Tennessee Volunteers basketball
Encyclopedia
The Tennessee Volunteers basketball team represents the University of Tennessee
in Knoxville
, Tennessee
in NCAA
men's basketball
competition. (Women's teams at the school, which has a completely separate women's athletic program, are known as "Lady Volunteers".) The Volunteers currently compete in the Southeastern Conference
. The team last played in the NCAA Division I Men's Basketball Tournament in 2011
. The Volunteers are currently coached by Cuonzo Martin
.
In March 2009, the University of Tennessee athletic department made a statement saying that they would claim the 1916 National Championship, but would not hang a banner for such an occasion. Tennessee finished that year with a 16-0 record, the only time in Tennessee basketball history that a team has gone undefeated.
Thompson-Boling Arena opened during the 1987-88 season, with Tennessee defeating Marquette 82-56 before a crowd of 25,272. In its opening season, the Vols finished third nationally with an average attendance of more than 20,000 fans per game. But much of the facility's storied history has centered around men's and women's basketball. In the last two decades, the Vols and Lady Vols have hosted record college basketball crowds, as well as WNBA and NCAA Tournament basketball games.The Vols have ranked fourth in the nation in average home attendance for each of the past three seasons, including an average of 20,483 fans per game in 2008-09. Tennessee's 1989 men's game against Kentucky set the SEC regular-season record with a crowd of 25,610. The Lady Vols drew 24,597 for their 1998 game with Connecticut to establish a women's NCAA record, while a Celtics-Bullets game in 1988 attracted a then-record NBA exhibition record crowd of 23,611. The arena's largest basketball crowd since its capacity dipped to 21,678 prior to the 2007-08 season came on Jan. 7, 2009, when the Vols hosted Gonzaga in front of a sellout crowd of 22,326.
UT hosted the NCAA Tournament's South Regional Finals in 1999 and 1994 in the spacious facility. The 1990 NCAA Southeast Region's first and second round games, followed by the NCAA Women's Final Four made Knoxville a basketball hotspot. The 1989 SEC Tournament was the first of what promised to be many postseason tournaments to be held in Thompson-Boling Arena. The riverfront arena has drawn rave reviews from teams, administrators and media for its modern facilities needed for hosting major tournaments.
As of November 18, 2008, Bruce Pearl's home record at Thompson-Boling Arena was 47–2, a home winning percentage at Tennessee of 96%.
era was less successful than expected, Tennessee hired Bruce Pearl
from the University of Wisconsin–Milwaukee in 2005. Pearl's assistants Tony Jones, Steve Forbes, Jacob Nichols, Jason Shay, and Ken Johnson rounded out a staff that helped bring the Vols to the NCAA tournament six years in a row.
During the 2006-07 season, the Volunteers were ranked 4th nationally in attendance with an average of 19,661 fans in Thompson-Boling Arena
, which has a capacity of 21,758. Since coach Bruce Pearl
arrived in March 2005 the attendance increased by an average of 7,436 per game.
In the 2008 season Pearl led the Vols to their first regular season SEC championship in 41 years as well as the first number 1 ranking for the program.
On March 26, 2010, the Vols made the Elite Eight for the first time ever by defeating Ohio State 76-73. The Vols were then defeated by Michigan State by one point, 70-69, on a Spartan foul shot with 1.8 seconds left in the game to fall short of their first Final Four.
On March 21, 2011, Pearl was fired by the school, based on Pearl's misconduct of lying to an NCAA investigation about recruiting violations.
as the Volunteers 18th head coach. Martin had spent the last 3 seasons at Missouri State where he compiled a record of 61-41. Martin was able to take the Missouri State team from 11-20 and last in the Missouri Valley Conference
to a 26-9 record finishing first in the conference.
.
! colspan="30" style="text-align: center; background:#FF9933" | Retired Basketball Jerseys
|-
{| class="wikitable" style="font-style:bold; font-size:125%; border:6px" cellpadding="2"
|-align="center" bgcolor="#FF9933"
|
Bernard
King
53
1974-1977
|
Ernie
Grunfeld
22
1972-1976
|
Allan
Houston
20
1990-1993
|-
|}
University of Tennessee
The University of Tennessee is a public land-grant university headquartered at Knoxville, Tennessee, United States...
in Knoxville
Knoxville, Tennessee
Founded in 1786, Knoxville is the third-largest city in the U.S. state of Tennessee, U.S.A., behind Memphis and Nashville, and is the county seat of Knox County. It is the largest city in East Tennessee, and the second-largest city in the Appalachia region...
