Vols defeat Tennessee Tech in season opener

No. 10 Tennessee defeats Tennessee Tech in season opener.

No. 10 Tennessee (1-0) defeated Tennessee Tech (0-1), 80-42, Monday in a season opener for both schools at Food City Center.

The Vols led, 41-12, at halftime.

Tennessee had three players score 10-plus points. Dalton Knecht totaled 17 points.

Josiah Jordan-James scored 15 points and Jordan Gainey finished with 11.

Jonas Aidoo scored four points and was the Vols’ leading rebounder with eight. He also recorded two assists.

Jahmai Mashack scored nine points, while Freddie Dilione V finished with seven.

Tennessee will next play on Friday at Wisconsin. Tipoff between the Vols and Badgers is slated for 9 p.m. EST (Peacock).

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Randy Sartin-USA TODAY Sports 

Vols win exhibition game against Lenoir-Rhyne

Tennessee basketball wins exhibition game, 90-48.

No. 10 Tennessee defeated Lenoir-Rhyne, 90-48, in an exhibition game Tuesday in Thompson-Boling Arena at Food City Center.

The Vols scored the first 15 points of the contest and led, 49-30, at halftime.

Tennessee had four players total 10-plus points. Jonas Aidoo recorded 14 points and three blocks, while Dalton Knecht and Jordan Gainey added 13 points each. Tobe Awaka finished with 11.

Josiah-Jordan James and Cameron Carr recorded nine points and seven rebounds each against the Bears.

The Vols recorded 21 assists and committed 11 turnovers against Lenoir-Rhyne, Tennessee head coach Rick Barnes’ alma mater.

Tennessee next plays Monday when it opens the regular-season play against Tennessee Tech. Tipoff is scheduled for 6:30 p.m. EST.

Vols defeat Michigan State in exhibition basketball game

Vols defeat Michigan State in exhibition basketball game.

No. 10 Tennessee defeated No. 4 Michigan State, 89-88, Sunday in a charity exhibition at Breslin Center in East Lansing, Michigan.

Tennessee led, 40-37, at halftime. The Vols started the contest with a 17-1 lead and never trailed against Michigan State.

All proceeds for the contest will be donated to the Hawaii Community Foundation’s Maui Strong Fund, which provides financial resources to the relief efforts for those impacted by the Maui wildfires.

Transfer Jordan Gainey converted a free throw attempt with one second remaining in the contest, giving Tennessee an 89-88 lead. He totaled 20 points, six assists, three rebounds, two steals and one block.

Graduate transfer forward Dalton Knecht led the Vols with 28 points in his Tennessee debut. He also recorded seven rebounds, four assists and one steal.

PHOTOS: No. 10 Tennessee basketball wins at No. 4 Michigan State

Nick King/USA TODAY Network

Rick Barnes announces signing of Jordan Gainey

Tennessee head coach Rick Barnes announces the signing of Jordan Gainey.

Tennessee head coach Rick Barnes announced the signing of transfer Jordan Gainey on Tuesday.

Gainey committed to the Vols on April 18.

He transferred from USC Upstate with two years of eligibility remaining and is the son of Tennessee’s associate head coach Justin Gainey.

“We obviously know and love Jordan’s family, but his ability as a player stands on its own merit,” Barnes said in a press release. “He plays with a high basketball IQ and is a guy who makes his teammates better. We love his offensive versatility and his ability to shoot and score the ball in a variety of ways. In addition to giving us another shot-maker, he also competes on the defensive end and led (the Big South) in steals last year.”

PHOTOS: Rick Barnes through the years

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Former Big South Freshman of the Year commits to Vols

Former USC Upstate guard commits to Tennessee basketball.

Former USC Upstate guard Jordan Gainey announced his commitment to Tennessee on Tuesday.

He is the son of Tennessee’s associate head coach Justin Gainey.

The 6-foot-4, 175-pound guard is from Tucson, Arizona. He will have two years of eligibility remaining.

Gainey averaged 15.2 points, 2.5 rebounds and 2.3 assists per game last season. He earned first-team Big South All-Conference honors and finished third in Big South Defensive Player of the Year voting.

In 2021, Gainey was named Big South Freshman of the Year and was a Kyle Macy Award finalist. He averaged 13.8 points, 2.2 assists and 3.8 rebounds per game.

Gainey also earned second-team Big South All-Conference honors and was named to the Big South All-Freshman Team in 2021.

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