On Tuesday night, Tennessee basketball is hitting the road for its final public exhibition of the 2026-27 preseason. The Vols will square off with Duke in Cameron Indoor Arena at 7 p.m. ET on ACC Network.

However, it appears the Vols will continue to be without two key pieces for the matchup. Both Tyler Lundblade and Jalen Washington are not expected to play, according to Rick Barnes. Lundblade is dealing with recovery from a back procedure, and Washington remains ineligible to compete.

For Lundblade, he’s making steady progress as he looks to return as soon as possible for Tennessee. He is ramping up his participation in practice as he nears a full return.

“He’s getting back,” Barnes said about Lundblade. “I mean, if you guys watch practice, he’s out there with us, but he’s on a timetable where the doctors wanna make sure he’s slowly building back into it.”

Washington was granted a fifth year of eligibility through the courts previously this offseason, but recent rulings have changed his status. Barnes still seems optimistic that Washington will at some point be able to play for the team, but as of now, he isn’t factoring into games or exhibitions. Still, he is practicing with the team in case he does get eligibility.

“We think he will be eligible to play. We think it will happen, but until then, he’s going at it,” Barnes said. “Obviously, we start thinking about rotations in games. We’re not planning on him doing that, obviously, tomorrow night, or Tyler. So we’re trying to figure out what group we’ve got to really get ready for tomorrow. And then when he comes back, it’s no different than, like with Tyler, trying to just incorporate guys that have been hurt, and he would be like that.

“But his attitude’s great. He’s getting better, and I’m sure he’s frustrated inside. He hasn’t said that to me, but he has to be, because he knows he’d like to have a chance to play. And it feels like he deserves that chance.”

The exhibition against Duke is the final open tune-up scrimmage before Tennessee gets the actual season started. The Vols open the year against Wofford on Nov. 3 at home. Tip-off is set for 6 p.m. ET and will air on the SEC Network.