What was the best win in school history in B-ball?

#28
#28
Who would have thought entering UT as a freshman in 2004 that 3 of my Top 5 sports memories while in school would come from the basketball program. Thanks to Bruce Pearl, 05 to 11 gave us a great ride! Now to my Top 3 games.......

1) 05-06 #1 Florida
Why?: Pearl's first year in Knoxville and his first signature win to jump start the most successful 6 year span in UT history
Personal note: Stood in line outside TBA for 9 hours to get 5th row seats in the student section, painted my chest with four buddies. I'll never forget Bruce handing out pizza's to the students standing outside before the game and him announcing over the whole crowd "we're going to kick Florida's @$$ tonight!". As well, rushing the court after the game!
Tennessee vs Florida 2006 - YouTube


2) Memphis 08
Why?: Most hyped UT game in history of program due to #1 vs #2 In-State Battle. Gave Tennessee its first #1 ranking in mens basketball and declared to the country Bruce Pearl and our program "was here".
Personal: Set in the very top deck of FedEx Forum with two other buddies. Hungout around the bench after the game, with the several thousand UT fans that stayed and celebrated w/ the team.
Tennessee Vols Men's Basketball Team Becomes #1 - YouTube

3) 09-10 OSU Sweet 16
Why?: First Elite Eight appearance in school history. If your a UT fan and you watched that game, you will always remember where you were when JP Prince blocked Evan Turner's 3 at the buzzer!
Personal: I will never forgive Scottie Hopson for missing that FT with 25 seconds left.
6 Tennessee vs. 2 Ohio State Highlights - YouTube
 
#29
#29
smokey79 said:
We had some big wins during the Jerry Green era,i just cant remember them.
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Beating top 10 Syracuse in the Carrier Dome was a good one. I think that might have been the highest poll rank UT achieved (like 3 or 4) before Pearl's run in 08.

Of course, the main thing that marked Green's tenure IMO was the inexplicable NCAAT losses.
 
#30
#30
UTCVol said:
Beating top 10 Syracuse in the Carrier Dome was a good one. I think that might have been the highest poll rank UT achieved (like 3 or 4) before Pearl's run in 08.

Of course, the main thing that marked Green's tenure IMO was the inexplicable NCAAT losses.
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That and the epic collapse to close his final season. It actually mirrored Pearl's collapse pretty nicely, except with no apparent reason. You get crap like that happens when the NCAA is breathing down your neck and your job is at stake. But Green's last year?
 
#31
#31
UTCVol said:
[YOUTUBE]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fnnoOn4S-xY[/YOUTUBE]
1993 UK game - Probably not the best, but my first memory of UT basketball. We sucked, and a few weeks later was the 101-40 game, but still.
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That wouldn't be the Corey Allen putback game, was it? He rebounded an intentionally missed FT by Allan Houston? If so, it had the same effect on me. I can remember watching many UT games before that, and I remember beating UK by 20 or so a couple years before, but that game against Jamal Mashburn was a benchmark for me becoming a serious fan. I have been a diehard basketball fan since that point.
 
#32
#32
One game that sticks out in my mind is the game on the road in Florida when Bradshaw stole the inbound pass and scored in the last seconds to upend Florida on the road. That Florida team went on to win it's second national Championship. That game was when the BGO turned the corner for me in the Bruce Pearl era. :clapping:
 
#34
#34
Beating Kentucky 75-69 in overtime to win the SEC Championship Tournament in 1979.
 
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#35
#35
Kansas at TBA and Memphis at Memphis for the #1 rating, both wins were equal in shere fun and importance for the modern era of Tennesse basketball.
 
#38
#38
mad4vols said:
Beating Kentucky 75-69 in overtime to win the SEC Championship Tournament in 1979.
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Two years earlier the win over UK to go 16-2 in the conference, and beat them twice to win the conference, seemed so spectacular. Highest energy level I have ever felt at a UT hoops game and tons of media at the game. It was a lot like the feeling during and after the 1982 Bama win in football. Sadly, we followed that up laying an egg against Syracuse in the NCAA tourney.
 
#39
#39
2010 UK @ UT. Personal favorite because it was my first 'big' game' i attended. Plus I took my ex with me who was a UK fan. Had fun doing the JW dance the whole drive home
 
#40
#40
Vol_51 said:
2010 UK @ UT. Personal favorite because it was my first 'big' game' i attended. Plus I took my ex with me who was a UK fan. Had fun doing the JW dance the whole drive home
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Without a doubt the atmosphere at that game was the best I've ever been at. When we jumped out to the huge lead to start the game, incredible.
 
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#41
#41
I have to go with defeat of tOSU. My son was born an hour before the final buzzer. While the wife and he were transported to the room and I had to be apart, got to see the final minutes. While it can never (EVER) compare to the birth of my first kid, what an awesome end to the day. Elite 8....perfect.
 
#42
#42
UTCVol said:
[YOUTUBE]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fnnoOn4S-xY[/YOUTUBE]
1993 UK game - Probably not the best, but my first memory of UT basketball. We sucked, and a few weeks later was the 101-40 game, but still.

I'd argue '10 Ohio State, although I probably savored the '08 Memphis win more than any of the past decade, in football or basketball. The UF wins in Pearl's first year were awesome as well.
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That is one of my earliest memories of UT basketball. I had painfully followed them from then on. Thank goodness for the Pearl era. Good things to come, I hope.
 
#43
#43
The '08 win at Memphis was probably the biggest on a "national" level -- that #1/#2 game had huge ratings and seats were a fortune. I think it really signified that the Pearl-era was a new level of UT basketball. We achieved the top spot in the country, even if it was short-lived, and it was a predecessor for some big wins (Kansas, UK, and the E8 run).

The '06 (?) UF at UT game was the best atmosphere I've seen at TBA. What a showing by an undermanned squad. Such a contrast to what we are seeing this year.

Texas, Kansas, and the OSU NCAA game all with honorable mentions.
 
#49
#49
zjcvols said:
I miss J.P. Prince
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I don't. He had a few things he did well, but often focused on and attempted to do things he did poorly. He would do wonders for this team, but that is as much an indictment to the talent we have now as much as it is a credit to Prince.
 
#50
#50
The 2008 win at Memphis that put us at #1 in the rankings , then the 2010 NCAA Tourney win against Ohio St. that put us in the Elite 8 are the top 2 "biggest" wins IMO.
 
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