Carmelo Anthony’s Son Kiyan Anthony Reacts to Syracuse News on Thursday

Syracuse will host the Tennessee Volunteers on Tuesday, Dec. 2, at the JMA Wireless Dome. It’s a high-profile showdown between two storied programs, and it marks a rare meeting on Orange home turf.

The history between these teams is limited. They’ve met only eight times since 1972. Their most recent clash took place last season in Knoxville, where Tennessee rolled to a dominant 96-70 win, marking its fourth consecutive victory in the series. The Volunteers haven’t lost to Syracuse since 1993, when the Orange won 98-65.

This upcoming matchup will be Tennessee’s first trip to Syracuse since 2000, a game the Vols won 83-70.

Syracuse, under head coach Adrian Autry, is aiming to bounce back from a rough season. The Orange finished 14th in the ACC, with an overall record of 14-19 and a conference record of 7-13. The program has added key pieces for the upcoming year, including big man Tiefing Diawara, who joins Ibrahim Souare and William Kyle in the frontcourt. Nathan George, another incoming transfer, is also expected to contribute immediately.

On the other side, Rick Barnes continues to lead a Tennessee team that spent part of last season ranked No. 1 in the country. The Vols ultimately fell short of the Final Four, ending the season ranked fifth in the final Associated Press poll. They knocked off Wofford, UCLA and Kentucky in the NCAA Tournament before falling 69-50 to Houston in the Elite Eight.

This season, Tennessee is expected to be led by guards Ja'Kobi Gillespie and Amaree Abram. Forwards Nate Ament, Jaylen Carey and Felix Okpara are projected to round out the starting five.

This early December clash between Syracuse and Tennessee promises to be one of the headline games of the ACC/SEC Challenge and could set the tone for both programs heading into conference play.