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Tennessee basketball’s top 10 shots in history

By Caleb Calhoun

COLUMBIA, MISSOURI - JANUARY 08: Lamonte Turner #1 of the Tennessee Volunteers in action against the Missouri Tigers at Mizzou Arena on January 08, 2019 in Columbia, Missouri. (Photo by Ed Zurga/Getty Images)
COLUMBIA, MISSOURI - JANUARY 08: Lamonte Turner #1 of the Tennessee Volunteers in action against the Missouri Tigers at Mizzou Arena on January 08, 2019 in Columbia, Missouri. (Photo by Ed Zurga/Getty Images) /
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3. Dale Ellis 15-foot buzzer beater

1981 vs. VCU (NCAA Tournament Round of 32; Charlotte, N.C.)

Yes, Tennessee basketball has two buzzer beaters over the VCU Rams in its history. This one, however, took the Vols deeper in the NCAA Tournament than they had ever gone up to this point, so it has a special place in history.

One season after Howard Wood’s legendary game-winner to beat the Kentucky Wildcats, Dale Ellis had clearly emerged as the Vols’ best player. He, Gary Carter and Wood made a great trio. With a 19-7 record, they got a first-round bye in the NCAA Tournament, which at that time only had 48 teams get in.

In the Round of 32, UT faced VCU, a No. 5 seed. Despite building a 32-18 lead, VCU fought back to tie it up at 56 at the end of regulation. Then, something remarkable happened in overtime. DeVoe, a master of working the clock, had a game plan that resulted in no shots being taken for almost the entire period.

With 17 seconds left, the Vols ran down the clock. Freshman guard Michael Brooks drew the defense to the left side of the key, and he threw a crosscourt pass to Ellis, who took a 15-foot shot just as time was expiring.

Ellis drilled the only shot taken by either team in overtime, and he gave the Vols a huge 58-56 overtime win. That got them 20 victories on the season and to the Sweet Sixteen, making it a legendary year. NCAA Tournament buzzer beaters would obviously be high on this list.

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