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March Madness: Remembering Vols 5 Sweet 16 games this century

By Caleb Calhoun

CHARLOTTE, NC - MARCH 27: (L-R) J.P. Prince #30 and Duke Crews #32 of the Tennessee Volunteers sit on the court in the final minutes against the Louisville Cardinals during the 2008 NCAA Men's East Regional Semifinal at Bobcats Arena on March 27, 2008 in Charlotte, North Carolina. The Cardinals defeated the Volunteers 77-60. (Photo by Streeter Lecka/Getty Images)
CHARLOTTE, NC - MARCH 27: (L-R) J.P. Prince #30 and Duke Crews #32 of the Tennessee Volunteers sit on the court in the final minutes against the Louisville Cardinals during the 2008 NCAA Men's East Regional Semifinal at Bobcats Arena on March 27, 2008 in Charlotte, North Carolina. The Cardinals defeated the Volunteers 77-60. (Photo by Streeter Lecka/Getty Images) /
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3. 2008 Sweet 16

(3) Louisville Cardinals beat (2) Tennessee Volunteers

Final Score: 79-60

There’s not much to say about this game. It was the worst ending to what remains the greatest season in school history. Yes, the 2009-2010 Vols did make the Elite Eight. But this one accomplished more things, which is why we have them higher.

After all, this was the first Vols’ team to ever reach No. 1, and it was the first to ever surpass 30 wins. They also won the SEC regular season championship and reached a No. 2 seed in the NCAA Tournament for the second time in school history.

Sure, this year’s team has matched that win total. But they haven’t matched the championships yet. And the 2010 team didn’t match the win total or the championships, which is why it’s not in the same boat.

Anyway, after reaching No. 1, the Vols somehow became a different team. Their offense began to stall, and lack of point guard play began to get exposed. They had been starting a combo guard in Ramar Smith there all year, and it was beginning to not work.

In the tournament, they had to hold off the American Eagles and needed overtime to beat the Butler Bulldogs. By the time they got set to face the Louisville Cardinals, we all had a hunch that this was just a bad matchup for them.

Louisville had the length and the complex zone to shut down the Vols’ offense. Their only chance was if Chris Lofton and JaJuan Smith were both hitting. Spoiler alert: they weren’t. As a result, the game got out of hand early, with Louisville building a 16-point lead in the first half.

The Vols did cut it to one in the second, but Rick Pitino’s team pulled away again. As a result, the great careers of Lofton and Smith came to an end in very depressing fashion. It didn’t take away from the accomplishments of the season, but it was a horrible way to watch it close out.

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