Tennessee Men's Basketball announces 2024 preseason charity exhibition vs. Indiana

On Oct. 27, Tennessee will host Indiana in a season-opening charity exhibition. Tennessee and Indiana have jointly agreed to support the John McLendon Foundation, which aims to provide minorities access and opportunity through its scholarship program and leadership initiatives.

“We are thrilled to host one of the best programs in the nation and support a worthy cause at the same time. I have a great deal of respect for Coach Woodson and I look forward to sharing a sideline with him for the first time,” Tennessee head coach Rick Barnes said.

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“Indiana’s first visit to Knoxville provides an excellent test for our guys before the season officially begins. Most of all, though, it is a great way to raise money for an impactful organization whose mission I fully support.”

Tennessee and Indiana have only met four times in their programs’ respective histories. Three of those meetings were in the postseason and all of them were at neutral sites. Indiana boasts a 4-0 all-time record against the Volunteers, last defeating them in 1985 in the NIT Semifinals at Madison Square Garden in New York City.

Nonetheless, Tennessee has won its last 25 exhibition games, dating back to a 73-52 victory over Carson-Newman on Nov. 3, 2011. Moreover, Tennessee is 15-0 in exhibitions under Barnes, including seven wins in Knoxville.

Competition aside, McLendon Foundation director Adrien Harraway is grateful for the two programs’ generosity toward his cause.

“On behalf of the McLendon Foundation, we are humbled by the continued support of Coach Barnes and Coach Woodson,” Harraway said. “This game between the University of Tennessee and Indiana University demonstrates how sports can bring us together to inspire the next generation of sports leaders.”

Although the exhibition won’t count on Tennessee’s official record, the matchup will undoubtedly be competitive. Tennessee has faced off against highly-touted opponents in preseason bouts the past two seasons.

In 2022, the Volunteers downed Gonzaga 99-80 in the Legends of Basketball Classic in Frisco, Texas. Last season, Tennessee traveled to East Lansing to hand No. 4 Michigan State a nail-biting 89-88 loss. Tennessee will look to keep its streak alive against the Hoosiers.

If last season is any indication, Tennessee has an excellent chance of finding a win. The Volunteers posted a 27-8 record en route to an appearance in the Elite Eight. They also took home their first regular season conference title since the 2017-18 season.

Tickets for the general public will go on sale on Sept. 16. The game time and TV network will be announced at a later date.