GAME NOTES: Two teams trying to close out the Orlando Classic on a positive note get together at HP Field House on Sunday, as the Tennessee Volunteers and Marquette Golden Eagles collide.

Marquette has split the first six games of the season and was a game over .500 prior to its meeting with Michigan State on Friday. Against the 20th-ranked Spartans, the Golden Eagles came up just short in a 79-68 final.

As for the Volunteers, they've played only four games to this point, although they too are sitting at .500. The team had won back-to-back games against Texas Southern and Santa Clara before being beaten down by nationally-ranked Kansas two days ago, 82-67.

Marquette leads the all-time series by a count of 4-3, although Tennessee won the most recent meeting in 2008 in an 80-68 final.

The Tennessee defense managed to force the Jayhawks into 16 turnovers on Friday, but even then that strong stance was not enough to knock Kansas off balance. The biggest issue for the Vols came in the paint where they were beaten on the glass by a 44-22 margin as Josh Richardson not only led the team in scoring with 16 points, he was also the high man on the glass with five boards. Kevin Punter pitched in with 14 points and reserve Detrick Mostella 13 points in only 17 minutes off the bench.

Richardson, who has at least shared the scoring lead in all four games this season, is putting up 17.5 ppg in the early going. Armani Moore accounts for another 10.5 ppg, although his numbers could be even stronger if not for the fact that he has shot only 58.1 percent at the free-throw line. Punter (10.0 ppg) has hurt himself with 3-of-11 shooting beyond the arc, but helped others with a team-best 13 assists.

Marquette actually led against Michigan State early in the first half, up by five points, but that was before the Spartans got their act together and moved out to a one-point lead at the break, en route to the double-digit victory. The Golden Eagles were paced by Duane Wilson with 15 points, Matt Carlino with 14 and seven rebounds, while Steve Taylor and Deonte Burton both tallied 10 points as the team used a short bench to try and get by.

Carlino, a transfer from BYU, is scoring a team-best 14.3 ppg and has handed out 24 assists over six games. Carlino is actually shooting better behind the 3-point line (.436) than he is from the floor overall (.355) in the early going. Juan Anderson and Duane Wilson are contributing 14.0 and 11.3 ppg, respectively, as the program posts 72.2 ppg, but at the same time is giving up 73.3 ppg.

As long as Carlino can find his stroke from the field and is not pressured into trying to carry the Golden Eagles in this meeting, Marquette should be capable of pulling off the victory.