Rick Barnes and his Tennessee Volunteers found out the hard way on Sunday afternoon that the juggernaut Michigan Wolverines are inevitable. Tennessee may have played in its third consecutive Elite Eight under his watch, making it the fourth straight year the Vols got into the second weekend under his guidance. However, there was nothing Tennessee could do to stifle Michigan on Sunday.
While the final score of 95-62 Michigan over Tennessee paints a poor picture for the Volunteers program, this year's team massively overachieved. This may have been one of the better teams in the SEC this year, but the Vols did have to beat a pair of higher-seeded teams to even get to this point. The Vols beat No. 3 Virginia in the Round of 32 before stunning No. 2 Iowa State during the Sweet 16.
Although this marks the third time in a row that Barnes could not get Tennessee to the Final Four, this team was nowhere near as good as his previous two. Add in the fact that Michigan has wiped the floor with seemingly everyone this year, and we should not really be surprised. However, Barnes is no spring chicken. Sadly, he will probably be judged unfairly for failing to get it done once again at UTK...
Had this team bowed out in the Sweet 16 to Iowa State, we might be singing a different tune today.
Rick Barnes should not be punished for failing to reach the Final Four
When looking at the 2025-26 Volunteers' resume in comparison to the two previous teams, a few things stand out. This year's Vols team finished 25-12 overall and 11-7 in SEC play as a No. 6 seed. They won three NCAA Tournament games over No. 11 Miami (OH), No. 3 Virginia, and No. 2 Iowa State before crumbling at the hands of No. 1 Michigan. Every other program would be over the moon here!
As for the 2024-25 Volunteers, they went 30-8 overall and 12-6 in SEC play. It earned the No. 2 seed in the Midwest Region that year, getting NCAA Tournament victories over No. 15 Wofford, No. 7 UCLA, and No. 3 Kentucky, all before falling to No. 1 Houston. Tennessee accomplished exactly what it should have a season ago, but nothing more. Houston lost to Florida in the national championship.
And then if we were to look at the 2023-24 Volunteers, they went 27-9 overall and 14-4 in SEC play. They won the SEC regular season championship that year. As was the case the following season, Tennessee earned the No. 2 seed in the Midwest. They defeated No. 15 Saint Peter's, No. 7 Texas and No. 3 Creighton, all before losing to No. 3 Purdue in the Elite Eight. Tennessee could have won that...
Overall, if we are to judge Barnes for not getting Tennessee to the Final Four, this is not the season to do it. This was a team that could have lost in the Round of 64 to Miami (OH). Virginia was the higher-seeded team in the Round of 32, as was Iowa State in the Sweet 16. Even though the margin of defeat vs. Michigan was embarrassingly horrid, Tennessee massively overachieved to make this Elite Eight.
Barnes may have taken Texas to a Final Four two decades ago, but this year's failures are not his fault.