Jaden Springer
Tennessee forward John Fulkerson (10) and Auburn guard Jamal Johnson (1) collide while rebounding the ball during the second half of an NCAA basketball game Saturday, Feb. 27, 2021, in Auburn, Ala. Auburn won 77-72. (AP Photo/Butch Dill)
Tennessee Vols looking for answers at end of regular season

By Teresa M. Walker Mar. 02, 2021 04:55 PM EST

Auburn guard Allen Flanigan (22) brings the ball in as Tennessee guard Keon Johnson (45) defends during the first half of an NCAA basketball game Saturday, Feb. 27, 2021, in Auburn, Ala. (AP Photo/Butch Dill)
Tennessee Volunteers at Auburn Tigers 2/27/2021

Feb. 27, 2021 01:16 PM EST

Vanderbilt's Scotty Pippen Jr., center, greets teammates before an NCAA college basketball game Wednesday, Feb. 24, 2021, in Nashville, Tenn. Pippen did not warm up with the team. Pippen is the SEC's second-leading scorer averaging 20.5 points a game and had started every game this season. This snaps a 32-game start streak. (AP Photo/Mark Humphrey)
Bailey scores 21, No. 25 Tennessee beats Vanderbilt 70-58

By Teresa M. Walker Feb. 24, 2021 11:11 PM EST

Tennessee guard Victor Bailey Jr. (12) looks to pass the ball against Kentucky's Devin Askew (2) during an NCAA college basketball game Saturday, Feb. 20, 2021, in Knoxville, Tenn. (Randy Sartin/Pool Photo via AP)
Jackson, Kentucky win 3rd in row, top No. 19 Tennessee 70-55

By Al Lesar Feb. 20, 2021 04:17 PM EST

South Carolina's Keyshawn Bryant (24) defends against Tennessee's Victor Bailey Jr. (12) during an NCAA college basketball game Wednesday, Feb. 17, 2021, in Knoxville, Tenn. (Brianna Paciorka/Knoxville News Sentinel via AP, Pool)
Bailey leads No. 19 Tennessee over South Carolina, 93-73

By Al Lesar Feb. 18, 2021 12:16 AM EST

LSU head coach Will Wade congratulates guard Ja'Vonte Smart (1) during a substitution in the second half of an NCAA college basketball game against Tennessee in Baton Rouge, La., Saturday, Feb. 13, 2021. (AP Photo/Gerald Herbert)
LSU pulls away late, wins easy over No. 16 Tennessee 78-65

By Bryan Lazare Feb. 13, 2021 04:39 PM EST

Alabama guard John Petty Jr. (23) hands the ball off during the second half of an NCAA college basketball game against South Carolina Tuesday, Feb. 9, 2021, in Columbia, S.C. Alabama won 81-78. (AP Photo/Sean Rayford)
No. 16 Tennessee, LSU meet in battle of second-place teams

By John Zenor Feb. 12, 2021 12:53 PM EST

Tennessee coach Rick Barnes points to the bench during the team's NCAA college basketball game against Georgia on Wednesday, Feb. 10, 2021, in Knoxville, Tenn. (Randy Sartin/Pool Photo via AP)
No. 16 Tennessee holds on to beat Georgia

Al Lesar Feb. 10, 2021 10:26 PM EST

Tennessee's Jaden Springer, left, passes the ball away from Kentucky's Jacob Toppin (0) and Dontaie Allen during the first half of an NCAA college basketball game in Lexington, Ky., Saturday, Feb. 6, 2021. (AP Photo/James Crisp)
Johnson, Springer rally No. 11 Tennessee past Kentucky 82-71

By Gary B. Graves Feb. 06, 2021 10:34 PM EST

Virginia Tech's Keve Aluma (22) celebrates a score against Virginia during the second half of an NCAA college basketball game Saturday, Jan. 30, 2021, in Blacksburg, Va. (Matt Gentry/The Roanoke Times via AP, Pool)
SEC eager to change perception league is down in stretch run

