KNOXVILLE – Tennessee men’s basketball coach Rick Barnes is continually harping to his players that every game is important – a fact that could get lost in the wave of the early-season schedule.
The fifth-ranked Volunteers shouldn’t need any motivation this week.
Tennessee is one of four teams headed to the Barclays Center in Brooklyn to play in the NIT Season Tip-Off, along with Louisville, Marquette and Kansas. The Vols (3-0) face Louisville’s Cardinals (3-0) at 5 p.m. Wednesday with Kansas and Marquette playing in the late game. The consolation game will be Friday night at 7, with the championship contest scheduled for 9.
The Cardinals are in their first season under coach Chris Mack and have been in a period of transition. Two of their starters weren’t on the active roster a season ago, and Mack’s first team has three graduate transfers, including No. 1 point guard Christen Cunningham, who started more than 100 games at Samford.
The tournament is set up for a top-five showdown between the Vols and Kansas on Friday, but Barnes warned against that Monday.