The Tennessee Volunteers had a very solid 2024-25 season that saw them earn the second seed in the Midwest Region and make it all the way to the Elite Eight round of the men’s NCAA Tournament.
But once they got there, they fell to the surprising Houston Cougars in a 69-50 loss.
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They landed an impact player from the transfer portal in Ja’Kobi Gillespie, a guard who averaged 14.7 points and 4.8 assists while shooting 40.7% from the field last season for the Maryland Terrapins. On Wednesday, they also secured a commitment from Clarence Massamba, a 6-foot-5 guard from France.
Massamba is currently playing for AS Monaco Basket’s under-21 team. He’s averaging 11.4 points, 3.0 rebounds, 1.4 assists and 1.4 steals in 24.2 minutes per game, and he’s shooting 45.9% overall from the field.
He had previously spent two seasons at The Rock School in Gainesville, Fla. A number of prominent basketball programs, including Duke and Kansas, had shown interest in him before he decided to head to Tennessee.
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In 10 seasons as the Volunteers’ head coach, Rick Barnes has gotten them to the NCAA Tournament seven times, including in each of the last five seasons. They made it to the Elite Eight round in both of the last two campaigns.
Mar 22, 2025; Lexington, KY, USA; Tennessee Volunteers head coach Rick Barnes reacts during the second half against the UCLA Bruins in the second round of the NCAA Tournament at Rupp Arena. Mandatory Credit: Jordan Prather-Imagn ImagesJordan Prather-Imagn Images
Their men’s basketball program has never made it past the Elite Eight. But the Lady Volunteers have won the national championship eight times thanks to notable players such as Candace Parker and Tamika Catchings, both of whom went on to become big WNBA stars.
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