Tennessee basketball needs NCAA Tournament run to top 2007-08 Vols

Rick Barnes right now has one of the greatest teams in Tennessee basketball history. But only a deep NCAA Tournament run could put the Volunteers on top.

Lots of things were historical about Tennessee basketball this year. What stands out the most is the fact that the Vols spent more weeks at No. 1 than the ever have in school history. However, an overall look at the season shows that Rick Barnes has not accomplished anything that UT’s greatest team didn’t accomplish.

One other Tennessee basketball team also reached No. 1, beat a No. 1 team and got a No. 2 seed in the NCAA Tournament. We’re talking, of course, about the 2007-2008 Vols led by Chris Lofton, Tyler Smith, JaJuan Smith and Wayne Chism.

Bruce Pearl was coaching that team, and ironically, he made sure that he still had the best pre-NCAA Tournament Vols team by eliminating this year’s group from a share of the SEC regular season title and then beating them in the SEC Tournament championship. As a result, the 2007-2008 Vols still hold certain accomplishments over this team’s head.

They won the SEC regular season title in 2007-2008 outright with a 14-2 conference record. So that team already has a banner that this team hasn’t yet raised. Not only that, but they entered the NCAA Tournament that year with as many wins, 29, as this team, and one less loss, despite having a way tougher schedule. Remember, that team had the No. 1 ranked strength of schedule in the nation.

So in spite of everything that has happened this year, so far, the 2007-2008 Vols remain the greatest team in Tennessee basketball history. But there’s one thing that can put this year’s team over the top: a deep run in the NCAA Tournament.

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That year, the Vols only made it to the Sweet Sixteen before being run out of town by the Louisville Cardinals. Now, to be fair, they’ve gone further that that only once in their history, and it was two years later with an Elite Eight run. But that 2009-2010 team didn’t have near the regular season accomplishments of this team or the 2007-2008 team. So it didn’t surpass either team.

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This year’s team, however, came very close to that 2007-2008 team. A win over the Auburn Tigers in the SEC Tournament or the LSU Tigers in the regular season could have put them over the top. What will put them over the top, however, is going further in the tournament.

To surpass the 2007-2008 Vols, Tennessee’s task is simple. If they are bounced out in the Sweet Sixteen or earlier, they will finish behind that team. Making the Elite Eight and losing there will open the conversation.

But if they make the Final Four, then there’s no debate. This will go down as the greatest team in Tennessee basketball history. They have to make the Final Four, though, to end all debates. And they have to at least make the Elite Eight to spark the conversation. Making the Elite Eight will at least allow them to surpass the 2007-2008 team for record number of wins.

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Losing in the Sweet Sixteen or before, however, means they will finish the year with more losses and either as many or fewer wins. They will not have gone any further than the 2007-2008 team in the tournament. And the 2007-2008 team will have the SEC regular season championship as its trump card. So yes, the NCAA Tournament will determine how great this team is.

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