Vols Open Battle 4 Atlantis vs. Purdue

The official bracket for the 2017 Battle 4 Atlantis was released Monday, and Tennessee's opening opponent is Purdue. The Volunteers and Boilermakers square off in the opening game of the tournament, with tipoff set for noon ET on Wednesday, Nov. 22.

The other opening-day matchup on Tennessee's side of the bracket features Villanova and Western Kentucky, while the opposite side of the bracket includes games between Arizona and NC State, and SMU and Northern Iowa.

Each member of the eight-team tournament field will play three games at the event between Nov. 22-24. Tennessee's second game will take place Thursday, Nov. 23, at either 12:30 p.m. ET (win) or 9:30 p.m. ET (lose). All games will be televised nationally; network designations have yet to be determined.

Projected to enter 2017-18 with a top-25 ranking, Purdue made a run to the Sweet Sixteen last season under the direction of head coach Matt Painter, who is entering his 13^th season at the program's helm. The Boilermakers lost All-American and Big Ten Player of the Year Caleb Swanigan, who was selected 26^th overall by the Portland Trailblazers in June's NBA Draft.

Purdue returns a trio of senior All-Big Ten performers. Forward Vincent Edwards earned third-team All-Big Ten honors last season after averaging 12.6 points, 4.9 rebounds and 3.2 assists per game. He's the only active player in America with 1,000 career points, 500 rebounds, 300 assists and 100 made 3-pointers.

Guard Dakota Mathias had a breakout junior season, starting all 35 games and averaging 9.7 points, 3.9 rebounds and 3.8 assists per game. He also shot 45.3 percent from behind the arc (72-of-159), ranking second in the Big Ten last season. The Big Ten Defensive Team honoree is joined by 7-2 center Isaac Haas, who averaged 12.6 points, 5.0 rebounds and 0.7 blocks per game. He shot 58.7 percent from the field last season.

The Vols and Boilermakers have met just three times previously, with Purdue owning a 2-1 edge. In the last meeting, Purdue outlasted UT, 73-72, in the championship game of the Paradise Jam in St. Thomas on Nov. 23, 2009.

Tennessee is 22-34 all-time against current members of the Big Ten Conference. The Vols' last triumph over a Big Ten foe was a come-from-behind win over Iowa in the "First Four" of the 2014 NCAA Tournament.

Vols head coach Rick Barnes owns a .491 career record against current members of the Big Ten (28-29) and is 1-1 against Purdue.

Atlantis offers a resort experience in mythical proportions amidst the largest marine habitat in the world. Guests can explore the ruins of Atlantis in The Dig, challenge the Mayan Temple and Aquaventure's water slides, enjoy 11 swimming areas, and interact with live dolphins at Dolphin Cay.

Resort facilities include a state-of-the-art kids club, Atlantis Kids Adventures (AKA), a 30,000-square-foot flagship Mandara Spa, a sports center, a state-of-the-art rock climbing facility, a world-class marina, haute couture shopping, and more than 20 restaurants, bars and lounges.

School Fan Packages, which include tickets to each game the school plays in during the tournament, can be booked by calling 888-877-7525. Fans can also purchase Full Tournament Packages, granting them entry to every game of the tournament.

The entirety of the 12-game tournament will be televised and will take place in Atlantis' 3,900-seat Imperial Arena.

Battle 4 Atlantis ticket and travel packages can be booked by calling 1-800-Atlantis or Battle4Atlantis.com. Fans can follow along using the hashtag #Battle4Atlantis on social media, as well.

University of Tennessee Athletics

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