Tennessee
No. 1 Tennessee vs. No. 23 Arkansas: Game information, lineups, notes
No. 1 Tennessee vs. No. 23 Arkansas: Game information, lineups, notes
Tennessee emerged from its non-conference slate unbeaten and has topped the major polls for four-straight weeks.
Now, the No. 1 Vols (13-0) begin their biggest challenge: SEC play.
TALK ABOUT IT IN THE ROCKY TOP FORUM
Tennessee opens league action against No. 23 Arkansas (11-2) at Thompson-Boling Arena at Food City Center on Saturday (1 p.m. ET, ESPN) in the first of back-to-back games against ranked teams and one with a number of intriguing storylines.
The Razorbacks, winners of four-straight, are led by a familiar face in John Calipari, who is in his first season after leaving Kentucky where he went up against the Vols in several notable games in the previous 15 years. Saturday also marks the return of former Vols forward Jonas Aidoo, now on the visitors side.
Aidoo will be facing a few of his former teammates, but Tennessee’s impressive start has been helped by the addition of two transfers of their own in starting guard Chaz Lanier and forward Igor Milicic Jr.
Lanier leads the Vols in scoring with 19.6 points per game and has scored 20-plus in six of 13 games, while Milicic is the team’s top rebounder, pulling down 8.2 per game.
The staples of Tennessee’s roster that were key in winning the league one year ago will again be key in its success in an SEC that has 10 teams ranked in the polls and 13 projected to reach the NCAA Tournament.
That includes the league’s assists leader in Zakai Zeigler and one of its most stingy defenders in Jahmai Mashack. And the bench, tested after the loss of JP Estrella to a season-ending injury and the abrupt exit for Cam Carr, has at least two proven options in Jordan Gainey and Cade Phillips.
How all of their contributions translate to what has proven to be the best conference in college basketball after a month and a half will soon be determined.
Here is everything you need to know about Tennessee’s SEC opener.
GAME INFORMATION
Who: No. 23 Arkansas (11-2) at No. 1 Tennessee (13-0)
When: Saturday, Jan. 4 | 1 p.m. ET
Where: Food City Center | Knoxville
TV: ESPN (Karl Ravech, play-by-play; Jimmy Dykes, analyst)
Radio: Vol Network (Bob Kesling, play-by-play; Bert Bertelkamp, analyst)
Series: 49th meeting all-time (Tennessee leads, 26-22)
KenPom: Tennessee 76, Arkansas 64
PROJECTED LINEUPS
NUMBERS EDGE
POINTS PER GAME
Arkansas 82.5
Tennessee 80.1
FIELD GOAL PERCENTAGE
Arkansas 51.5%
Tennessee 48.9%
THREE-POINT PERCENTAGE
Arkansas 36.8%
Tennessee 35.5%
MORE FROM VOLREPORT: Three thoughts ahead of Tennessee basketball’s SEC opener vs. Arkansas
ASSISTS
Tennessee 16.8
Arkansas 16.8
REBOUNDS
Tennessee 38.9
Arkansas 36.2
BLOCKS
Arkansas 5.7
Tennessee 5.5
PREGAME NOTES
— Rick Barnes and John Calipari are meeting again as two of the winningest active head coaches in college basketball. Calipari is No. 1 among Division I coaches with 824 victories while Barnes is second with 819. Barnes is 13-12 vs. Calipari in head-to-head match ups.
— Tennessee will look to continue its success as the No. 1 team in the Associated Press Top 25 poll. The Vols are 13-2 all-time as the top-ranked team in the poll, and 12-1 under Rick Barnes, including a five-game win streak since jumping to No. 1 four weeks ago.
MORE FROM VOLREPORT: Rick Barnes assesses Tennessee basketball ahead of SEC play
— Tennessee and Arkansas’ non-conference schedule included three common opponents. The Vols went 3-0 vs. Baylor, Illinois and Miami, winning by an average margin of victory 10.0 points while the Razorbacks went 1-2 against those teams, beating Miami and losing to Baylor and Illinois at neutral sites.
— Arkansas guard Johnell Davis was listed as “probable” on the initial SEC availability report on Friday night. Davis hasn’t played since Dec. 14, sidelined by a wrist injury. Davis began his career at Florida Atlantic. He scored 15 points against Tennessee in the Sweet 16 in 2023. He is averaging 9.2 points with the Razorbacks.
The History of Earth Day
A comprehensive look at the evolution of Earth Day from its 1970 origins to a global environmental movement.
Earth Day, the annual event which promotes environmental protection and awareness, is this week.
Celebrating its 56th year, this year’s Earth Day theme is “Our Power, Our Planet,” which stresses the importance of communities, educators, workers and families working together toward environmental progress.
“‘Our Power, Our Planet’ is not a political statement. It is a commitment to stewardship, resilience, and shared accountability — a call for every individual, community, and sector to exercise their power in service of the planet we all depend on,” reads the 2026 manifesto.
To celebrate Earth Day 2026, the Tennessee State Parks system will be offering educational, recreational and volunteer events across the state.
Here’s what to know.
When is Earth Day 2026?
Earth Day is April 22.
According to Earthday.org, the movement’s founders — inspired by the student anti‑war protests of the 1960s and 1970s — chose a weekday falling between Spring Break and final exams to maximize the greatest student participation.
Why is Earth Day celebrated?
The history of Earth Day dates back to 1962 with Rachel Carson’s New York Times bestselling book, “Silent Spring” which raised awareness and concern for living organisms, the environment and the links between pollution and public health.
U.S. Sen. Gaylord Nelson, a Democrat from Wisconsin, was concerned about worsening environmental conditions and galvanized by the massive 1969 oil spill off the coast of Santa Barbara. He launched the idea that would become Earth Day.
Nelson partnered with Republican U.S. Rep. Pete McCloskey and activist Denis Hayes to organize nationwide teach‑ins on April 22, expanding the effort beyond college campuses and rebranding it as Earth Day, an event that quickly gained national media attention and widespread public participation.
Tennessee State Parks system celebrates Earth Day 2026
Here’s a look at events planned by region, happening on and around April 22.
West Tennessee
Middle Tennessee
East Tennessee:
Diana Leyva covers trending news and service journalism for The Tennessean. Contact her at Dleyva@gannett.com.
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NASHVILLE, Tenn. — Big hearts, small hands! Tennessee kids are stepping up to make a big difference this summer.
First Lady Maria Lee on Tuesday announced the eighth annual Tennessee Kids Serve Summer Challenge, encouraging young students to dedicate part of their summer to helping others.
The program, part of the Tennessee Serves initiative, runs from June 1 through Aug. 1 and is open to rising kindergarteners through rising sixth graders across the state.
Participants must complete at least two hours of service across two of eight designated categories to finish the challenge, with top participants earning an invitation to a September carnival at the Tennessee Residence.
Since its launch in 2019, more than 3,500 children have contributed over 15,000 hours of service through activities ranging from park cleanups to assisting nursing homes and raising funds for disaster relief.
Registration opened Tuesday, with parents and guardians able to sign up participants and access additional details through the First Lady’s official website.
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Go here for everyday ideas on ways to serve!
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