In early January, Four Vols basketball players were suspended after a routine traffic stop ended up unveiling firearms and marijuana. Tennessee leading scorer Tyler Smith was one of the four and he was booted from the team, leaving the Vols without arguable their best player for the remainder of the season. A few weeks later, Cameron Tatum, Brian Williams and Melvin Goins, the other tree arrested Vols were reinstated to the team after charges were dropped. However, before that happened, the short-handed Vols knocked off No.1 Kansas - no big deal.
Nearly a month later, the Vols defeated then No. 1 Kentucky to mark the second time this season the Vols defeated the nation's top team. Needless to say, the Vols were rolling. Seniors Wayne Chism and J.P. Prince were emerging as the team's stars and this team that had already surpassed many expectations was set to make a postseason run.
After winning two games in the SEC tournament, the Vols lost to eventual SEC Champion Kentucky handily, 74-45. It was a minor setback, but the Vols have been there before and they were not about to call an end to this season. They still had one more tournament to make a name for themselves. It is after all, March Madness.
After receiving an unfortunate draw at the No. 6 seed in a bracket featuring Kansas and Ohio State, the Vols didn't let it bother them - it was time to get to work. An opening round game against No. 11 seed San Diego State could have proved costly, but the Vols knocked them off and rode a mini win streak into the Elite 8 after notching wins over Ohio and Ohio State.
The Vols were so close to a final four dream, but a heart-breaking 70-69 loss to Michigan State prevented it. Sometimes dreams must come to end, but this in fact was no dream at all - It was just a Vols basketball team unwilling to accept the bad hand it was dealt this season.
photo by: (AP Photo/Paul Sancya)
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