The 1980-1981 Tennessee basketball team had a solid season under the leadership of coach Don DeVoe. The team finished the regular season with a record of 21-8, placing third in the SEC. They boasted a strong defense, allowing only 64.5 points per game, which ranked 54th out of 263 teams. Their scoring offense, on the other hand, ranked 124th with an average of 71.4 points per game. Despite the low scoring, the team had a high strength of schedule (SOS) ranking of 9th out of 264 teams, indicating a tough schedule. In the NCAA Tournament, the Volunteers entered as the 4th seed in the East region. They won their second-round game against Virginia Commonwealth by a close score of 58-56, but were eliminated in the regional semifinal by top-seeded Virginia with a score of 62-48. Overall, it was a successful season for Tennessee basketball, with a strong defensive effort and a respectable showing in the NCAA Tournament.