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Tennessee Basketball: Which teams have the Volunteers never beaten?

By Joey Loose

Mar 23, 2023; New York, NY, USA; Tennessee Volunteers forward Olivier Nkamhoua (13) controls the ball against Florida Atlantic Owls guard Johnell Davis (1) during the second half at Madison Square Garden. Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-USA TODAY Sports
Mar 23, 2023; New York, NY, USA; Tennessee Volunteers forward Olivier Nkamhoua (13) controls the ball against Florida Atlantic Owls guard Johnell Davis (1) during the second half at Madison Square Garden. Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-USA TODAY Sports /
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Mar 17, 2018; Dallas, TX, USA; Tennessee Volunteers guard Jordan Bowden (23) shoots as Loyola (Il) Ramblers guard Donte Ingram (0) defends during the second half in the second round of the 2018 NCAA Tournament at American Airlines Center. Mandatory Credit: Tim Heitman-USA TODAY Sports
Mar 17, 2018; Dallas, TX, USA; Tennessee Volunteers guard Jordan Bowden (23) shoots as Loyola (Il) Ramblers guard Donte Ingram (0) defends during the second half in the second round of the 2018 NCAA Tournament at American Airlines Center. Mandatory Credit: Tim Heitman-USA TODAY Sports /

Bradley

  • Overall series record: 0-1
  • First matchup: December 29, 1966
  • Last matchup: December 29, 1966
  • Last score: Bradley 60, Tennessee 53

The Braves and Volunteers have played just once and it came in New Orleans, in a first round matchup in the 1966 Sugar Bowl Classic. That holiday tournament didn’t go well for the Volunteers, who would drop both games, a blemish in an otherwise successful season.

Bradley prevailed 60-53 and would win the Sugar Bowl Classic the following day, though they’d finish the season under .500 in MVC play. Tennessee would later advance to the second round of the NCAA Tournament and pick up three Top 10 wins in conference play.

Illinois State

  • Overall series record: 0-1
  • First matchup: March 12, 1998
  • Last matchup: March 12, 1998
  • Last score: Illinois State 82, Tennessee 81

The lone matchup with Illinois State certainly sticks out more than some of these other random matchups in holiday tournaments. The Volunteers’ only meeting with the Redbirds came in the first round of the 1998 NCAA Tournament.

Illinois State, the 9-seed in the West region, battled hard against the Volunteers and pulled off an 82-81 overtime win to get the mini-upset. Tennessee’s Brandon Wharton led all scorers with 23 points, but the Redbirds did just enough to advance in the Tourney.

Loyola-Chicago

  • Overall series record: 0-1
  • First matchup: March 17, 2018
  • Last matchup: March 17, 2018
  • Last score: Loyola-Chicago 63, Tennessee 62

Even more recent and perhaps more painful, Loyola-Chicago’s only appearance as an opponent for Tennessee was also in the NCAA Tournament, as the two matched up in the second round of the 2018 NCAA Tournament, one in which Loyola would surprisingly advance to the Final Four as an 11-seed.

Though Tennessee was the 3-seed in that region, the Ramblers played them hard, hitting a shot in the closing seconds to nab a 63-62 upset win. Aundre Jackson had 16 points off the bench to lead the Ramblers, who outmaneuvered the Volunteers and ended a promising season in the opening weekend of the Tournament.

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