, Tennessee
Tennessee
Tennessee is a U.S. state located in the Southeastern United States. It has a population of 6,346,105, making it the nation's 17th-largest state by population, and covers , making it the 36th-largest by total land area...
in NCAA
National Collegiate Athletic Association
The National Collegiate Athletic Association is a semi-voluntary association of 1,281 institutions, conferences, organizations and individuals that organizes the athletic programs of many colleges and universities in the United States...
men's basketball
Basketball
Basketball is a team sport in which two teams of five players try to score points by throwing or "shooting" a ball through the top of a basketball hoop while following a set of rules...
competition. (Women's teams at the school, which has a completely separate women's athletic program, are known as "Lady Volunteers".) The Volunteers currently compete in the Southeastern Conference
Southeastern Conference
The Southeastern Conference is an American college athletic conference that operates in the southeastern part of the United States. It is headquartered in Birmingham, Alabama...
. The team last played in the NCAA Division I Men's Basketball Tournament in 2011
2011 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament
The following sites were selected to host each round of the 2011 tournament:First Four*March 15 and 16**University of Dayton Arena, Dayton, OhioSecond and third rounds*March 17 and 19**Verizon Center, Washington, D.C....
. The Volunteers are currently coached by Cuonzo Martin
Cuonzo Martin
Cuonzo LaMar Martin is a retired American professional basketball player and is the current head coach of the University of Tennessee men's basketball team.-1986-1990:...
.
History
The Volunteers have had 19 NCAA tournament appearances with an overall record of 12-17. A record of 9-7 in the first round, 3-5 in the second, and 1-4 in the regional semi finals. They have also been invited to the National Invitation Tournament 11 times. They have won nine regular season SEC championships in 1936, 1941, 1943, 1967, 1972, 1977, 1982, 2000, and 2008. The 1972, 1977, 1982, and 2000 seasons were all shared championships with another team from the Southeastern conference. Their conference tournament record is 54-43 record with 4 championships in the years 1936, 1941, 1943, and 1979. Historically Volunteer basketball has produced several successful National Basketball Association players including Allan Houston, Bernard King, Ernie Grunfeld, Dale Ellis, Tobias Harris, Tony White, Ron Slay, and Larry Robinson. Bernard King is one of only two players in the Volunteers history to ever have a jersey retired (the other being Ernie Grunfeld). He finished his career averaging a "double double" per game of 25.8 points and 13.2 rebounds.In March 2009, the University of Tennessee athletic department made a statement saying that they would claim the 1916 National Championship, but would not hang a banner for such an occasion. Tennessee finished that year with a 16-0 record, the only time in Tennessee basketball history that a team has gone undefeated.
Facilities
The Tennessee Vols play in Thompson-Boling which was at one time the largest facility ever built specifically for basketball in the United States with a seating capacity of 24,678 until its 2007 renovation. Named for the late B. Ray Thompson and former UT President Dr. Edward J. Boling, the arena regularly hosts women's volleyball matches, concerts, camps, conferences and other special events throughout the year.Thompson-Boling Arena opened during the 1987-88 season, with Tennessee defeating Marquette 82-56 before a crowd of 25,272. In its opening season, the Vols finished third nationally with an average attendance of more than 20,000 fans per game. But much of the facility's storied history has centered around men's and women's basketball. In the last two decades, the Vols and Lady Vols have hosted record college basketball crowds, as well as WNBA and NCAA Tournament basketball games.The Vols have ranked fourth in the nation in average home attendance for each of the past three seasons, including an average of 20,483 fans per game in 2008-09. Tennessee's 1989 men's game against Kentucky set the SEC regular-season record with a crowd of 25,610. The Lady Vols drew 24,597 for their 1998 game with Connecticut to establish a women's NCAA record, while a Celtics-Bullets game in 1988 attracted a then-record NBA exhibition record crowd of 23,611. The arena's largest basketball crowd since its capacity dipped to 21,678 prior to the 2007-08 season came on Jan. 7, 2009, when the Vols hosted Gonzaga in front of a sellout crowd of 22,326.
UT hosted the NCAA Tournament's South Regional Finals in 1999 and 1994 in the spacious facility. The 1990 NCAA Southeast Region's first and second round games, followed by the NCAA Women's Final Four made Knoxville a basketball hotspot. The 1989 SEC Tournament was the first of what promised to be many postseason tournaments to be held in Thompson-Boling Arena. The riverfront arena has drawn rave reviews from teams, administrators and media for its modern facilities needed for hosting major tournaments.
