The new KenPom.com ratings for the 2024-25 season have been updated, with Tennessee starting at No. 13 overall. The KenPom numbers have the Vols at No. 4 in adjusted defensive efficiency and No. 35 in adjusted offensive efficiency. 

Tennessee finished at No. 5 overall in the KenPom ratings last season, ranked No. 3 on defense and No. 28 on offense.

The 2024-25 ratings are topped by Houston, ahead of Duke, Auburn, Alabama, UConn, Kansas, Iowa State, Arizona, Gonzaga and Purdue, respectively, in the top 10. Also in front of the Vols were No. 11 Baylor and No. 12 Creighton. Tennessee was ranked one spot ahead of No. 13 North Carolina. 

Vols have 14 games against top-50 KenPom teams

Tennessee was the third-highest rated SEC team, coming in behind No. 3 Auburn and No. 4 Alabama.

The Vols have 14 games on schedule against teams ranked in the top 50 of the preseason KenPom ratings: No. 3 Auburn, No. 4 Alabama, No. 16 Texas A&M, No. 18 Texas, No. 23 Illinois, No. 25 Arkansas, No. 28 Florida (twice), No. 32 Mississippi State, No. 40 Oklahoma, No. 40 Oklahoma, No. 42 Kentucky (twice) and No. 47 Ole Miss. Tennessee will also play either No. 11 Baylor or No. 19 St. John’s on the second day of the Baha Mar tournament in the Bahamas in November. 

There are 10 games against teams ranked between No. 51 and No. 100: No. 51 LSU, No. 53 Missouri, No. 55 Miami, No. 64 Louisville, No. 65 South Carolina, No. 67 Georgia, No. 68 Syracuse, No. 78 Virginia and No. 96 Vanderbilt (twice).

Tennessee has seven non-conference home games against teams ranked No. 176 or worse: No. 176 Montana, No. 185 MTSU, No. 229 Norfolk State, No. 258 Western Carolina, No. 271 Austin Peay, No. 272 Gardner Webb and No. 339 UT Martin.

Up Next: Tennessee vs. Indiana, Sunday, October 27

The first look at the 2024-25 Tennessee basketball team will be October 27, when the Vols host Indiana in a charity exhibition game at Food City Center. The game will start at 3 p.m. Eastern Time and can be streamed on SEC Network+.

The regular-season schedule opens at home on November 4 against Gardner Webb and Tennessee goes to Louisville on November 9 for the first road game.

Tennessee opens the Baha Mar tournament with Virginia on November 21. The Vols host Syracuse in the SEC-ACC Challenge on December 3, play Miami in the Jimmy V Classic at Madison Square Garden on December 10 and go to Illinois on December 14. The SEC schedule starts at home on January 4 against John Calipari and Arkansas.