KNOXVILLE, Tenn. (Interstat) — Two men’s junior college basketball teams seeking a foothold will meet Saturday when the Volunteer State Pioneers visit the Pellissippi State Panthers.

Both programs have struggled through the early season. Volunteer State enters with a 3-7 overall record, while Pellissippi State sits at 2-12. The Pioneers are looking to rebound from a 112-64 home loss to Calhoun on Jan. 3. In that game, Preston King scored 11 points and grabbed five rebounds, and Jailen Hardaway added a team-high 15 points.

King has been a consistent performer for the Pioneers, also scoring 11 points in a Dec. 13 loss at Calhoun. He will be a key player for Volunteer State.

Pellissippi State is coming off a 110-59 road loss to Walters State on Wednesday. The Panthers’ last win was a narrow 83-79 victory over Gadsden State on Jan. 5. A player to watch for the Panthers is Raza Majid, who scored seven points in 14 minutes in a Dec. 19 contest against Wallace State.

According to Interstat’s game simulator, this contest is projected to be a high-scoring and even affair, with a predicted final score of 100-100.

The game will be the first of two regular-season meetings between the teams this season. They are scheduled to meet again at Volunteer State on Feb. 21.

For Volunteer State, following this game, the schedule continues with a home game against Dyersburg State on Jan. 14. Pellissippi State’s next game after Saturday is on the road against Southwest Tennessee on Jan. 17.

Tip-off is set for Saturday, Jan. 10, 2026.