Tennessee Basketball: 5 best games of Volunteers’ 2016-17 season

Jan 14, 2017; Nashville, TN, USA; Tennessee Volunteers head coach Rick Barnes talks with forward Admiral Schofield (5) and guard Jordan Bone (0) and forward Grant Williams (2) during a stoppage in play in the first half against the Vanderbilt Commodores at Memorial Gymnasium. Mandatory Credit: Jim Brown-USA TODAY Sports /

1 of 6

The Tennessee Volunteers had a 2016-17 college basketball season filled with ups and downs, but which games were the most memorable from the young Vols?

The Tennessee Volunteers finished the 2016-17 season with a 16-16 record (8-10 in the SEC), which many would believe is fairly disappointing.

However, the Vols exceeded expectations in more ways than one, as they finished three spots in the SEC higher than where they were projected to begin the season, played close games against elite teams, and even won against a few teams that went to the NCAA tournament and NIT.

In fact, Tennessee played every single team that made the Final Four and even played those teams closely. The Vols, despite their record, played extremely well for the majority of the season, but their youth caught up to them down the stretch.

Once in the discussion for a potential 2017 NCAA Tournament berth, Tennessee went 3-7 to finish the season and ended up not even making the NIT.

Remember, this was expected to be a transition season, so finishing at .500 is a bit ahead of schedule for a school coming off two back-to-back flops at head coach. Tennessee looked great in its first year under new Head Coach Rick Barnes, and the future for the Vols is extremely bright.

With the 2016-17 season firmly behind us, here is a look at the five best games the Vols played this season – and a possible hint at just how good this team can be in years to come.

Home/Tennessee Volunteers