Tennessee Makes the Wrong Kind of History With Dreadful First Half Against Houston

Ryan Phillips | Mar 30, 2025

Tennessee only scored 15 points and trailed Houston 34-15 at halftime of the Midwest Regional final at the 2025 NCAA tournament. / Brianna Paciorka / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Tennessee was just plain awful during the first half of its Elite Eight matchup against Houston during on Sunday.

The No. 2-seeded Volunteers only scored 15 points in the first 20 minutes as they ended the first half trailing the No. 1-seeded Cougars 34-15. Rick Barnes's team's first half showing wasn't just bad, it was historically bad.

Tennessee's 15 first-half points are the lowest in NCAA tournament history for a No. 1 or No. 2 seed. Not just in the Elite Eight, but in any round of the tournament.

Tennessee's 15 first-half points are the lowest in NCAA Tournament history by a team with a No. 1 or No. 2 seed.

Lowest not just in an Elite Eight game — lowest in any round of the tournament. Ever.

— Matt Norlander (@MattNorlander) March 30, 2025

The Volunteers were 6-for-28 from the field, which is a woeful 21.4%. They were also 1-for-15 from three-point range, which was bad enough for 6.7%. Feix Okpara and Jordan Gainey were the team's leading scorers with four points each. Meanwhile, Zakai Zeigler was a brutal 1-for-7 from the field and hit 1-of-4 three-pointers. If that wasn't bad enough, Houston outrebounded Tennessee 26-17.

Yikes.

The Vols better figure something out quickly or no one will be singing "Rocky Top" tonight.

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