No. 6 seed Tennessee made a good run in the NCAA Tournament, but its season came to an end in a 95-62 lopsided loss to No. 1 seed Michigan in the Elite Eight.
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Michigan made 52 percent of its field goal attempts. The Volunteers went cold, making just 32 percent of their shots against a stiff Wolverines defense in front of a crowd of 20,410 at the United Center on Sunday.
Tennessee head coach Rick Barnes led the program to its third straight appearance in the Elite Eight. However, the team has failed to make it to the Final Four under Barnes. Barnes made the Final Four one time in his career as the head coach of Texas in 2003.
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Per Adam Rittenberg of ESPN, Barnes committed to return to Tennessee following his team’s loss to Michigan in the Elite Eight.
“Tennessee coach Rick Barnes says he’s committed to return to the team for the 2026-27 season,” Rittenberg posted on X.
Barnes, who will turn 72 in July, is 257-120 during his 11 seasons with Tennessee. He’s made the NCAA Tournament eight times with the Volunteers.
While Barnes is expected to return to Tennessee for the 2025-26 campaign, the program could be losing a key member of its brain trust.
Barnes recently advocated for Tennessee assistant coach Justin Gainey to become the next coach of NC State. Gainey met with representatives of the Wolfpack before the Elite Eight.
“I hope he gets the job,” Barnes said, via 247Sports. “I don’t think there’s anybody in the country that loves NC State more than Justin Gainey. He’s a North Carolina native. He went to NC State, played four years there, started four years. Helped win an ACC tournament.
“He has just incredible pride in his university. A terrific basketball coach. I mean, if you come to our walk-throughs, like today or the other day, he scouted the last game. I don’t say a whole lot because those guys have it.”
Tennessee finished the season 25-12 and 11-7 in SEC play.
For more on the NCAA, head to Newsweek Sports.
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