By several measures, the Tennessee men’s basketball team’s season was a success. The Vols captured their first SEC Tournament title in 43 years. They beat Kentucky, Arizona, Arkansas, Auburn and North Carolina. They finished undefeated at Thompson-Boling Arena and were ranked No. 5 in The Associated Press poll.
But on the biggest stage – where seasons are largely defined – Tennessee fell short yet again.
The third-seeded Vols lost to No. 11 Michigan 76-68 in the second round of the NCAA Tournament in Indianapolis. It marks the third time in four postseason appearances under head coach Rick Barnes that Tennessee has lost to a double-digit seed.
“Everybody in that locker room deserves to put their head high for what we were able to do this season,” junior guard Josiah-Jordan James said following the loss. “It definitely hurts, and it’s not a good feeling right now, but you’ve just got to grow from it. It’s how you respond to losses, and I’m going to miss being around this group of guys for sure.”
After a strong late-season push, many projected Tennessee as a Final Four team that was under-seeded at No. 3. But after a tournament-opening win against Longwood, the Vols fell flat against the Wolverines, one of the last teams to make the field.
Tennessee was one of many SEC teams that suffered early exits. No. 2-seeded Kentucky lost in the first round to Saint Peter’s, No. 6 Alabama lost in the first round to Notre Dame, No. 6 LSU lost in the first round to Iowa State and No. 2 Auburn lost in the second round to Miami.
The only SEC school to advance to the Sweet 16 was Arkansas, the No. 4 seed in the West.
It was a humbling performance for a conference that touted its strength and depth all season.
Against Michigan, Tennessee had its worst 3-point shooting game of the season. The Vols were 2 for 18 from distance and didn’t make a 3-pointer in the second half.
It spotlighted a glaring weakness for the Vols – the need for increased frontcourt scoring depth. Michigan big man Hunter Dickinson amplified the disparity by scoring 27 points and grabbing 11 rebounds.
“In college, you’ve got to have somebody regardless of size that you can go into when you have days like this and can’t seem to find the bottom of the bucket,” Barnes pointed out.
“You’ve got to be able to throw it in there and get fouled and put pressure on people.”
Tennessee’s roster will undergo some changes in the offseason, either through graduation, professional opportunities or the transfer portal.
The biggest announcement will be from freshman guard Kennedy Chandler, who is expected to leave for the NBA Draft. Chandler didn’t want to discuss his future in the immediate aftermath of the early NCAA exit.
Cameras caught a poignant moment between Chandler and Michigan head coach Juwan Howard after Tennessee’s loss to the Wolverines, with Howard consoling the freshman.
“He never, ever made it about him,’’ Barnes added.
“I don’t think he ever walked in acting like I’m a one-and-done player. I don’t think that at all. He came in wanting to win.
“I think if you would – you probably saw his emotion. It was much more than that in the locker room, because this is a group of guys that are extremely close. They really have bonded in a way that doesn’t often happen anymore. But he got so much better, and I think so much of that had to do with his teammates.”
Guard play was Tennessee’s strength this season thanks to juniors Santiago Vescovi and James and freshmen Chandler and Zakai Zeigler. The 5-foot-9 Zeigler was an unexpected star.
The UT coaches considered redshirting Zeigler, but the New York native burst onto the scene to become a fan favorite with his energetic style and toughness.
Tennessee fans helped raise $350,000 through a GoFundMe account for Zeigler after his family’s Queens, New York, home burned down earlier this month, leaving his mom and 4-year-old nephew displaced.
“It meant everything. I didn’t even expect the support to be that much,” Zeigler said. “I knew everybody had love for me, but after that, it just blew me and my family away. Nothing but great words for Vol Nation.”
The Vols will have another backcourt addition through recruiting, with four-star BJ Edwards arriving from Knoxville Catholic. The 6-foot-3 Edwards is Tennessee’s only signee in the 2022 class.
Barnes will need to make some staff changes over the next few months. UT assistant coach Mike Schwartz is leaving to become the head coach at East Carolina University. He is the third UT assistant coach in the past year to land a head coaching position.
Although disappointed in being eliminated from the postseason so early with a team capable of making a deeper run, Barnes expressed pride in the work ethic of the players. He’s felt the sting of defeat before and knows some criticism will follow. But Barnes would rather deal with the repercussions than not even enter the arena.
“I won’t ever take for granted being in this tournament,” he said. “There are people that never get a chance to do it, and the fact that they worked hard and had a chance to play this time of year is special. And I appreciate this team so much.’’