The 1972-1973 Tennessee basketball team, coached by Ray Mears, finished the season with a record of 15-9 and a conference record of 13-5, which earned them a second place finish in the SEC. The team had a solid defense, allowing only 68.1 points per game, which ranked 33rd in the nation out of 230 teams. However, their offense was less impressive, scoring an average of only 70.1 points per game, which ranked 187th in the nation. Despite their mediocre record, the team had a strong strength of schedule, ranking 33rd in the nation in that category. Overall, the 1972-1973 Tennessee basketball team had a solid season, but were not quite able to replicate the success of previous seasons under Coach Mears.