As 20th-ranked Tennessee prepares to host rival Tennessee State on Thursday night in Knoxville, it will do so with its top scoring threat off the bench lost until December.

J.P. Estrella, a 6-foot-11 redshirt sophomore forward, left Monday night's 91-66 win over Rice with a knee injury just before halftime. Estrella is the team's third-leading scorer at 14 points per game despite not starting and averaging just 17 minutes per game.

Estrella, who also averages 6.8 rebounds per game and sinks 69.2% of his field goals, found out Tuesday that he has a bone bruise that will sideline him for the next two-to-three weeks.

"Avoiding a serious injury was great to hear," Volunteers assistant coach Gregg Polinsky said Wednesday.

Estrella's injury and the absence of sophomore guard Cameron Carr for

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