Vols add charity exhibition game
KNOXVILLE — Rick Barnes will soon have an extra early opportunity to evaluate his third Tennessee men’s basketball team. In the process, he’ll take a trip down memory lane and help raise money for charity.
This week, the NCAA approved a waiver for Tennessee and Clemson to play an exhibition at 12:30 p.m. on Sunday, Nov. 5, at Clemson’s Littlejohn Coliseum. It’s the latest such game the NCAA has approved with the understanding that money raised will go to disaster relief. In this case, proceeds will benefit hurricane victims in Florida and Texas.
Barnes led Clemson to three straight NCAA tournament appearances (1996-98) in his second head coaching job before he was hired at Texas. He has not coached against the Tigers since leaving Clemson.
The game, which won’t be televised, will be Tennessee’s second and final exhibition before opening the regular season against Presbyterian on Nov. 10. The Volunteers will host Division II program Carson-Newman at 7 p.m. Thursday in their first exhibition.
Clemson lost in the first round of the National Invitation Tournament last season and finished 17-16 under coach Brad Brownell. Tennessee finished 16-16 last season.
“I’m excited for our guys to get a chance to go and play against Brad’s team, because his teams are tough, hard-nosed teams that do really good things,” Barnes told reporters Friday. “It’ll give us another chance to get out and see if we can get better.”
The Vols, who played a closed scrimmage against Davidson last Saturday, have been picked to finish 13th in the Southeastern Conference by media covering the league.
Barnes said Memphis coach Tubby Smith called Barnes about the possibility of Memphis and Tennessee staging an exhibition game, but the timing did not work. He added that Tennessee’s Thompson-Boling Arena was considered as the venue for the exhibition against Clemson, but a volleyball match was already scheduled.