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Tennessee basketball vs. Memphis: Live stream, game time, TV and radio info

By Caleb Calhoun

ATLANTA, GA - MARCH 14: A general view of megaphones for the Tennessee Volunteers cheerleaders against the South Carolina Gamecocks during the quarterfinals of the SEC Men's Basketball Tournament at Georgia Dome on March 14, 2014 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images)
ATLANTA, GA - MARCH 14: A general view of megaphones for the Tennessee Volunteers cheerleaders against the South Carolina Gamecocks during the quarterfinals of the SEC Men's Basketball Tournament at Georgia Dome on March 14, 2014 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images) /
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In a battle of Top 25 teams, Tennessee basketball hosts the Memphis Tigers Saturday in Knoxville. Here is our preview for the Volunteers.

The bitter in-state rivalry resumes. Tennessee basketball will face its third top 25 opponent of the year as Penny Hardaway and the Memphis Tigers head to town with the future of the rivalry in serious doubt beyond next season.

After the Vols beat the Tigers 102-92 at the FedEx Forum in Memphis last year, their first meeting since January of 2013, Hardaway accused the UT players of initiating a bit of jawing at the end of the game, and then he and Rick Barnes went at it verbally in public. Since then, Barnes has said he doesn’t know if the series will continue after next year, when the game is scheduled in Nashville.

All of that has set the stage for this game. Both teams are tied for the No. 17 ranking in the Coaches Poll as well. Meanwhile, UT comes in at 7-1, ranked No. 19 in the AP Poll, and with quality wins over the Washington Huskies and VCU Rams along with a close loss to the Florida State Seminoles. Here’s all you need to know about Tennessee basketball’s matchup.

No. 13 Memphis Tigers at No. 19 Tennessee Volunteers

When: Saturday, Dec. 14 at 3 p.m. ET

Where: Thompson-Boling Arena; Knoxville, Tenn.

TV: ESPN

Live stream: WatchESPN

Radio: Vol Network

Listen online: UTSports; GoTigersGo.com

Line: Tennessee -6

Over/Under: 139

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Memphis comes in with an 8-1 record and ranked No. 13 in the AP Poll. Their only loss happened in what was basically a road game against the Oregon Ducks, who are ranked No. 10 in the AP Poll, by eight points. They also have close wins over the Ole Miss Rebels, N.C. State Wolfpack and UAB Blazers.

So they still have a lot to prove in this game with no real quality wins. They are still without top recruit James Wiseman, who will be back for conference play, but there is plenty of other talent from the No. 1 recruiting class Hardaway secured in the offseason.

Given that fact and all the young talent on the Vols, both teams enter this game with tons of questions, and this is a matchup that will help them answer those. Of course, losing won’t be a killer for either team, but winning will at least reveal the level they are at right now.

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As a result, regardless of what happens to this rivalry in the future or what happens the rest of the season, this is a huge game. Tennessee basketball could really use the win playing at home while Memphis doesn’t have its best player. But a loss won’t hurt them too bad. Either way, it’s another quality game to boost their strength of schedule.

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