As of November 18, 2008, Bruce Pearl's home record at Thompson-Boling Arena was 47–2, a home winning percentage at Tennessee of 96%.
Bruce Pearl turnaround
After the Buzz PetersonBuzz Peterson
Robert Bower "Buzz" Peterson, Jr. is the current head coach of the UNC Wilmington Seahawks men's basketball team. Peterson was the Head Coach of the Tennessee Volunteers for four years before being fired in 2005. He previously coached a second stint at Appalachian State--he coached the 2009–10...
era was less successful than expected, Tennessee hired Bruce Pearl
Bruce Pearl
Bruce Dean-Fredrick Pearl is an American college basketball coach who most recently served as head coach of the University of Tennessee Volunteers men's team. He is a graduate of Boston College, where he obtained his first position as an assistant basketball coach. He was the first coach to lead...
from the University of Wisconsin–Milwaukee in 2005. Pearl's assistants Tony Jones, Steve Forbes, Jacob Nichols, Jason Shay, and Ken Johnson rounded out a staff that helped bring the Vols to the NCAA tournament six years in a row.
During the 2006-07 season, the Volunteers were ranked 4th nationally in attendance with an average of 19,661 fans in Thompson-Boling Arena
Thompson-Boling Arena
Thompson-Boling Arena is multi-purpose arena on the campus of the University of Tennessee in Knoxville, Tennessee. The arena opened in 1987. It is home to the Tennessee Volunteers and Lady Vols basketball teams. Since 2008, it has been home to the Lady Vol volleyball team. It is named after B....
, which has a capacity of 21,758. Since coach Bruce Pearl
Bruce Pearl
Bruce Dean-Fredrick Pearl is an American college basketball coach who most recently served as head coach of the University of Tennessee Volunteers men's team. He is a graduate of Boston College, where he obtained his first position as an assistant basketball coach. He was the first coach to lead...
arrived in March 2005 the attendance increased by an average of 7,436 per game.
In the 2008 season Pearl led the Vols to their first regular season SEC championship in 41 years as well as the first number 1 ranking for the program.
On March 26, 2010, the Vols made the Elite Eight for the first time ever by defeating Ohio State 76-73. The Vols were then defeated by Michigan State by one point, 70-69, on a Spartan foul shot with 1.8 seconds left in the game to fall short of their first Final Four.
On March 21, 2011, Pearl was fired by the school, based on Pearl's misconduct of lying to an NCAA investigation about recruiting violations.
Replacing pearl
On March 27, 2011, The University of Tennessee announced Cuonzo MartinCuonzo Martin
Cuonzo LaMar Martin is a retired American professional basketball player and is the current head coach of the University of Tennessee men's basketball team.-1986-1990:...
as the Volunteers 18th head coach. Martin had spent the last 3 seasons at Missouri State where he compiled a record of 61-41. Martin was able to take the Missouri State team from 11-20 and last in the Missouri Valley Conference
Missouri Valley Conference
The Missouri Valley Conference is a college athletic conference whose members are located in the midwestern United States...
to a 26-9 record finishing first in the conference.
NCAA Tournament results
The Volunteers have appeared in 18 NCAA TournamentsNCAA Men's Division I Basketball Championship
The NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Championship is a single-elimination tournament held each spring in the United States, featuring 68 college basketball teams, to determine the national championship in the top tier of college basketball...
.
