STF State Project: #3 Tennessee

Tennessee is an oddity amongst our top five. Most of the top states benefited from a small number of average to excellent programs. But the Volunteer State has a full twelve teams, all performing at a decent to excellent level, and that is unusual. In a way, it's really the most impressive state performance, even though two others remain, to be revealed in the next handful of days. I'm sure a few of you have figured out who those two are, as well.

The state was definitely top-heavy. Vanderbilt, Memphis, and Tennessee played some great games this season, not least of which came against one another at various times. If next season is half as entertaining, we may blow a collective gasket. And we haven't even gotten to the mid- and low-majors yet.

Speaking of which, how about Tennessee-Martin? When we saw that the Skyhawks were going to help tip off the 2008 season, we made jokes at their expense. That was before we got a look at Lester Hudson. The academic project showed some serious game, and nobody takes UT-Martin lightly any more for that very reason.

Belmont brought us to our feet during the tournament, too. They nearly ended Duke's tournament before it began, though the Blue Devils' next game proved that was merely a stay of execution.

Tennessee is a hoops hotbed right now. And next year isn't looking to be too far off the mark.

2008 Breakdown

State winning percentage: .641
Number of teams: 12
NCAA Tournament teams: Belmont, Tennessee, Vanderbilt, Memphis, Austin Peay.
Conference champions: Belmont, Memphis, Tennessee, Austin Peay
Most wins: Memphis (38)
Least wins: Tennessee Tech (13)
Teams with winning records: Austin Peay, Chattanooga, East Tennessee, Belmont, Memphis, Middle Tennessee, Tennessee, Tennessee-Martin, Vanderbilt
Teams with single digit wins: None

Historical breakdown

Most Memorable Team: Tell me if I'm wrong, but wasn't the Memphis team from just this past season the best in the state's history by far? Derrick Rose, Chris Douglas-Roberts, and CDR's tattoos. What a great run. To win 38 games and not take home the brass ring is unheard of.

Most Memorable One-and-done: People are still talking about how Belmont humbled Duke before falling in the 2008 tourney.

Top Player All-Time: Bernard King, Tennessee. He averaged 25.8 points and 13.2 rebounds over his three years in Knoxville. He was a three-time first-team All-American and a three-time SEC Player of the Year. People incorporate his name into hip-hop, for god's sake.

Favorite Coach: We're going current with Bruce Pearl. He's unrepentantly bombastic, and he wins. He demonstrated his "drape defense" on Erin Andrews on national television. Every time we write about the guy, we get mad hits that don't tail off until sometime in late April. The guy's an orange sherbet rock star.

Worst Team: Tennessee Tech. They did beat Oregon State. But then again, who didn't?

Best Chant: I know you're getting tired of this, but I am juvenile and I love "Let's Go Peay!"

Top Player 2008: I am prepared to accept your scorn on this one. I've become quite practiced over the summer. CDR and Derrick Rose were both great, Shan Foster was nice, and Tennessee was loaded with talent. But nobody did it all like Lester Hudson from Tennessee-Martin. All of those other guys will be better as pros, but in college, Lester's the man. 25.7 ppg, 7.8 rpg, 4.5 apg, and nearly three steals per.

Best On-Campus Venue: Vanderbilt's Memorial Gym. It's the Willem Defoe of college hoops - so ugly it's cool. We like quirky. Plus, the cops will taser you if you jump up to floor level from that funky first row of seats.

Best NCAA Venue: Pyramid Arena. Has hosted several tournament games, but was mostly chosen because it looks like a totally cool-ass pyramid and shit.

Most Prestigious Program (ESPN Style): #14 Memphis Tigers.

Best Nickname: Austin Peay Governors. There are a lot of good names in this state, though. Commodores, Mocs, Blue Raiders, Skyhawks.

STF’s Favorite Program: Memphis is the pick. We love what Coach Cal is doing with the Tigers. We love the talent, we love the system, and we even love the blue-and-white uniforms. If Memphis hadn't been playing against my own alma mater in the championship game, I probably would have rooted for them all the way.


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