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Tennessee basketball: Vols to face Iowa State in 2018 SEC/Big 12 challenge

By Caleb Calhoun

Feb 22, 2017; Knoxville, TN, USA; Tennessee Volunteers head coach Rick Barnes during the first half against the Vanderbilt Commodores at Thompson-Boling Arena. Mandatory Credit: Randy Sartin-USA TODAY Sports
Feb 22, 2017; Knoxville, TN, USA; Tennessee Volunteers head coach Rick Barnes during the first half against the Vanderbilt Commodores at Thompson-Boling Arena. Mandatory Credit: Randy Sartin-USA TODAY Sports /
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Tennessee basketball has its opponent for next year’s SEC vs Big 12 challenge. The Volunteers will take on the Iowa State Cyclones in Ames on Jan. 27, 2018.

Rick Barnes and Tennessee basketball will be on the road for the SEC/Big 12 challenge in 2018, as the Vols take on the Iowa State Cyclones.

This past year, Tennessee hosted the Kansas State Wildcats and had an impressive victory in the challenge.

Next year, the toughness of their task is up in the air.

The Vols will take on an Iowa State team that has made the NCAA Tournament each of its first two years under head coach Steve Prohm, including just missing out on its second straight Sweet Sixteen this past year.

However, that team lost its four leading scorers from a year ago and seven seniors overall. You would expect that to mean the Cyclones are rebuilding, but with the arrival of five-star Lindell Wiggington and four-star Darius McNeill, there are still expectations in Ames.

It will just likely take some time for them to develop.

So we’re not sure exactly how tough this team will be, but Barnes and the Vols will definitely be up against great coaching.

The SEC vs Big 12 challenge began in 2013, but the Vols were one of the four SEC teams not active that year.

Ever since they began competing in it, they have gone 2-1. Both of their wins are home victories over Kansas State in 2014 and 2017.

Their one loss came on the road against the TCU Horned Frogs in 2016.

Tennessee basketball’s all-time record against the Big 12 is 12-17.

And they are 1-1 against Iowa State with the last meeting between the two programs occurring in 1977. Tennessee won that game 81-76 in the Fiesta Classic in Tempe, Ariz.

All 10 games of the SEC/Big 12 challenge will be televised across the ESPN network, but tipoff times will be announced at a later date.

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