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Tennessee basketball 2021-2022 season recap: Ranking the top 10 wins

By Caleb Calhoun

Mar 13, 2022; Tampa, FL, USA; Tennessee Volunteers guard Josiah-Jordan James (30) celebrates with teammates after defeating the Texas A&M Aggies in the SEC championship game at Amelie Arena. Mandatory Credit: Nathan Ray Seebeck-USA TODAY Sports
Mar 13, 2022; Tampa, FL, USA; Tennessee Volunteers guard Josiah-Jordan James (30) celebrates with teammates after defeating the Texas A&M Aggies in the SEC championship game at Amelie Arena. Mandatory Credit: Nathan Ray Seebeck-USA TODAY Sports /
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Tennessee forward John Fulkerson (10) dribbles near the basket during the final regular season game between Tennessee and Arkansas at Thompson-Boling Arena in Knoxville, Tenn., Saturday, March 5, 2022.Utark0305 0908
Tennessee forward John Fulkerson (10) dribbles near the basket during the final regular season game between Tennessee and Arkansas at Thompson-Boling Arena in Knoxville, Tenn., Saturday, March 5, 2022.Utark0305 0908 /

524. Rank: 9. 78. 74. Thompson-Boling Arena. 534. Knoxville, Tenn.. Saturday, March 5

Game No. 30

The only reason this win isn’t higher is it didn’t technically mean anything. It was the final game of the season, and Tennessee basketball had already secured a double bye in the SEC Tournament along with a high seed in the NCAA Tournament. There was a legitimate conversation about resting their starters here.

However, top 15 wins on Senior Day have to count for something. John Fulkerson was playing his final home game, and Arkansas came in ranked No. 14 in the AP Poll and No. 15 in the Coaches Poll. UT needed revenge for a loss two weeks earlier to Eric Musselman’s team.

The guards made sure that Fulky’s final home game would be memorable. Kennedy Chandler, Santiago Vescovi, Zakai Zeigler and Josiah-Jordan James combined to go 12-of-18 from three and score 15, 15, 13 and 12 points respectively. They built a 21-point lead in the first half.

Arkansas, though, fought back in the second half and cut it to two with a minute left. UT won off free throws after that to close out the regular season. What really puts this game on here is Arkansas’s Elite Eight run. In addition to being Senior Day, a top 15 win and one that secured their undefeated record at home, it’s now a retroactive win against a top-notch opponent.

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