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Tennessee basketball 2019-2020 season recap: Vols five most painful losses

By Caleb Calhoun

FAYETTEVILLE, AR - FEBRUARY 26: Tennessee Volunteers huddle together before a game against the Arkansas Razorbacks at Bud Walton Arena on February 26, 2020 in Fayetteville, Arkansas. The Razorbacks defeated the Volunteers 86-69. (Photo by Wesley Hitt/Getty Images)
FAYETTEVILLE, AR - FEBRUARY 26: Tennessee Volunteers huddle together before a game against the Arkansas Razorbacks at Bud Walton Arena on February 26, 2020 in Fayetteville, Arkansas. The Razorbacks defeated the Volunteers 86-69. (Photo by Wesley Hitt/Getty Images) /
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Photo by Patrick Murphy-Racey/Getty Images
Photo by Patrick Murphy-Racey/Getty Images /

4. No. 13 Memphis Tigers

Tennessee loses 51-47

Saturday, Dec. 14, 2019

It’s bad enough to lose at home. Losing to the Memphis Tigers is even worse. But given the way things went down between Rick Barnes and Penny Hardaway when the two schools first renewed their rivalry back in 2018, this loss could not have gotten worse. The only saving grace was when it happened, it didn’t seem like a bad loss.

At the time, both teams were in the top 25. They appeared to have a lot of talent, but both had issues. Memphis, then ranked No. 13, obviously had the James Wiseman problem. Tennessee basketball, meanwhile, was ranked No. 19 and rebuilding after losing four starters and failing, at the time, to get the eligibility waiver for transfer center Uros Plavsic.

The Vols’ senior guard and five-star freshman guard were both playing hurt as well. Because of all of this, a hideous game unfolded. UT and Memphis played in a hideous defensive slugfest. Rocky Top shot 25 percent from the field, and the Tigers shot 34 percent. Neither team could buy a bucket, and it got worse down the stretch.

In fact, UT didn’t score a point in the final two minutes. The Tigers took a two-point lead thanks to a Damion Baugh three pointer with just under two minutes left. Then neither team could score until the end, when the Vols failed to score on their first possession with the shot clock turned off. They fouled Alex Lomax after that, and he hit both free throws. Memphis secured an ugly win.

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