Chicago, IL – The sixth-seeded University of Tennessee men’s basketball team’s stellar 2025-26 season ended Sunday afternoon with a 95-62 setback against top-seeded Michigan in an Elite Eight clash at the United Center.
Making its third straight appearance in the Midwest Regional Final, No. 25/23 Tennessee (25-12, 11-7 SEC) could not overcome a rocky shooting performance against the third-ranked Wolverines. Senior guard Ja’Kobi Gillespie, who broke the program single-season steals record in the defeat, paced the team with 21 points in its 37th and last game of the year.
The first 10-plus minutes were played within a six-point window, as neither team led by greater than three. Trailing by two, Michigan (35-3, 19-1 B1G) then went on a 21-0 run—it included a three-point play, three 3-pointers and six made field goals—in 4:42 to go up by 19, 35-16, with 6:10 left in the session. The Volunteers went 6:11 without a make from the floor, missing 10 in a row.
After Michigan pushed its lead to 21, Tennessee scored the next six points in just 54 seconds. The Wolverines, however, responded with the final seven of the half, capping it with a 3-pointer in the closing seconds, to make it 48-26 at the intermission.
Midway through the second half, the Volunteers made four straight field goals—three were by Gillespie, one of which was a three-point play on a transition dunk—but could not get the necessary stops at the other end to climb back.
The stretch extended to 7-of-9, as Tennessee found its rhythm offensively, but the deficit proved to be too large.
In addition to leading the Volunteers in scoring, Gillespie finished with a game-best six steals. That increased his season total to 79, the most by a Tennessee player in a single campaign.
Senior forward Felix Okpara totaled 10 points and a co-game-high seven rebounds, five of which came on the offensive end, for the Volunteers.
Michigan graduate forward Yaxel Lendeborg, the Big Ten Player of the Year and a consensus First Team All-American, led all scorers with 27 points on 10-of-19 shooting. He added seven rebounds, four assists, two blocks and one steal.
Sophomore forward Morez Johnson Jr., who went 8-of-11 at the line, had 12 points and five rebounds. Freshman guard Trey McKenney posted 12 points, while Junior center Aday Mara had 11 points. Additionally, junior guard Elliot Cadeau logged eight points and a game-high 10 assists, the latter the most by a Tennessee foe all year.
Tennessee recorded a 19-8 advantage on the offensive glass, but it led to just a 16-15 margin in second-chance points, as it shot 31.6 percent (24-of-76) overall and allowed a 51.8 percent (29-of-56) mark at the other end. The Wolverines also got to the line 37 times, connecting on 27 shots from the stripe.
The Volunteers’ 2025-26 campaign included a fifth straight 25-win record, a fourth consecutive Sweet 16 berth and a third Elite Eight trip in a row.
To keep up with the Tennessee men’s basketball team at www.utsports.com/sports/mens-basketball/archives or on social media, follow @Vol_Hoops on Instagram and X/Twitter, as well as /tennesseebasketball on Facebook.
