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Tennessee basketball’s top 10 regular season wins of 2010s

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 Joe Robbins/Getty Images
Photo by Joe Robbins/Getty Images /

3. No. 2 Kentucky Wildcats

Feb. 27, 2010

No. 19 Tennessee Volunteers win 74-65

SEC regular season game (Thompson-Boling Arena; Knoxville, Tenn.)

Remember, this was John Calipari’s first year with the Kentucky Wildcats. He had put together that legendary recruiting class with John Wall and DeMarcus Cousins, which was at the time the best recruiting class in history. Tennessee basketball, meanwhile, had a good team but was still adjusting to the dismissal of its best player, Tyler Smith, back in January.

Because of that dismissal, the Vols had been up and down in SEC play. Heading into this game, they had just lost to the Florida Gators and were 20-7 overall, 8-5 in the SEC and ranked No. 19 overall. UK, meanwhile, was 27-1, ranked No. 2 and on an eight-game winning streak.

Well, the Vols took control immediately and built a 40-29 halftime lead thanks to a collection of players led by J.P. Prince, who had 11 points and uncharacteristically hit two three-pointers. This continued into the second half, and the Vols went up by 19 with 14 minutes to go.

Kentucky fought back and tied it up with two minutes to go, but then Prince hit a layup, the Vols got a stop, and Scotty Hopson hit a three-pointer. Ahead by five with 30 seconds left, Prince closed the game, surprisingly, with four free throws to give them the 74-65 win.

Prince finished with 20 points, and Hopson added 15 in a huge win. UT carried this momentum into its first ever Elite Eight run, and it was one of Bruce Pearl’s most impressive wins throughout his tenure.

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