It took them a decade to do it, but the Vols’ basketball team finally has another SEC title. And boy, did they celebrate.
The Vols trailed by as much as 11 points in the first half against Georgia, and that would’ve been the deficit at halftime if not for a huge three by Jordan Bone with 17 seconds to go in the first half to cut it to a 42-34 game at halftime.
Tennessee then clawed, chipped, and scraped their way back in the second half and finally tied the game at 49 with a big Lamonte Turner three with 10:22 left. From that point on, the two teams traded the lead or tied the game on almost every made bucket for the final 10 minutes.
The Vols only led for a total of five and a half minutes in the game, but they had the lead when it mattered most: At the buzzer.
And once that buzzer sounded, the Vols were co-SEC champions.
Let’s take a journey through what turned out to be Championship Saturday for the Vols. Starting with a sold out Thompson-Boling Arena.
The fans at TBA got to lead the national anthem, and it sounded glorious:
The power of a sold out TBA: pic.twitter.com/eGlzSrvKFh
— Rocky Top Insider (@rockytopinsider) March 3, 2018
Moments before tip-off, Vol fans were anxious to see what their team could do and if they could bring home a title.
A sold out Thompson-Boling Arena is ready to see a championship: pic.twitter.com/YIFV3GdWl7
— Rocky Top Insider (@rockytopinsider) March 3, 2018
During a break, Tennessee honored NFL Rookie of the Year Alvin Kamara. And Vol fans showered him with a huge standing ovation.
Alvin Kamara is back in Knoxville, and the crowd loves the Local Trap Star: pic.twitter.com/YDtL9QVHQc
— Rocky Top Insider (@rockytopinsider) March 3, 2018
Fast forward to late in the second half, and the Vols were up 62-61 with just seconds remaining in the game. Admiral Schofield, who scored 20-plus points for the third consecutive game, hits the game-clincher with 17 seconds to go.
Admiral’s shot that clinched the game: pic.twitter.com/VFUPtyq5ew
— Rocky Top Insider (@rockytopinsider) March 4, 2018
And not long after that shot fell in, Schofield got to add on a couple free throws, and the celebration began.
The moment the Vols clinched the co-SEC Championship: pic.twitter.com/42BEYBQNUb
— Rocky Top Insider (@rockytopinsider) March 4, 2018
Rick Barnes addressed the crowd in the middle of the celebration. He would then prompt the crowd to sing “Rocky Top” so he could hear it “one more time.”
Rick Barnes during the celebration: pic.twitter.com/KIE2UeAyR7
— Rocky Top Insider (@rockytopinsider) March 4, 2018
Tennessee’s players and fans sing “It’s Great to be a Tennessee Vol” as they celebrate.
The crowd singing “It’s great to be Tennessee Vol” pic.twitter.com/6IuBKATUQd
— Rocky Top Insider (@rockytopinsider) March 4, 2018
As the celebration began to wind down, students and fans all around the arena danced and sang along with the Tennessee Waltz.
Students after the celebration was ending: pic.twitter.com/VzwdvJlXi6
— Rocky Top Insider (@rockytopinsider) March 4, 2018
2 Responses
That’s the Tennessee Waltz. Not the Alma Mater.
Vols are a really good NIT team..