NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WKRN) — The Tennessee Volunteers men’s basketball team will take on the Illinois Fighting Illini at Bridgestone Arena in Nashville this December. Tennessee and Illinois will play on Dec. 6 with the game time to be released at a later date.

Tennessee basketball will play Illinois at Nashville's Bridgestone Arena in the 2025-26 season, continuing the series after a home-and-home set.

It marks the third time since Penny Hardaway became coach in 2018 that the Tigers have freshened up the aesthetic of their home playing surface. The last time came ahead of the 2022-23 season, when Memphis introduced both a new look and an updated floor.

The Fighting Illini will face Tennessee on Saturday, Dec. 6 at Bridgestone Arena in Nashville.

Memphis basketball coach Penny Hardaway reiterated his feelings about renewing the Tigers' rivalry with Tennessee.

KNOXVILLE, Tenn. — The University of Tennessee men's basketball team is set to play Illinois in Nashville in December during the 2025-26 non-conference slate.

It has been announced that former 4-star power forward recruit Trey Thompson from Greeneville, Tennessee, has reclassified from the 2026 class so that he can join Iowa this fall. On Wednesday, the program relayed that Thompson had reclassified and signed a scholarship agreement with the Hawkeyes.

It appears the NCAA is still undecided on whether or not they want to ruin the greatest thing about college basketball.

Tennessee star Trey Thompson has signed a scholarship agreement with the University of Iowa men’s basketball program.

The Illini will head to Nashville to take on the Volunteers on Dec. 6 in a key early test for a reloaded squad