Kansas basketball vs. Tennessee: Game time, odds, TV channel, and more

Kansas basketball will take on a decent Tennessee Volunteers squad later today. Here’s what you need to know, including game time, odds, TV channel, and more.

Kansas basketball has been under the microscope all week due to the Sunflower Throwdown brawl that erupted at the end of their matchup with Kansas State. Now, we’ll see just how much of an effect the national media had on Kansas when they take on Tennessee later today.

In an example of incredible timing, ESPN’s College Gameday will be coming to Lawrence for the game today, like Kansas basketball needed any more attention. Rece Davis, Jay Bilas, Seth Greenberg, and LaPhonso Ellis are the current personalities on Gameday. The show is set to begin at 10:00 AM central time in Allen Fieldhouse and conclude one hour later.

Kansas basketball vs. Tennessee Volunteers at a glance:

• Time: 3:00 PM (CT)
• Place: Allen Fieldhouse – Lawrence, KS
• Watch: ESPN
• Listen: FM- KKSW 105.9, or AM- KLWN 1320 (Lawrence Stations)
• All-Time Series: Kansas leads 3-1
• Last Meeting: 2019, 87-81 (OT) Kansas

Despite all of the attention and distractions, Kansas basketball is still a heavy favorite over the Volunteers Here are the odds, courtesy of The Action Network:

When Kansas played Tennessee last season in New York, the no. 2 Jayhawks picked up an 81-87 victory over the no. 5 Vols in overtime. Tennessee would go on to earn a two seed in the NCAA Tournament and eventually be knocked out in the Sweet Sixteen by Purdue in an overtime thriller.

The Volunteers have regressed slightly this season, but their defense is still formidable according to KenPom. The Jayhawks should still be able to score though. They’ve played and beaten tougher defenses like Colorado and West Virginia, so there’s no reason to believe they can’t do it against Tennessee.

Despite having the analytical advantage, Kansas won’t be at full strength due to the Big 12 suspensions in response to the brawl last Tuesday. The Jayhawks will be without David McCormack and Silvio De Sousa, which makes the Kansas frontcourt extremely thin.

READ MORE: Two freshmen must step up due to suspensions

Udoka Azubuike will have to play an unusually big chunk of minutes, and Tristan Enaruna may even be asked to step in and play in the post when Azubuike needs a break.

The Big 12/SEC Challenge is always intriguing, and this year is no different. With College Gameday, the national media, and everything else going on, the environment at Allen Fieldhouse should be electric. We could be in for a good one.