The 1960-1961 season was a tough one for the Tennessee basketball team, as they finished with a record of 10-15 overall and 4-10 in the SEC, placing 11th in the conference. John Sines was in his second season as head coach, but unfortunately, the team struggled to find consistent success.

Offensively, the team averaged 68.0 points per game, ranking 117th out of 169 teams. Defensively, they allowed an average of 69.0 points per game, ranking 73rd out of 167 teams. While the team didn't necessarily struggle on either end of the court, they simply couldn't put together enough wins to make a significant impact in the conference. In terms of overall team strength, the Volunteers had a SRS (Simple Rating System) of -3.29, ranking 109th out of 173 teams. Their SOS (Strength of Schedule) was -1.00, indicating that their schedule was slightly below average in difficulty.

Although the season wasn't particularly successful for Tennessee, there were certainly some bright spots. The team showed flashes of potential and some players put up impressive individual performances. However, they were ultimately unable to string together enough wins to compete at the highest level.