1978–79 Tennessee Volunteers basketball team
American college basketball season
The 1978–79 Tennessee Volunteers basketball team represented the University of Tennessee as a member of the Southeastern Conference during the 1978–79 college basketball season. Led by first-year head coach Don DeVoe, the team played their home games at the Stokely Athletic Center in Knoxville, Tennessee. The Volunteers finished with a record of 21–12 (12–6 SEC, 2nd) and, after winning the SEC tournament, received an automatic bid to the 1979 NCAA tournament as the 8 seed in the Mideast region. After an opening round win over Eastern Kentucky, Tennessee was defeated by No. 1 seed Notre Dame.
This was the first of five straight seasons of NCAA Tournament basketball for the Tennessee men's program.
Roster
1978–79 Tennessee Volunteers men's basketball team
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Players |
Coaches
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- Head coach
- Assistant coach(es)
- Legend
- (C) Team captain
- (S) Suspended
- (I) Ineligible
- (W) Walk-on
Roster
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[2]
Schedule and results
Date time, TV
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Rank#
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Opponent#
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Result
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Record
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Site (attendance) city, state
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Regular season
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Dec 2, 1978*
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at No. 5 Louisville
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L 61–82
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0–1
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Freedom Hall Louisville, Kentucky
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Dec 5, 1978*
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East Carolina
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W 89–71
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1–1
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Stokely Center Knoxville, Tennessee
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Dec 9, 1978*
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Ohio State
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L 78–86
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1–2
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Stokely Center Knoxville, Tennessee
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Dec 15, 1978*
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Niagara
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W 100–80
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2–2
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Stokely Center
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Dec 16, 1978*
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Xavier
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L 50–51
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2–3
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Stokely Center
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Dec 22, 1978*
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vs. San Jose State
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W 73–68
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3–3
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Toso Pavilion
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Dec 23, 1978*
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vs. Seton Hall
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W 94–80
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4–3
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Toso Pavilion
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Dec 27, 1978*
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vs. Utah Rainbow Classic
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L 71–80
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4–4
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Neal S. Blaisdell Center Honolulu, Hawaii
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Dec 28, 1978*
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vs. Fordham Rainbow Classic
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W 83–58
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5–4
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Neal S. Blaisdell Center Honolulu, Hawaii
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Dec 30, 1978*
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vs. Boston College Rainbow Classic
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L 72–74
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5–5
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Neal S. Blaisdell Center Honolulu, Hawaii
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Jan 3, 1979
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at Ole Miss
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W 72–67
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6–5 (1–0)
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Tad Smith Coliseum Oxford, Mississippi
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Feb 24, 1979
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at Auburn
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W 60–55
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18–11 (12–6)
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Memorial Coliseum Auburn, Alabama
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SEC tournament
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Mar 2, 1979* Chesley-TPC
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vs. Auburn Semifinals
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W 75–64
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19–11
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BJCC Coliseum Birmingham, Alabama
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Mar 3, 1979* Chesley-TPC
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vs. Kentucky Championship game
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W 75–69 OT
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20–11
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BJCC Coliseum Birmingham, Alabama
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NCAA tournament
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Mar 9, 1979*
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(8 ME) No. 20
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vs. (9 ME) Eastern Kentucky First round
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W 97–81
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20–11
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Murphy Center Murfreesboro, Tennessee
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Mar 11, 1979*
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(8 ME) No. 20
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vs. (1 ME) No. 5 Notre Dame Second round
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L 67–73
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20–12
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Murphy Center (10,982) Murfreesboro, Tennessee
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*Non-conference game. #Rankings from AP poll. (#) Tournament seedings in parentheses. ME=Mideast. All times are in Eastern Time.
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[3]
[4]
Rankings
[5]
NBA draft
[6]
References
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