Murfreesboro, TN -- (Sports Network) - The 14th-ranked Tennessee Volunteers have won a school-record 34 consecutive games at home, but they hit the road for the first time this season to take on the Middle Tennessee Blue Raiders this evening.

Tennessee figures to push for another SEC title after dominating the competition in 2007-08. The Vols are off to a 2-0 start in this new campaign, as they knocked off Chattanooga and Tennessee-Martin in succession. The 91-64 romp over the Skyhawks occurred on Tuesday, and the non-league schedule will certainly increase in difficulty with scheduled games against the likes of Marquette, Kansas and Gonzaga.

As for Middle Tennessee, it has beaten a pair of lackluster non-conference opponents to open the campaign. A 94-53 decision over Trevecca was followed by Sunday's 80-63 win over Houston Baptist, but tonight's game marks a major leap in competition level for the Blue Raiders, who are members of the Sun Belt Conference. They will take on another SEC opponent on Monday, as a road game with Vanderbilt awaits.

Tennessee has won six of its seven all-time meetings with Middle Tennessee.

There are several factors that contributed to Tennessee's victory over UT- Martin on Tuesday. The Vols earned a 58-41 rebounding advantage in the clash and limited their overmatched opponent to 28.4 percent shooting from the field. A 19-13 edge in points from the foul line also helped Tennessee, which was able to overcome 18 turnovers and a 2-of-17 showing from three-point range. Brian Williams scored 21 points and pulled down 12 rebounds in only 18 minutes of action off the bench for the Vols. Tyler Smith added 19 points, while both Wayne Chism and J.P. Price posted 11 points. Chism pulled down 10 rebounds, and Cameron Tatum contributed 10 points. Six players reached double figures in scoring in the season-opening win over Chattanooga, and Smith led the charge with 21 points and seven assists. Chism had a double-double in that game was well, posting 14 points and 13 boards.

Strong defense was the key to Middle Tennessee's win over Houston Baptist on Sunday, as the Blue Raiders forced 18 turnovers and limited the opposition to 34.5 percent shooting from the floor. They also earned a 48-30 rebounding advantage and shot a solid 48.1 percent from the field, helping them overcome 21 turnovers. Desmond Yates led Middle Tennessee with 19 points on 8-of-11 shooting from the field. Nigel Johnson pitched in 17 points, and Calvin O'Neil added 10 points. Through two outings, the Blue Raiders are scoring 87.0 ppg on 56.3 percent overall shooting while limiting the opposition to 58.0 ppg on 38.7 percent field goal efficiency. Those numbers mean nothing heading into this clash, however, as the Vols are clearly favored.