By Teresa M. Walker Jan. 31, 2021 01:09 PM EST

Tennessee guard/forward Yves Pons (35) blocks a shot attempt by Kansas forward Jalen Wilson (10) during an NCAA college basketball game in Knoxville, Tenn., Saturday, Jan. 30, 2021. (Caitie McMekin/Knoxville News Sentinel via AP, Pool)
Pons scores 17 as No. 18 Tennessee beats No. 15 Kansas 80-61

By Teresa M. Walker Jan. 30, 2021 08:21 PM EST

Tennessee forward Olivier Nkamhoua dunks during the team's NCAA college basketball game against Mississippi State on Tuesday, Jan. 26, 2021, in Knoxville, Tenn. (Brianna Paciorka/Knoxville News Sentinel via AP, Pool)
Pons leads No. 18 Tennessee past Mississippi State

By Al Lesar Jan. 26, 2021 10:33 PM EST

Missouri players react after defeating Tennessee in an NCAA college basketball game Saturday, Jan. 23, 2021, in Knoxville, Tenn. (Calvin Mattheis/Knoxville New-Sentinel via AP, Pool)
Pinson leads No. 19 Missouri to 73-64 win at No. 6 Tennessee

By Al Lesar Jan. 23, 2021 10:55 PM EST

Tennessee's Josiah-Jordan James (5) and John Fulkerson (10) double team Vanderbilt guard Scotty Pippen Jr. (2) during an NCAA college basketball game at Thompson-Boling Arena in Knoxville, Tenn., Saturday, Jan. 16, 2021. (Calvin Mattheis/Knoxville News Sentinel via AP, Pool)
No. 10 Tennessee rides balanced scoring, beats Vanderbilt

By Al Lesar Jan. 16, 2021 08:18 PM EST

Tennessee guard Santiago Vescovi (25) makes a 3-point basket over Texas A&M forward Jonathan Aku (15) during the first half of an NCAA college basketball game Saturday, Jan. 9, 2021, in College Station, Texas. (AP Photo/Sam Craft)
Tennessee Volunteers at Texas A&M Aggies 1/9/2021

Jan. 09, 2021 03:04 PM EST

Tennessee guard Santiago Vescovi (25) moves the ball against Alabama's Jaden Shackelford (5) during an NCAA college basketball game Saturday, Jan. 2, 2021, in Knoxville, Tenn. (AP Photo/Randy Sartin, Pool)
Alabama stuns No. 7 Tennessee 71-63 in physical battle

By Al Lesar Jan. 02, 2021 08:28 PM EST

Tennessee's Victor Bailey Jr., center, drives past teammate Olivier Nkamhoua, left, and Missouri's Dru Smith, right, during the first half of an NCAA college basketball game Wednesday, Dec. 30, 2020, in Columbia, Mo. (AP Photo/L.G. Patterson)
No. 7 Tennessee routs No. 12 Missouri 73-53 in SEC opener

By Joe Walljasper Dec. 30, 2020 11:29 PM EST

Bailey leads No. 8 Tennessee over winless Saint Joseph's

By Al Lesar Dec. 21, 2020 08:53 PM EST
KNOXVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — Five games into his Tennessee career, Victor Bailey is settling into his role as an offensive threat. The transfer...

Tennessee's Keon Johnson (45) slides on the court during an NCAA college basketball game against Tennessee Tech Friday, Dec. 18, 2020, in Knoxville, Tenn. (Caitie McMekin/Knoxville News Sentinel via AP, Pool)
No. 10 Tennessee overwhelms Tennessee Tech 103-49

By Al Lesar Dec. 18, 2020 09:01 PM EST

Tennessee forward Uros Plavsic (33) looks for the basket during an NCAA college basketball game against Appalachian State in Knoxville, Tenn., on Tuesday, Dec. 15, 2020. (Brianna Paciorka/Knoxville News Sentinel via AP)
No. 10 Tennessee clamps down on Appalachian State, 79-38

By Al Lesar Dec. 15, 2020 09:19 PM EST