All for Tennessee
Fansided

Tennessee basketball could make up some canceled games

By Caleb Calhoun

KNOXVILLE, TN - FEBRUARY 2: Cheerleaders of the Tennessee Volunteers pregame against the Kentucky Wildcats in a game at Thompson-Boling Arena on February 2, 2016 in Knoxville, Tennessee. (Photo by Patrick Murphy-Racey/Getty Images)
KNOXVILLE, TN - FEBRUARY 2: Cheerleaders of the Tennessee Volunteers pregame against the Kentucky Wildcats in a game at Thompson-Boling Arena on February 2, 2016 in Knoxville, Tennessee. (Photo by Patrick Murphy-Racey/Getty Images) /
facebooktwitterreddit

The Tennessee basketball Volunteers may add games in December.

This week was supposed to help Rocky Top cope with the misery of the football season with the start of Tennessee basketball. However, a COVID outbreak forced the Vols to cancel both games this week against the Charlotte 49ers and VCU Rams. They then canceled two games next week against the Gonzaga Bulldogs and Notre Dame Fighting Irish.

Such news put a major damper on Thanksgiving for UT, whose men’s basketball season now won’t start until Dec. 12 against the Cincinnati Bearcats. There was some news on Wednesday, though, to provide more encouragement.

According to Grant Ramey of GoVols247, the Vols could make up some of those canceled games. Tennessee basketball assistant coach Mike Schwartz said on Vol Calls Wednesday that the Vols have lots of time in December to add some of those games back and that they are “working aggressively” to do that.

Vol basketball backcourt preview. light. Related Story

Charlotte and VCU, which were scheduled for Wednesday and Friday respectively, were supposed to be part of an event called the Volunteer Classic. That would have been a round robin between the schools at Thompson-Boling Arena.

Gonzaga, who began the year ranked No. 1 nationally, was part of the Jimmy V Classic, which had moved to Indianapolis and was set for Dec. 2. It’s hard to see that game being made up. Notre Dame was a tentative road game for the Vols on Dec. 4 but hadn’t been set in stone yet.

In addition to the Cincinnati game, Rocky Top has matchups with the Appalachian State Mountaineers on Dec. 15, the Tennessee Tech Golden Eagles on Dec. 19 and the USC Upstate Spartans on Dec. 22. SEC play begins against the Missouri Tigers on Dec. 30.

Vol basketball frontcourt preview. dark. Next

Assuming games would be canceled through the end of next week, which would be Dec. 5, Tennessee basketball would have 20 open days to play the other games. If they want to make sure there is at least one off-day between the made-up games and the scheduled games, then they have 11 dates. They have nine if they want to avoid Christmas Eve and Christmas Day.

Home/Vols Basketball