Tennessee basketball is returning to the Sweet 16 in 2025 in its third-straight trip to the second weekend of the NCAA Tournament.
The Vols became a mainstay in the tournament's second weekend under Rick Barnes, who revitalized the Tennessee basketball program after being fired from Texas.
Tennessee will be playing in the Sweet Sixteen for the 11th time in program history and fourth time in the Rick Barnes era. The Vols hold a 2-8 record, but don't count out the Vols because of its lackluster record.
Their first appearance in the Sweet 16 came in 1967. In their debut, the Vols lost a close 52-53 game to Dayton, and it took the program almost 15 years to return to the NCAA Tournament's second weekend.
The Vols returned to the Sweet 16 in 1981 but ran into 1-seed Virginia and lost 48-62 in their second-ever appearance.
Nearly 20 years later, Tennessee returned to the Sweet 16 for the third time in program history. The turn of the century changed Tennessee's basketball success with now nine Sweet 16 appearances in the last 25 years.
In 2000, Tennessee made its third Sweet 16 appearance, losing to No. 8 North Carolina 69-74. This was the first time the Vols were a higher seed than its Sweet 16 opponent as the Vols were a 4-seed.
Tennessee returned to the Sweet 16 in 2007 under Bruce Pearl, who is now Auburn's head coach. Tennessee lost to 1-seed Ohio State in a heartbreaking 84-85 battle.
The Vols returned to the Sweet 16 in 2008 as a 2-seed in the NCAA Tournament, marking the first time Tennessee was seeded higher than No. 4. Unfortunately, they lost again in this round to No. 3 Louisville 60-79.
Two years later, in 2010, Tennessee won its first Sweet 16 game, getting revenge on Ohio State, a 2-seed in the 2010 tournament. The Vols' 76-73 win was a big upset and a big win for the basketball program.
Tennessee returned to the Sweet 16 in 2014 and 2019 and continued its trend of close, disappointing losses. The Vols lost to No. 2 Michigan 71-73 in 2014 and to No. 3 Purdue 94-99 in overtime as a 2-seed for the third time in program history.
The Vols fell victim to a Cinderella run by Florida Atlantic in its 2023 Sweet 16 game. The Owls bested the Vols 55-62 on the way to a Final Four run.
Tennessee followed the upset with a resounding Sweet 16 win in 2024 against No. 3 Creighton, 82-75. It returned to the tournament as a 2-seed and advanced to its second-ever Elite Eight appearance.
The Vols will look to win their second-straight Sweet 16 game on Friday as they face Kentucky, an SEC Rival. Tip-off is scheduled for 7:39 PM ET, and rivalry bragging rights and a spot in the Elite Eight are on the line.