No. 9: 2014-15
Head Coach: Donnie Tyndall
Record: 16-16 (7-11, SEC)
Best win(s): vs. No. 15 Butler
Key players: Josh Richardson, Kevin Punter, Armani Moore
It was another new era at Tennessee, as Cuonzo Martin departed for California and was replaced by an energetic coach out of Southern Miss named Donnie Tyndall. The core of a team that took the Vols to the Sweet Sixteen in the previous season had either graduated or entered the NBA Draft, and it was a rebuilding project for Tyndall.
Tyndall was praised for his in-game coaching, deploying a defensive press and high-energy style of basketball that helped him earn a signature win over No. 15 Butler in Thompson-Boling Arena just seven games into the season.
The Vols were competitive in SEC play, and after a three-overtime win over Vanderbilt in mid-February, they were sitting at 14-9 (6-5) with an outside shot to sneak into the NCAA Tournament if they could finish the season strong. The next five games resulted in losses, however, effectively knocking the Vols out of postseason contention. After beating Vanderbilt in the second round of the SEC tournament as the No. 10 seed, the season came to an end in the quarterfinals with a 80-72 loss to Arkansas.
Josh Richardson was Tennessee’s best player over the course of the season, averaging 16 points and 4.5 rebounds per game, combined with his reputation as one of the best defenders in the SEC. A first-team All-SEC campaign saw Richardson drafted No. 40 overall to the Miami Heat, beginning a strong NBA career that continues today with the Philadelphia 76ers.
After just one season, Tyndall was fired by Tennessee due to NCAA violations committed during his time at Southern Mississippi. Athletics Director Dave Hart admitted to oversight during the vetting process of Tyndall and took responsibility for the hire, and Tennessee basketball was back to square one.
NEXT: Tennessee’s basketball teams from the past decade