| Year | Result |
|---|---|
| 1967 1967 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament The 1967 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament involved 23 schools playing in single-elimination play to determine the national champion of men's NCAA Division I college basketball. It began on March 11, 1967, and ended with the championship game on March 25 in Louisville, Kentucky... |
Regional Fourth Place |
| 1976 1976 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament The 1976 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament involved 32 schools playing in single-elimination play to determine the national champion of men's NCAA Division I college basketball. It began on March 13, 1976, and ended with the championship game on March 29 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania... |
First Round |
| 1977 1977 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament The 1977 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament involved 32 American schools playing in single-elimination play to determine the National Champion of Men's NCAA Division I college basketball. It began on March 12, 1977, and ended with the championship game on March 28 in Atlanta, Georgia. A... |
First Round |
| 1979 1979 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament The 1979 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament involved 40 schools playing in single-elimination play to determine the national champion of men's NCAA Division I college basketball. It began on March 9, 1979, and ended with the championship game on March 26 in Salt Lake City, Utah... |
Second Round |
| 1980 1980 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament The 1980 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament involved 48 schools playing in single-elimination play to determine the national champion of men's NCAA Division I college basketball. It began on March 6, 1980, and ended with the championship game on March 24 in Indianapolis, Indiana... |
Second Round |
| 1981 1981 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament The 1981 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament involved 48 schools playing in single-elimination play to determine the national champion of men's NCAA Division I college basketball. It began on March 12, 1981, and ended with the championship game on March 30 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania... |
Sweet Sixteen |
| 1982 1982 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament The 1982 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament involved 48 schools playing in single-elimination play to determine the national champion of men's NCAA Division I college basketball. It began on March 11, 1982, and ended with the championship game on March 29 in New Orleans, Louisiana... |
Second Round |
| 1983 1983 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament The 1983 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament involved 52 schools playing in single-elimination play to determine the national champion of men's NCAA Division I college basketball. It began on March 2, 1983, and ended with the championship game on April 4 at The Pit, then officially known... |
Second Round |
| 1989 1989 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament The 1989 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament involved 64 schools playing in single-elimination play to determine the national champion of men's NCAA Division I college basketball. It began on March 16, 1989, and ended with the championship game on April 3 in Seattle, Washington... |
First Round |
| 1998 1998 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament The 1998 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament involved 64 schools playing in single-elimination play to determine the national champion of men's NCAA Division I college basketball. It began on March 12, 1998, and ended with the championship game on March 30 at the Alamodome in San Antonio,... |
First Round |
| 1999 1999 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament The 1999 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament involved 64 schools playing in single-elimination play to determine the national champion of men's NCAA Division I college basketball. It began on March 11, 1999, and ended with the championship game on March 29 at Tropicana Field in St.... |
Second Round |
| 2000 2000 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament The 2000 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament involved 64 schools playing in single-elimination play to determine the national champion of men's NCAA Division I college basketball. It began on March 16, 2000, and ended with the championship game on April 3 in Indianapolis, Indiana... |
Sweet Sixteen |
| 2001 2001 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament The 2001 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament involved 65 schools playing in single-elimination play to determine the national champion of men's NCAA Division I college basketball. It began on March 13, 2001 with the play-in game, and ended with the championship game on April 2 in... |
First Round |
| 2006 2006 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament The 2006 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament involved 65 schools playing in a single-elimination tournament to determine the national champion of men's NCAA Division I college basketball as a culmination of the 2005–06 basketball season... |
Second Round |
| 2007 2007 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament The 2007 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament involved 65 NCAA schools playing in a single-elimination tournament to determine the national champion of men's NCAA Division I college basketball as a culmination of the 2006–07 basketball season... |
Sweet Sixteen |
| 2008 2008 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament The 2008 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament involved 65 schools playing in a single-elimination tournament to determine the national champion of men's NCAA Division I college basketball as a culmination of the 2007–08 basketball season... |
Sweet Sixteen |
| 2009 2009 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament The first and second round games were played at the following sites:First and Second Rounds: Thursday and Saturday, March 19 and 21, 2009-Qualifying teams:-Brackets:Results to date * – Denotes overtime periodAll times in U.S. EDT.... |
First Round |
| 2010 2010 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament The first and second round games were played at the following sites:*March 18 / 20*March 25 / 27*March 26 / 28Each regional winner advanced to the Final Four, held on April 3 and 5 in Indianapolis, Indiana at Lucas Oil Stadium, hosted by the Horizon League and Butler University, as per the NCAA's... |
Elite Eight |
| 2011 2011 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament The following sites were selected to host each round of the 2011 tournament:First Four*March 15 and 16**University of Dayton Arena, Dayton, OhioSecond and third rounds*March 17 and 19**Verizon Center, Washington, D.C.... |
First Round |
Retired jerseys
{| class="toccolours" style= width="500px"! colspan="30" style="text-align: center; background:#FF9933" | Retired Basketball Jerseys
|-
{| class="wikitable" style="font-style:bold; font-size:125%; border:6px" cellpadding="2"
|-align="center" bgcolor="#FF9933"
|
Bernard
King
53
1974-1977
|
Ernie
Grunfeld
22
1972-1976
|
Allan
Houston
20
1990-1993
|-
|}