Tennessee Gets Boost from Transfer Portal Following Tournament Exit
After a tough Elite Eight loss to Houston on March 30, the Tennessee Volunteers received a much-needed boost on April 4 with a key addition through the transfer portal. The Vols were held to just 15 first-half points in a 69-50 defeat—marking the lowest first-half output in an Elite Eight game since 1979.
The silver lining? Maryland guard Ja’Kobi Gillespie is heading to Knoxville. Gillespie brings solid production to the backcourt, having averaged 14.7 points, 4.8 assists, and shooting 45.3% from the field last season.
He joins a strong Tennessee guard rotation that already includes Zakai Zeigler and Chaz Lanier. Zeigler, a four-time All-SEC Defensive honoree, posted 13.6 points, 7.4 assists, and 1.9 steals per game. Though he hit a three-pointer in the Elite Eight matchup, he struggled overall against Houston’s defense, finishing with just 3 points and 3 assists.
Lanier led the team in scoring with 18 points per game and broke the school’s single-season three-point record with 311 attempts at a 39.5% clip. He shared the team-high of 17 points in the Elite Eight, going a perfect 7-for-7 from the free-throw line.
The addition of Gillespie could be the piece that elevates the Vols into true title contention next season. Tennessee is also pursuing frontcourt reinforcements, including Robert Morris forward Alvaro Folgueiras (14.1 PPG, 9.1 RPG) and Lincoln Memorial’s Elyjah Freeman. While they missed out on Virginia shooting guard Isaac McKneely, who committed to Louisville, the Volunteers remain active in the portal to address the gaps exposed this postseason.
