Rick Barnes and the Tennessee Volunteers couldn't find a way to get past the Sweet 16 yet again, being upset by Florida Atlantic University on Thursday night. Tennessee Basketball hasn't been to an Elite 8 since 2010, and not once been past the final 16 since Barnes took over in 2015.
It's been a long 20 years since Barnes' 2003 Texas Longhorns went to the Final Four as a No. 1 seed in March Madness. Barnes' Tennessee teams have made five NCAA Tournaments in eight seasons, but all five of those Volunteers teams have been knocked out by a lesser seeds, including No. 9 FAU on Thursday.
As well, Barnes' teams have never beaten a team with a better seed in March Madness, according to Nick Gray of the Nashville Tennessean.
“Certainly proud of the effort that these guys have given us all year, through tough times with injuries, but when it ends like this, it’s always disappointing because we want it all and came up short,” Barnes said afterwards. “But proud of our team, too, for being in this position with a chance to move on. Again, tonight Florida Atlantic, they won, they played hard, and they deserve to move on.”
The critics on Twitter weren't quite as positive about the loss:
RUSHED REACTION: #9 FAU 62, #4 Tennessee 55.
1. OWLS KEEP HOOTING. It was a slow-roll train wreck of a mid-2H 20-4 run that FAU used to take control of game and put Vols on their heels. Once Tennessee was down more than 6, it felt over. And it was. 34-3 FAU rolls into E8. pic.twitter.com/wee2FoJVOf
— Rush the Court (@rushthecourt) March 24, 2023
Typical Rick Barnes March disasterclass. Florida Atlantic is a really nice team but come on man.
— Dan Wolken (@DanWolken) March 24, 2023
Quick reminder that Rick Barnes has been to more NCAA Tournaments than Tom Izzo, and has 30 fewer wins.
— Adam Jacobi (@adam_jacobi) March 24, 2023
Officially Spring!
Rick Barnes saw his shadow today. @NextRoundLive— Jim Dunaway (@jimdunaway) March 24, 2023
.@Vol_Hoops -5.5. ❌
Rick Barnes is 16-28 (36%) ATS as a favorite in the NCAA Tournament. 👎🏼
— John Ewing 🦁 (@johnewing) March 24, 2023
Rick Barnes’ NCAA Tournament appearances at Tennessee:
2017-2018: Second Round
2018-2019: Round of 16
2020-2021: First Round
2021-2022: Second Round
2022-2023: Round of 16 pic.twitter.com/LmkHKWpSUF— BetMGM 🦁 (@BetMGM) March 24, 2023
Thursday night's 62-55 loss to Florida Atlantic in the Sweet 16 inside Madison Square Garden in New York City was the latest disappointing defeat for Barnes and Tennessee Basketball.
“For the 4-seed Vols in 2022-23, a Sweet 16 appearance was likely a fair result especially given the late, season-ending injury to Zakai Ziegler,” wrote Gray on Friday. “That context was shared and understood by some in reaction to Tennessee's loss on Thursday. The Vols led 27-22 at the half, but a 15-2 FAU run midway through the second half tipped the game toward the Owls.”
Rick Barnes falls to 16-28 in the NCAA Tournament, and the Tennessee Volunteers are going home early once again.
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