There should be a limit to this March Madness stuff.
Michigan sent Tennessee south from Chicago Sunday, 95-62, home from the NCAA Elite Eight. The 33-point difference was shocking. It was a Rick Barnes record.
The Wolverines are good, certainly one of the best teams in the country. The Vols picked a bad time to play one of their worst games. A lot of people were looking.
Turning points: Tennessee was on top, 16-14, after the first eight minutes and change. In an overwhelming streak, Michigan scored the next 21 points. The game and the season were over before the Vols rejoined the fray.
Barnes was eventually asked if there was anything his team could have done differently to stop Michigan.
“Yeah, we needed to make some shots…You’ve got to make some shots… At some point in time, you’ve got to score the ball.”
Tennessee went scoreless for 6:10. It trailed at halftime by 48-26. It was a bit better in the second half. It lost that segment by only 11.
The Vols missed 52 of 76 field-goal attempts. That means they hit 31.6 percent. They made 19.2 percent of three-point attempts. Michigan’s defense was strong.
The Wolverines didn’t guard Vol free throws. They hit nine and missed eight.
Ja’Kobi Gillespie never gave up. He led Tennessee in scoring with 21. He had four assists, four rebounds and six steals.
Nate Ament was physically overmatched. He scored seven points (2-of-12 plus three free throws). Felix Okpara contributed 10 points and seven rebounds. He and others were hounded by foul troubles. Michigan made 27 free throws.
Felix Okpara #34 takes it to the basket as Michigan’s Yaxel Lendeborg #23 defends.
Yaxel Lendeborg, player of the year in the Big 10 (or 15 or 20) led the winners with 27 points. He made 10 of 19. Michigan hit 51.8 percent.
The Wolverines are 35-3 for the season. They’ll meet Arizona in Saturday’s Final Four. Illinois will play UConn.
Tennessee finished 25-12. The 33-point deficit was Barnes’ worst setback as coach of the Volunteers. He was philosophical in post-game remarks.
“Congratulations to Michigan. It played an outstanding basketball game. We’re obviously disappointed. We think that we’re better than what we showed today.”
The coach said he is so proud of his guys and their season.
“They’ve had a phenomenal year. Obviously when you get to this point and you don’t move on, it’s extremely disappointing, especially when you know you weren’t at your best and you need to be at your best at this time.”
Barnes said Felix has been amazing. He said Ja’Kobi was fearless against Michigan and has endeared himself to Vol Nation.
“Just unbelievably proud of this team. Really, we’ve gone through a lot. They stuck together to get us to this point. And there’s probably, what, 50 some teams that would like to be where we are, even after a loss. So, I’m proud of their effort.”
Barnes said he’ll be back for next season. He has a lifetime contract. Nobody seriously thought he would walk away from $6 million and change. He’s high mileage but a young 71.
“We want more. There’s no doubt we want more. We want to break through this thing. But you’ve got to get here first.”
Barnes has three of the four Elite Eight appearances in Tennessee history. Some great coaching names can’t match that – including Bob Knight, Jim Boeheim and Kelvin Sampson. Barnes is even with Mike Krzyzewski, Rick Pitino, Tom Izzo and Bill Self.
If the coach gets back to this level, it will be with a very different lineup. Gillespie and Okpara are out of eligibility. Ament is projected as an NBA first-round draft choice.
That leads to something else that should be said: Thanks, guys, for the memories.
Marvin West welcomes comments or questions from readers. His address is marvinwest75@gmail.com
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Michigan looked imposing during warmups, and that materialized. However, the shots that had been falling for Tennessee in the early going were failing to touch the nets. When you attempt 20 more shots than your opponent, you should be in good shape.
Then, the free throw woes showed up again. Why can other teams bang their foul shots and Tennessee not? The Vols finally make the National broadcast on CBS and play their worst.
Marvin, thanks for being there all season and telling the story as only you can. Congratulations are in order, and to the 2025-26 Basketball Vols, every best wish!
There are two categories of games for me, the replays I watch numerous times and the ones I can never watch. Eventually, We will look back on the season and the elite 8 appearance and forget the final score.
Nice epitaph. Only problem is that is was an open casket service and the mourners were treated to a sad showing. We took twenty more shots than Michigan. We held our own on the boards and scoring in the paint. Had we shot fifty percent and half dozen less fouls, we win. If, if, if. Credit Michigan.
Basketball over. Our girls did not get off the bus and our boys met some men. Interesting season; good reporting.
“The futures’ not what it used to be.” applies here, and when you used that Yogi quote earlier this year and I attributed it to incomparable singer/songwriter Mickey Newberry for his song by the same title. I’m sure you were confused, Virgil, so I’m clearing it up now. But search Newberry’s song and listen. As a big Yogi and Newberry fan, I somehow missed the connection. Newberry was a baseball fan too.