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Tennessee basketball: Ranking Vols finish to every season in 2010s decade

By Caleb Calhoun

PHOENIX, ARIZONA - DECEMBER 09: Jordan Bowden #23 of the Tennessee Volunteers celebrates after defeating the Gonzaga Bulldogs in the game at Talking Stick Resort Arena on December 9, 2018 in Phoenix, Arizona. The Volunteers defeated the Bulldogs 76-73. (Photo by Christian Petersen/Getty Images)
PHOENIX, ARIZONA - DECEMBER 09: Jordan Bowden #23 of the Tennessee Volunteers celebrates after defeating the Gonzaga Bulldogs in the game at Talking Stick Resort Arena on December 9, 2018 in Phoenix, Arizona. The Volunteers defeated the Bulldogs 76-73. (Photo by Christian Petersen/Getty Images) /
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7. 2011-2012

19-15 (10-6)

NIT Second Round

We finally have reached seasons that involve postseason play. Tennessee basketball entered the 2011-2012 season in a new era. Cuonzo Martin had taken over after all the turmoil involved in the firing of Bruce Pearl. The fallout from that was brutal. Leading scorers Tobias Harris and Scotty Hopson both left for the NBA. Point guard Melvin Goins and center Brian Williams graduated.

Meanwhile, recruiting took a major hit, as Kevin Ware and Chris Jones both backed out of their commitments after the switch from Pearl to Martin. And with NCAA investigations in play, Martin had to settle for five three-stars. Adding to the chaos, he was installing his new defensive system.

The combination of all these things made for a brutal start to the year. Building around Cameron Tatum, Trae Golden, Jeronne Maymon and Jordan McRae, the Vols started the year 3-6 and suffered bad losses to teams like Oakland, Austin Peay and College of Charleston. However, they began to regroup by SEC play.

Midway through the year, five-star Jarnell Stokes committed and became an early enrollee. Immediately, he made an impact with a double-double in a win against the No. 11 ranked UConn Huskies. After falling to 10-12, the arrival of Stokes and development of everybody else resulted in a major turnaround.

UT won eight of their final nine games and finished second in the SEC. They lost in overtime in their SEC Tournament opener, which resulted in them just missing the NCAA Tournament. But then they won an NIT game before being eliminated, the the future under Martin looked bright.

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