Busting Brackets
Fansided

Tennessee Basketball: 2018-19 season preview for the Volunteers

By Jerran Anderson

ST LOUIS, MO - MARCH 10: Rick Barnes the head coach of the Tennessee Volunteers gives instructions to his team against the Arkansas Razorbacks during the semifinals of the 2018 SEC Basketball Tournament at Scottrade Center on March 10, 2018 in St Louis, Missouri. (Photo by Andy Lyons/Getty Images)
ST LOUIS, MO - MARCH 10: Rick Barnes the head coach of the Tennessee Volunteers gives instructions to his team against the Arkansas Razorbacks during the semifinals of the 2018 SEC Basketball Tournament at Scottrade Center on March 10, 2018 in St Louis, Missouri. (Photo by Andy Lyons/Getty Images) /
facebooktwitterreddit
Prev
1 of 5
Next

Head coach Rick Barnes and Tennessee Basketball took the SEC by storm in 2017-18. They look to keep it consistent this upcoming season in 2018-19.

The Tennessee Volunteers were the best team in the SEC last season, not the Kentucky Wildcats. The Volunteers finished 13-5 in conference play in 2017-18, tied with the Auburn Tigers as regular season champions. Head coach Rick Barnes won the SEC Coach of the Year award as a result of their finish and now, the pressure is on. Tennessee shouldn’t take many teams by surprise this upcoming season, as they return their entire group from last year’s tournament team.

The Volunteers finished with a 26-9 record last year, earning an at-large bid in the 2018 NCAA Tournament as a 3-seed. They were ultimately upset by No. 11-seed Loyola-Chicago in the second round but it was their first tournament appearance since 2014. Entering Year 4 of Rick Barnes, the team looks ready to turn a corner.

Tennessee returns all five starters from a season ago, including SEC Player of the Year, Grant Williams. With Williams, forward Admiral Schofield and big man Kyle Alexander back, the Volunteers are set to make another deep run in this year’s NCAA Tournament. The Volunteers also return SEC Sixth Man of the Year, Lamonte Turner.

They have quite the schedule ahead of them to prepare for conference play this season. It should show if they’re prepared for the big stage or not ultimately. Here’s a look at the 2018-19 season preview for the Tennessee Volunteers.

Home/Tennessee Volunteers