GAME NOTES: As part of the SEC/Big 12 Challenge, the Tennessee Volunteers will welcome the Kansas State Wildcats to Thompson-Boling Arena on Saturday afternoon.

Kansas State is off to a modest 4-3 start to the season and it lost two of three at the Maui Invitational prior to Thanksgiving. The Wildcats got back on the winning track in their return to the mainland on Tuesday with an 84-66 win over Nebraska Omaha.

Tennessee also lost two of three in a holiday tournament, dropping a pair of games to Kansas (82-67) and most recently Marquette (67-59) during the Orlando Classic. The Vols are just 2-3 but they won their only home game against Texas Southern on Nov. 20, 70-58, and are currently riding a four-game winning streak in Knoxville.

This marks the first-ever meeting between the programs.

The Wildcats had no problem dismissing Omaha earlier in the week, as they shot 53.3 percent from the field (including 9-of-21 from 3-point range) and dominated the rebounding battle, 43-25, en route to the 18-point victory. Pacing the winning effort was Nino Williams, who shot 8-of-11 from the field for 19 points. Marcus Foster tallied 16 points and seven rebounds, while Jevon Thomas added 12 points and seven assists.

Scoring points hasn't been an issue for Kansas State this season. It shoots 47.6 percent from the field, which includes nearly a 40 percent mark from beyond the arc, for 75.4 ppg, but its issue comes on the other end of the floor, where they allow 71.0 ppg on a lofty 48.3 percent shooting. Foster is the go-to scoring option with 14.9 ppg, although he has more turnovers (16) than assists (10). Thomas Gipson (13.0 ppg) is incredibly efficient, shooting 68.4 percent from the field and 81.3 percent at the foul line. Williams rounds out the double-digit scorers with 11.6 ppg.

The Vols held a lead as large as 11 early in the first half of their most recent game but went into intermission trailing Marquette by five, and they could never recover in the second stanza as they suffered the eight-point loss. Although they shot a respectable 43.3 percent from the field, they made just 3-of-20 attempts from long range and were plagued by a game-high 15 turnovers. Armani Moore tallied a double-double with 18 points and 13 rebounds. Josh Richardson was the next-highest scorer with nine points but he turned the ball over five times.

Tennessee has struggled offensively this season, as it shoots less than 44 percent from the field and a lowly 61.8 percent at the foul line for 65.8 ppg. Its scoring defense (69.8 ppg) leaves a lot to be desired as well. Richardson has emerged as the top scoring threat with 15.8 ppg and he's be active on defense with a block and a steal per game. Moore is a mainstay in the paint with 12.0 ppg and 7.0 rpg, while Kevin Punter adds 9.6 ppg to the mix.

Tennessee is an inexperienced club under the tutelage of first-year head coach Donnie Tyndall, and even at home it'll have a difficult time taking down the well-rounded Wildcats.