overview
- The ranked non-conference matchup tips at 8:00 p.m. ET at Bridgestone Arena in Nashville and airs on ESPN.
- Tennessee enters 7-2 after a narrow loss at Syracuse, while Illinois is 6-2 and last played in a 74-61 defeat to UConn.
- Rick Barnes’ Volunteers profile as the nation’s top offensive-rebounding team and an elite defense that limits rim finishes and corner threes.
- Illinois counters with top-10 defensive rebounding but has struggled with ball movement and isolation-heavy possessions against physical defenses.
- Odds list Tennessee -1.5 (moneyline -135) with a total of 150.5, and pick pieces recommend Vols -1.5 in the first half on a neutral floor that favors their familiarity.