Remember when Rick Barnes had a reputation as a great regular-season coach who couldn’t get it done in the NCAA Tournament? Well, his team’s suffocating 76-62 win over Iowa State on Friday at United Center makes it three straight Elite Eights for Tennessee — a program that had one in its history before this streak.
Bob Knight, among many other distinguished coaches, never reached three straight Elite Eights. The Midwest Region No. 6 seed Vols (25-11) have earned a Sunday shot at No. 1 seed Michigan (34-3) in an attempt to earn the program’s first Final Four and the second of Barnes’ career. The Vols’ chances hinge on a top-15 defense and an offensive rebounding rate that leads the nation. Better shooting — UT was just 7-for-22 from long range — would help as well.
Oh, and Tennessee needs some luck. It got some Friday in the absence of Iowa State’s best player, forward Joshua Jefferson, who was out with a sprained ankle. The Cyclones (29-8) have been on an offensive tear of late but struggled mostly to find any space for the nation’s best shooter, Milan Momcilovic (2-for-9, 6 points). Tamin Lipsey scored 18 in his final game for Iowa State.
Tennessee’s best player, freshman wing Nate Ament, seems to be getting healthier after struggling recently with his own ankle and knee situation. He hit a mid-range shot to push the lead to 11 with less than 3 minutes to play, then capped the night with a 3-point swish and finished with 18 points. Ja’Kobi Gillespie scored 16 and the Vols offset 17 turnovers with 16 offensive rebounds.