Although Tennessee’s men’s basketball season ended earlier than the players, coaches, and fans wanted, this past season was one of the most historic seasons in program history. The Vols set or tied several school records as a team, and some individual players broke records or came very close to doing so this past season.
Let’s take a look at all the school records Tennessee broke or tied this past season as well as some more interesting numbers from this year.
Team Records Broken/Tied
Most Points Scored in a Season – 3,035
No other team in school history has scored more points in a season than this year’s Vol squad did. Tennessee broke the record in their final game of the season, surpassing the old record of 2,946 points that were scored in the 2007-08 season.
Most Field Goals Made in a Season- 1,106
Tennessee also broke the school record for most field goals made in a single season. Tennessee’s 1,106 field goals made smashed the old record of 1,056 that were made in the 1984-85 season.
Most Assists in a Season – 660
This past season’s Vol squad will be forever remembered for their ball movement and ability to rack up assists, and for good reason. They broke the school record for most assists in a season, toppling the mark the 2007-08 team set of 637 assists in a season.
Most Blocks in a Season – 199
Not only could this team make shots and move the ball well on offense, but they were great at stuffing shots on defense, too. Tennessee’s 199 blocks this season broke the team record of 193 blocks in a season that was set in the 1999-2000 season.
Tied for Most Wins in a Season – 31
Tennessee’s 31 wins this season tied the 2007-08 team for the most wins in a single season in school history. The Vols have only won 30 or more games in a season twice, and those two instances finish tied atop the school record books.
Tied for Most Games Played in a Season – 37
Tennessee also tied the record for most games played in a single season this year. The 2013-14, 2009-10, and 1984-85 teams also played 37 games in a season. Those teams went 23-14, 28-9, and 22-15 respectively.
Longest Winning Streak in a Season – 19
The Vols won 19-straight games during the season this year, shattering the old school record of 15-straight wins all the way back in 1915 through 1917. That 19-game winning streak was also the longest winning streak of head coach Rick Barnes’ coaching career.
Most Wins in Thompson-Boling Arena in a Season – 18
Tennessee finished this season 18-0 at home, marking only the third time in Thompson-Boling Arena history that the Vols finished the season undefeated at home. The previous two seasons (2006-07 and 2007-08) in which it happened saw UT finish 16-0 at home, so this year marks the most wins Tennessee has ever had in Thompson-Boling Arena in a single season.
Most Weeks at No. 1 in the AP Poll in a Season – 4
Before this season, Tennessee had been ranked No. 1 in the AP Poll exactly one other time, and they stayed there for one week. This season, the Vols quadrupled that total and stayed atop the polls for four-straight weeks.
First Time Ever Going Wire-to-Wire as a Top-10 Team in AP Poll
Tennessee started the season as the No. 6 team in the AP Poll, and they never fell out of the top 10 of the poll. In fact, they spent 15 weeks ranked inside the top five of the poll. Before this year, Tennessee had never gone a full season ranked as a top 10 team from beginning to end. Their preseason ranking of No. 6 in the poll was also the highest Tennessee has ever started a season ranked.
Individual Player Records Broken/Tied
Most Free Throws Made in a Game – 23
Most Consecutive Free Throws Made – 23
Tied for Most Free Throw Attempts in a Game – 23
In one game, Tennessee junior forward Grant Williams set two school records and tied another when he went 23-of-23 from the free throw line against Vanderbilt. Williams scored a career-high 43 points and helped propel the Vols to victory in overtime against the Commodores by breaking the school record for most free throws made in a game and most consecutive free throws made. He also tied the record for most free throws attempted.
Best Assist-to-Turnover Ratio in a Season – 2.91
Jordan Bone finished this season with the best assist-to-turnover ratio in a single season in school history. He surpassed Jon Higgins’ ratio of 2.821 in the 2002-03 season for the best in program history. Bone finished mere hundredths of a point away from breaking that record last season, finishing with a ratio of 2.818 as a sophomore.
Other Notable Numbers
2nd-Most Field Goals Attempted in a Season – 2,231
Not only did Tennessee make the most field goals in a season as a team, but they also attempted the second-most field goals in a season in school history. The only team to take more shots than this year’s was the 2007-08 team that took 2,258 attempts.
2nd-Most Rebounds in a Season – 1,391
The Vols pulled down the second-most rebounds in a season as a team in school history this year. The 2013-14 team holds that program record still, hauling in 1,424 rebounds that season.
5th-most Points Per Game in a Season – 82.0
Tennessee scored at a high clip all season, and they finished just inside the top five in points per game in a season in school history. They finished just ahead of the 1989-90 team (81.9) and just behind the 1975-76 team (82.1) in points per game. The 1974-75 team holds that record with 86.6 points per game scored.
Grant Williams: 2nd-Most Free Throws Made in a Season – 213
Not only did Grant Williams set some single game free throw records, but he got close to setting some single season records at the foul line, too. His 213 made free throws finish second only to Carl Widseth’s 222 made free throws in the 1955-56 season for the most in a single season in program history.
Grant Williams: 2nd-Most Free Throws Attempted in a Season – 260
Williams went to the free throw line this season almost more than any other player in UT history. The aforementioned Widseth attempted 288 free throws in the 1955-56 season, but otherwise no other Tennessee player has attempted more free throws in a season than Williams.
Kyle Alexander: 2nd-Most Blocks in a Season – 64
Tennessee’s center, Kyle Alexander, finished his career with the second-most blocks in a career in school history, and that was made possible by his solid senior year in that regard. His 64 blocks this season are second only to C.J. Black’s 73 blocks in the 1997-98 campaign.
Jordan Bone: 3rd-Most Assists in a Season – 215
Point guard Jordan Bone has a chance to set some records next season if he returns for his senior year at UT, but he finished only a handful of assists shy of breaking the single season record at Tennessee this year. Johnny Darden had 221 assists in the 1976-77 season, and Rodney Woods totaled 227 assists in the 1974-75 season. Those are the only Vols with more assists in a single season than Bone, and Bone became only the third player in UT history with 200-plus assists in a season.
Barnes Moves to 7th in All-Time Wins – 88
Head coach Rick Barnes ascended to 7th in school history for most wins in a coaching career. He started the year with 57 wins and climbed up to 88 victories. He surpassed Buzz Peterson (61), Cuonzo Martin (63), Wade Houston (65), and W.H. Britton (80) during the season. He’s one win shy of tying Jerry Green’s total of 89 and two wins away from passing Green for 6th all-time in school history. He also still trails John Mauer (127), Bruce Pearl (145), Emmet Lowery (169), Don Devoe (204), and Ray Mears (278).
