Tennessee Basketball: 5 positive takeaways from Volunteers’ 2016-17 season

Tennessee may have finished the 2016-17 college basketball season with a disappointing 16-16 overall record, but the Vols had far more to be excited about than meets the eye.

The Tennessee Volunteers went into the 2016-17 college basketball season projected to finish No. 13 in the SEC but surprised nearly everyone by navigating one of the most difficult schedules in the country and finishing at No. 10.

Sure, a tenth-place finish is not something to be applauded by any means, but the fact that the Vols were able to defy expectations despite injuries and dismissals was nothing short of spectacular. Rick Barnes did a legitimately amazing job in his first season with Tennessee, and we should begin to see this team rise in the future.

The Volunteers finished the season with an even record, going 16-16 overall and 8-10 in SEC play. This team played some extremely close games with some of the best teams in the country but fell just short. Tennessee faced all four of the eventual teams that made it to the Final Four, including losing to Oregon by just four and UNC by just two.

Despite the way the season ended with a rough 2-6 streak, Tennessee should be proud of what they were able to accomplish in a transition season. After desperately searching for a way to turn this program around, the future looks bright for the Volunteers under Rick Barnes, and fans should be excited.

Here are five positive takeaways from the Vols’ 2016-17 college basketball season