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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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Photo by Nick Laham/Getty Images
Photo by Nick Laham/Getty Images /

5. 2010-2011

19-15 (8-8)

NCAA Tournament First Round

It was a tale of two seasons that was part of a roller coaster and bitter end of an era. Tennessee basketball entered 2010-2011 with lots of expectations. Coming off an Elite Eight appearance, Bruce Pearl secured an elite recruiting class led by five-star Tobias Harris.

A national championship was on the table. But just before the season started, the news of Pearl lying to the NCAA about the barbecue in which he hosted recruits broke. That would hover over the entire season and create chaos.

Early on, though, it didn’t seem that way. UT got off to a 7-0 start, winning the NIT season tip-off and then beating the No. 3 ranked Pitt Panthers to get to No. 7. Harris and Scotty Hopson were leading the way as stars.

However, news broke that Pearl would be suspended for eight games due to his lies. The distraction hit with a three-game losing streak to the Oakland Grizzlies, Charlotte 49ers and USC Trojans. Then they lost to the College of Charleston Cougars.

Limping into SEC play, the Vols stumbled to 5-3 without Pearl, and they lost a non-conference game to the UConn Huskies. Things didn’t get better when Pearl came back. This team got swept by the Florida Gators and Kentucky Wildcats and finished the regular season 19-14. Ahead of the NCAA Tournament new revelations appeared to hint UT would face probation if it stuck with Pearl.

So Mike Hamilton, before the tournament, made the ridiculous decision to say that Pearl’s long-term future with Rocky Top would be tied to his NCAA Tournament performance. Well, that distraction resulted in a 30-point loss to the Michigan Wolverines. Then Pearl was fired the next Monday. And just like that, the era came to an end.

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