Tennessee updates the availability of Dalton Knecht for tonight's George Mason game

Dalton Knecht will be available for No. 17 Tennessee tonight against George Mason, according to a Tennessee spokesperson. Knecht sprained his left ankle late in last week’s 100-92 loss at North Carolina.

Sophomore forward Tobe Awaka (ankle) and redshirt freshman guard Freddie Dilione (foot) will also be available, but Dilione will have restricted minutes while he continues to work his way back from injury.

Awaka also missed the North Carolina game after suffering an ankle injury in the November 20 win over Syracuse in the first round of the Maui Invitational. Dilione has been out since November 14 with the foot injury.

Tennessee (4-3) hosts George Mason (7-1) in a 6:30 p.m. Eastern Time start on SEC Network+ at Thompson-Boling Arena.

Knecht on Monday was labeled “day-to-day” with the left ankle injury suffered at North Carolina last week, according to a Tennessee spokesperson.

“He’s progressing,” Tennessee coach Rick Barnes said before practice Monday afternoon at Thompson-Boling Arena. “I think we’ll know more tomorrow. But he is moving around doing what we’ve asked him to do and he tells me he feels okay. But we’ll see. Again, I just think it’s a day-by-day right now.”

Barnes said Knecht’s availability against George Mason will be depend on how Knecht feels. 

“If he wants to play, if he’s capable,” Barnes said. “We’ll hold him out (if) we don’t think he’s ready. And players like that, they want to play and we’ll leave it up at what (team trainer) Chad (Newman) and he thinks. But again, we’ll know more after practice today.”

Up Next: Tennessee vs. George Mason, Tuesday, 6:30 p.m. ET, SEC Network+

Barnes said Awaka (ankle) was “full go” in practice on Sunday.

“If things stay like it is, he will (play),” Barnes said of Awaka’s availability for the George Mason game. “He’s cleared and he had a good day yesterday and we expect him to do it today.”

Dilione recently returned to practice in a limited role.

“He’s starting to work his way back in,” Barnes said. “He hasn’t been full going practice yet. But I think we’ll be able to use him some tomorrow if it goes well today in practice.”

Knecht is coming off a 37-point performance at North Carolina in the ACC-SEC Challenge at the Dean Smith Center in Chapel Hill. On the season he’s averaging 20.3 points per game while shooting 50.5% from the field and 40.5% from the 3-point line.

In three true road games against Power 5 competition — the exhibition win at Michigan State on October 29, the win at Wisconsin on November 10 and this week’s trip to Carolina — Knecht has combined for 89 points on just 48 shots. 

Dalton Knecht: 20.3 points per game, 50.5% FG, 40.5% 3FG

His 37 points at North Carolina came on 13-for-17 shooting from the floor. He made a season-high four 3-pointers and went 7-for-8 at the foul line. He scored 22 in the second half alone, making 8 of 9 shots.

Knecht became one of just three Tennessee players to score 37 or more points in a game in the least 33 years, with Grant Williams, who did it twice, and Ron Slay. He tied Allan Houston for second-most points scored by a Tennessee player in a road game. 

Knecht had 24 points in the 80-70 win at Wisconsin, going 8-for-15 from the floor, 1-for-4 from the 3-point line and 7-for-9 at the foul line.

He had 28 at Michigan State in his unofficial debut, going 8-for-16 from the floor, 3-for-9 from the 3-point line and 9-for-11 at the foul line. 

Knecht scored 17 in the season-opening win over Tennessee Tech on November 6, had 18 against Wofford on November 14 and combined for 46 points over three games in the Maui Invitational, against Syracuse (17), Purdue (16) and Kansas (13).