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First Look at Illinois Basketball's Game 9 Opponent: Tennessee Volunteers

The Illini are looking for their first victory away from home against an opponent that has owned them in recent years
Pranav Hegde|
Nov 24, 2025; Las Vegas, NV, USA; Tennessee Volunteers forward Felix Okpara (34), forward Nate Ament (10), guard Bishop Boswell (3) and forward J.P. Estrella (13) come back onto the court after a time during the first half against the Rutgers Scarlet Knights in a 2025 Players Era Festival group play game at MGM Grand Garden Arena. Mandatory Credit: Stephen R. Sylvanie-Imagn Images
Nov 24, 2025; Las Vegas, NV, USA; Tennessee Volunteers forward Felix Okpara (34), forward Nate Ament (10), guard Bishop Boswell (3) and forward J.P. Estrella (13) come back onto the court after a time during the first half against the Rutgers Scarlet Knights in a 2025 Players Era Festival group play game at MGM Grand Garden Arena. Mandatory Credit: Stephen R. Sylvanie-Imagn Images | Stephen R. Sylvanie-Imagn Images

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Illinois Fighting IlliniTennessee Volunteers

Illinois (6-2) enters its showdown with Tennessee (7-1) searching for the kind of signature win that can recalibrate the trajectory of its season. The early victory over Texas Tech once looked like a feather in the Illini's cap, but as the Red Raiders continue to sputter – barely sneaking past Wyoming 76-72 on Sunday – that shine has begun to fade. Meanwhile, the Illini have yet to prove themselves away from State Farm Center, dropping both of its neutral-site opportunities, against UConn and Alabama.

Now comes their biggest test yet: a battle with a Tennessee program that, under coach Rick Barnes, has been one of the nation’s most consistently competitive teams. The Volunteers are physical, disciplined and deep, and they rarely beat themselves. Add in a Nashville setting where any renditions of "Oskee Wow Wow" will undoubtedly be drowned out by a fiull-throated "Rocky Top," and Illinois faces not just a high-level opponent but also a true road-environment challenge.

Tennessee at a glance

The Volunteers are guided by Barnes (in his 11th season in Knoxville), who has long been regarded as one of the most reliable program-builders in college basketball. Under his watch, Tennessee has evolved into one of the SEC’s premier teams – tough, disciplined and consistently in the national conversation. Barnes has led the Vols to back-to-back Elite Eight appearances and continues to chase a big milestone that has so far eluded the program: its first-ever Final Four.

Despite losing several key contributors from last season, Barnes has reloaded yet again, assembling another deep, athletic roster built to contend in a conference that is more than just a football league. The SEC now routinely pushes the Big Ten for college basketball prominence, and Tennessee entered the season picked to finish third in the league’s preseason poll.

So far, the Vols have lived up to – and arguably exceeded – those expectations. They opened the year 7-0, highlighted by a marquee win over Houston at the Players Era Tournament, before dropping a game to a Kansas team that has been surging. Entering its matchup with Illinois, Tennessee carries one of the strongest resumes in the country, a physical identity that travels and a confidence level that suggests the Vols believe they can beat anyone on any floor.

The Volunteers on the court

Tennessee boasts a deep, balanced roster, but everything revolves around two players who rank among the best in the nation. Maryland transfer Ja'kobi Gillespie brings a level of poise and big-game experience that fits perfectly within Rick Barnes’ system. He averages 18.5 points and 5.3 rebounds while giving the Vols a steady, veteran presence who understands how to control tempo and create in crunch time.

But the real headliner is freshman phenom Nate Ament – the kind of talent who can tilt a matchup all by himself. Ranked No. 4 in the 2025 class by 247Sports and pursued by virtually every blueblood program before choosing Tennessee, Ament arrived in Knoxville with sky-high expectations. Comparisons to Kevin Durant – another long, fluid Barnes-coached forward – might seem lofty, but Ament has done nothing but validate the hype. He’s averaging 17.9 points and 7.6 rebounds and has been a mismatch nightmare from Day 1, capable of scoring at all three levels, handling the ball like a guard and punishing smaller defenders with his size and touch.

Like most Rick Barnes teams, UT operates with a deliberate, grind-it-out style that forces opponents to stay disciplined for the full 30 seconds of the shot clock. The Vols are patient, physical and methodical, constantly running layered actions that make defenses communicate through screens, handle re-screens and avoid lapses in positioning. (If that sounds like another recent Illinois opponent, concerns around Illini Nation are valid.)

Everything flows through Tennessee's two stars, Gillespie and Ament, and Barnes does an excellent job using different sets to free them – whether it’s staggered screens for Gillespie to create downhill opportunities or isolations, high-post touches and pick-and-pop looks for Ament. The supporting cast thrives around them, playing within the offense's structure and making smart, timely reads. They space the floor well, cut hard when defenders ball-watch, and knock down the open shots that come from all the defensive attention their two star teammates command.

Defensively, Tennessee is exactly what you’d expect: disciplined, physical and impressively connected. The Vols lean heavily on man-to-man principles, and the strength of their defense comes from the fact that all five players on the floor can guard their position – and often others. Ball-handlers rarely find clean driving lanes, post touches are contested, and Tennessee’s closeouts are sharp and controlled.

This is not a team opponents beat by resorting to stagnant, one-on-one offense. Straight isolation – something Illinois can fall into at times – plays directly into the Vols’ hands. To generate quality looks, the Illini will need real ball movement, purposeful cutting and a willingness to make the extra pass. Tennessee punishes hesitations and thrives when opponents settle for jumpers early in the clock. Cracking its defense requires precision and collective execution – not hero ball.

Illinois vs. Tennessee matchup

Illinois has been on the wrong side of this matchup for two straight years, including last season’s heartbreaking loss in Champaign on a buzzer beater. Now the Illini get another crack at Tennessee – and with it, a chance to flip the script. This is more than just a non-conference game; it’s a resume-building opportunity for a team still trying to prove it belongs near the top of the Big Ten conversation.

Programs like Michigan, Purdue and Michigan State have already separated themselves early, and Illinois needs a marquee win to climb back into that upper tier. Beating Tennessee would do exactly that. But to get there, the Illini will need to deliver their most complete performance of the season. The coaching staff has to be sharp – big-game execution hasn’t always been a strength – and Illinois must finally hit perimeter shots at something above that of a middle-school team.

This is a winnable matchup – but only if the Illini avoid the self-inflicted mistakes that have plagued them in tough environments. Winning plays, late-game discipline and a willingness to match Tennessee’s intensity for 40 minutes will be the difference between another frustrating chapter and a breakthrough moment in a season that still holds plenty of promise.

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Pranav Hegde
PRANAV HEGDE

Primarily covers Illinois football, basketball and golf, with an emphasis on news, analysis and features. Hegde, an electrical engineering student at Illinois with an affinity for sports writing, has been writing for On SI since April 2025. He can be followed and reached on Instagram @pranavhegde__.

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