Not So Sweet Sixteen; Tennessee, Barnes Fall Short Again

The Tennessee Volunteers came up short in the Sweet 16 and have bounced from the NCAA Tournament. The Vols have still yet to make a Final Four in program history.

The 2022-2023 basketball season held a lot of hype and potential for the Tennessee Volunteers. For the Vols, they reached as high as a No. 2 ranking in the nation mid-season. It seemed to be another year that the team had a chance to make a title run. Unfortunately, Thursday night was the end of the line for the squad, losing to Florida Atlantic University in a Sweet 16 matchup. For Rick Barnes and company, it may be fair to ask some difficult questions. 

This is the second time in 5 years that Tennessee Basketball has fallen in the regional semifinal, with the other time being in 2019, losing to Purdue. While the Vols have enjoyed a lot of regular-season success with Barnes, fans have to wonder when it will translate to the level of a Final Four and even a championship. 

Brandon Weatherspoon, Florida Atlantic G

Since Barnes took over, the program has had a record of 175 wins and 92 losses. In this span, however, the team has a postseason record of 17-11, with no appearances past the Sweet 16. While other SEC schools, including Kentucky, have had long postseason droughts, it does not detract from the disappointment. While no one, including myself, is calling for Barnes's job, it is not unfair to expect more.

Another reason to be dismayed is that the road seemed fairly clear for the Vols. No. 1 seed Purdue falling in the opening round made a huge difference for the Vols. After Kentucky was defeated and Tennessee took down Duke, No. 2 seeded Marquette lost to Michigan State, and it seemed to be a clear path, with Tennessee slated against the No. 9 seeded FAU Owls. 

This goes to show why they call it March Madness. The tournament is one of the marquee sporting events, and very few rival it in excitement. Unfortunately for Tennessee and its fanbase, the Vols will not be a part of the remainder. For Rick Barnes, the next task is to figure out how to break through.

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