Tennessee was simply plain terrible throughout the first half of its Elite Eight matchup in opposition to Houston throughout on Sunday.
The No. 2-seeded Volunteers solely scored 15 factors within the first 20 minutes as they ended the primary half trailing the No. 1-seeded Cougars 34-15. Rick Barnes’s crew’s first half exhibiting wasn’t simply unhealthy, it was traditionally unhealthy.
Tennessee’s 15 first-half factors are the bottom in NCAA match historical past for a No. 1 or No. 2 seed. Not simply within the Elite Eight, however in any spherical of the match.
Tennessee’s 15 first-half factors are the bottom in NCAA Match historical past by a crew with a No. 1 or No. 2 seed.
Lowest not simply in an Elite Eight recreation — lowest in any spherical of the match. Ever.
— Matt Norlander (@MattNorlander) March 30, 2025
The Volunteers had been 6-for-28 from the sphere, which is a woeful 21.4%. They had been additionally 1-for-15 from three-point vary, which was unhealthy sufficient for six.7%. Feix Okpara and Jordan Gainey had been the crew’s main scorers with 4 factors every. In the meantime, Zakai Zeigler was a brutal 1-for-7 from the sphere and hit 1-of-4 three-pointers. If that wasn’t unhealthy sufficient, Houston outrebounded Tennessee 26-17.
Yikes.
The Vols higher determine one thing out rapidly or nobody might be singing “Rocky High” tonight.
