Rick Barnes has had to battle the narrative that he can't win in March throughout his time at Tennessee. If the Volunteers win one more game, the question will shift to whether Barnes can win in April.
Tennessee is one win away from the Final Four after a Sweet 16 win over Creighton, setting up what promises to be an entertaining matchup with No. 1 Purdue on Sunday.
The Volunteers last met the Boilermakers in the NCAA Tournament in 2019, when a Tennessee team many picked to reach the Final Four lost a thriller against Carsen Edwards and Ryan Cline. The rosters have changed, but the mission hasn't for Barnes and Purdue's Matt Painter.
Here's what you need to know about Tennessee's Final Four history and best March Madness finishes.
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Has Tennessee ever made the Final Four?
Tennessee has never reached the Final Four, so this season's team can make history with a win on Sunday.
While the Volunteers have been one of the most prominent programs in the nation since 2019, the team doesn't exactly have a rich history of March success. Tennessee only reached the Elite Eight once before this year's tournament, doing so in 2010, but the Vols have bowed out in the Sweet 16 eight times over the years.
Tennessee's 2010 team was led by coach Bruce Pearl, who now coaches at Auburn. Pearl led the Volunteers to a 28-9 season, getting over the hump with a Sweet 16 victory over No. 2 Ohio State.
The Vols were set up well in the Elite Eight against Michigan State, entering as slight favorites and leading by two at halftime, but the Spartans squeaked by with a one-point victory to return to the Final Four.
Tennessee can erase that memory on Sunday, but it won't be easy. Purdue has looked totally dominant through three rounds of the tournament, overcoming last year's demons and powering themselves to the doorstep of their first Final Four berth since 1980.
One program will earn a program-defining win on Sunday in Detroit, but only Tennessee can do something that hasn't been done before.
Rick Barnes on what makes this team so special. 🧡 pic.twitter.com/54JFnEyNZv
— Tennessee Volunteers (@Volology) March 30, 2024
Has Rick Barnes ever reached the Final Four?
Tennessee hasn't been to the Final Four, but Barnes actually has been there once before. He took Texas to the Final Four in 2003, when the Longhorns were led by T.J. Ford.
Barnes spent 17 seasons at Texas, and a lack of success in March ultimately played a role in the school moving on in 2015. It's fair to say there were other opportunities to reach the Final Four later in Barnes' tenure, but 2003 stands as one of the best seasons in program history.
The Longhorns escaped No. 5 UConn in the Sweet 16 to set up an Elite Eight matchup with No. 7 Michigan State, which Texas won 85-76. Barnes and the Longhorns came up short against eventual champion Syracuse in the national semifinal.
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Barnes entered this year's Elite Eight as one of two coaches still standing who had been to the Final Four, alongside only UConn's Dan Hurley. In a tumultuous era of college sports with some coaching legends stepping away in recent years, Barnes has found a way to win consistently. Getting back to the Final Four with a second program would be a testament to how well Barnes has been able to keep up in a rapidly-changing environment.
Tennessee NCAA Tournament history
Below are the best NCAA Tournament finishes in Tennessee history and each team that knocked the Volunteers out of the tournament.
Elite Eight appearances
- 2010 (Michigan State)
- 2024
Sweet 16 appearances
- 1967 (Dayton)
- 1981 (Virginia)
- 2000 (North Carolina)
- 2007 (Ohio State)
- 2008 (Louisville)
- 2010 (Michigan State)*
- 2014 (Michigan)
- 2019 (Purdue)
- 2023 (FAU)
- 2024
* - Lost in Elite Eight
