My how the tables have turned. The past decade or so of Tennessee’s basketball history is filled with interesting chapters: a beloved Bruce Pearl undone by NCAA sanctions, a cool reception and exit by Cuonzo Martin, and Donnie Tyndall’s one-year tenure torpedoed by NCAA trouble at his last stop.
And so the Volunteers turned to Rick Barnes, whose final years at Texas were filled with talent but a stale product. Since arriving in Knoxville, Barnes has rebooted and Tennessee is flourishing. Last year, the Vols reset, loaded up on top talent and are readied themselves for another push toward an SEC title.