Tennessee Basketball Upset by Vanderbilt in SEC Tournament

Loss raises concerns about Volunteers' March Madness chances

Mar. 13, 2026 at 11:22pm

Tennessee basketball was eliminated from the SEC Tournament after a loss to Vanderbilt on March 13 at Bridgestone Arena in Nashville. Vanderbilt's Duke Miles scored 30 points on 11-for-14 shooting and made a crucial assist late in the game, handing the Volunteers a surprising defeat.

Why it matters

Tennessee was widely expected to be a top seed in the upcoming NCAA March Madness tournament, but this loss raises questions about their ability to make a deep run. The Volunteers struggled with missed free throws and Vanderbilt's strong individual performance, which could be concerning signs heading into the big dance.

The details

Tennessee led for much of the game, but Vanderbilt rallied in the second half behind a dominant performance from Duke Miles. Miles scored 30 points on 11-for-14 shooting and also made a crucial assist late in the game to help Vanderbilt secure the upset victory.

  • The game took place on March 13, 2026 at Bridgestone Arena in Nashville, Tennessee.

The players

Duke Miles

A Vanderbilt player who scored 30 points on 11-for-14 shooting and made a crucial assist to lead his team to the upset victory over Tennessee.

Got photos? Submit your photos here. ›

What’s next

Tennessee will await their seeding and matchup for the upcoming NCAA March Madness tournament, where they will look to rebound from this surprising loss.

The takeaway

This upset loss raises concerns about Tennessee's ability to make a deep run in the NCAA tournament, as they struggled with missed free throws and were unable to contain Vanderbilt's Duke Miles, who had a dominant individual performance.