Tennessee basketball is facing North Carolina in the inaugural ACC/SEC Challenge.
The No. 11 Vols (4-2) play the No. 16 Tar Heels (5-1) on Wednesday (7:15 p.m. ET, ESPN) at the Dean Smith Center in Chapel Hill, North Carolina.
Here is what to know about the matchup:
Is starting Zakai Zeigler the best option for Tennessee basketball?
Zakai Zeigler is still settling in as he returns following ACL surgery and not being cleared to play until Tennessee’s season opener on Nov. 6. One of the possibilities to aid Zeigler in getting back to himself could be inserting him in the starting lineup.
Vols coach Rick Barnes indicated that is an option that the staff has been discussed because it could help Zeigler mentally.
“All we know is that he’s going to get it and when he’s out there, he changes the floor on both ends,” Barnes said.
Zeigler is averaging 4.2 points and 3.0 assists in 19.8 minutes per game. He was 1-for-12 on 3-pointers and 4-for-22 shooting in three games in Maui. He had 14 points and 11 turnovers. Barnes said Zeigler is being hard on himself as he works his way back.
Zeigler had ACL surgery in March after suffering a season-ending injury on Feb. 28 against Arkansas.
“It’s hard to go as long as he went without really getting the feel for the time off,” Barnes said. “Even though he worked, he did everything he possibly could, but he’s pressing.”
J.P. Estrella gave Tennessee huge minutes
Tennessee wasn’t sure what it would get from J.P. Estrella when it turned to the freshman forward in a pinch against Syracuse. It got huge minutes as Estrella played nine minutes while sophomore Tobe Awaka was sidelined with an ankle injury. What Estrella showed was he can be a major factor in Barnes’ eyes as he continues to learn.
“The more he understands how much we need him and the more he understands how hard it is to play this game night in and night out will be really the key to how quickly he progresses,” Barnes said.
The 6-foot-9 Estrella had played sparingly before Maui, but was called up early against Syracuse. He had two points, three rebounds and one assist. He is averaging averaging 1.2 points and 0.8 rebounds.
North Carolina is another matchup with a standout post player
Tennessee is coming off matchups with two of the best big men in the country in Purdue’s Zach Edey and Kansas’ Hunter Dickinson. It has another one in North Carolina’s Armando Bacot, a two-time first-team All-SEC selection and a preseason All-American.
Bacot is averaging 15.8 points, 11.7 rebounds. The fifth-year senior became the UNC all-time leader in rebounds and double-double last season.
MAUI:Shooting lulls and Zakai Zeigler: Unpacking Tennessee basketball’s Maui Invitational play
Tennessee basketball’s history against North Carolina
Tennessee has faced North Carolina three times in Barnes’ tenure. It won the most recent matchup 89-72 in the Hall of Fame Tip-off Tournament in Uncasville, Connecticut, in November 2021. The Vols played a home-and-home with the Tar Heels in December 2016 and December 2017. UT had not faced UNC in a home-and-home set since 1947 and 1949 prior to that series.
The Vols have a 2-10 record against the Tar Heels.
Tennessee vs. UNC score prediction
Tennessee 79, North Carolina 72: The Vols get another road win, topping the Tar Heels.
Mike Wilson covers University of Tennessee athletics. Email him at [email protected] and follow him on Twitter @ByMikeWilson. If you enjoy Mike’s coverage, consider a digital subscription that will allow you access to all of it