UNC basketball vs. Tennessee in ACC/SEC Challenge: Scouting report, prediction

UNC basketball will play Tennessee in the first ACC/SEC Challenge. 

The 17th-ranked Tar Heels (5-1) and the 10th-ranked Volunteers (4-2) meet Wednesday night (7:15 p.m., ESPN) at the Dean E. Smith Center. 

UNC is 10-2 in the all-time series, but Tennessee earned a 17-point win against UNC in 2021 on a neutral court. The Vols are 0-3 in Chapel Hill, including a 73-71 loss in 2016 at the Smith Center.

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UNC has won nine of its last 10 games against top-10 nonconference opponents at the Smith Center, with its lone loss during that stretch coming in 2019 against Ohio State. 

Here’s a look at some things to know and a score prediction for the Tar Heels’ game against Tennessee.

Will UNC basketball’s Cormac Ryan play vs. Tennessee? 

UNC guard Cormac Ryan was in the starting lineup for the first five games, but an ankle injury kept him sidelined against Arkansas. After scoring 21 points across UNC’s first three games, Ryan heated up in the Bahamas with 15 points against Northern Iowa and a season-high 18 points against Villanova. Despite Ryan’s absence, UNC won by 15 against the Razorbacks. Seth Trimble and Elliot Cadeau stepped up with Ryan in a jumpsuit, and they may need to do it again Wednesday.

How will UNC deal with Tennessee’s Dalton Knecht, Santiago Vescovi? 

UNC has allowed a player to drop 30 points in back-to-back games. The Tar Heels need to be stingier against the Vols. Senior guard Santiago Vescovi is coming off a 21-point performance – including five 3-pointers – against Kansas and Northern Colorado transfer Dalton Knecht has been Tennessee’s top scorer (17.5 ppg) through six games. If that duo gets going, it could be a long night for the boys in blue. 

Armando Bacot, Harrison Ingram in spotlight vs. Tennessee’s elite defense

Tennessee’s offense remains a work in progress, but Vols coach Rick Barnes appears to have another elite defensive squad. As of Monday night, Tennessee is No. 1 in defensive efficiency, according to KenPom.com. Purdue’s Zach Edey (23 points, 10 rebounds) and Kansas’ Hunter Dickinson (17 points, 20 rebounds) thrived against the Vols. If UNC is going to crack the code against Tennessee, it starts with big games from Armando Bacot (15.8 ppg, 11.7 rbg) and Harrison Ingram (14.2 ppg, 7.0 rbg).

UNC vs. Tennessee score prediction 

UNC 71, Tennessee 68: Tennessee hasn’t lost three games in a row under Rick Barnes since 2020, but the Heels have plenty of offense and they’re playing at home. The Smith Center transforms for big-time games, so I’ll roll with UNC in a close one.

Staff writer Rodd Baxley can be reached at rbaxley@fayobserver.com or @RoddBaxley on X/Twitter.