INDIANAPOLIS − Rick Barnes called a timeout and put his hands on his hips.

The Tennessee basketball coach looked up into the massive stands at Lucas Oil Stadium, where a large corner video board told a ghastly tale Sunday. The Vols had eight points. They had allowed 27 to Houston, a wood chipper that was dissecting the Vols like no other team has done this season.

No. 2 seed Tennessee’s excellent season was undone in a lowly first half and it ended a win shy of the Final Four again with a 69-50 loss to No. 1 seed Houston.

Jordan Gainey led the Vols (30-8) with 17 points and created Tennessee’s best offensive stretch. But Houston (34-4) never allowed the Vols to get within 10 points in the final game for Tennessee greats Zakai Zeigler and Jahmai Mashack. Houston led by double digits for the final 31:39.

Tennessee basketball had historically bad first half in Elite Eight

Tennessee scored 15 first-half points, the fewest scored in an Elite Eight game since seeding started in 1979 according to ESPN’s Stats & Info.

The Vols had a start that mirrored its 30-point loss at Florida on Jan. 7, the worst loss and lowest-scoring game under Barnes.

Tennessee was 6-for-28 shooting. It didn’t get to 10 points until a Jordan Gainey midrange jumper more than 16 minutes into the game. It missed its first 14 3-pointers until Zeigler made one with 29 seconds left in the first half.

Houston had no such struggles. The Cougars made half of their first 18 shots to run out to a double-digit lead.

Houston took Chaz Lanier out of the game

Chaz Lanier left a jumper short on Tennessee’s first shot 17 seconds into the game. He never found any rhythm against the Cougars.

The senior guard had one of his worst shooting performances at the end of a record-setting season. He finished with 17 points with seven points at the free-throw line. He was 4-for-18 shooting and 2-for-12 on 3-pointers.

The North Florida transfer was 1-for-9 shooting in the first half and missed six 3-pointers. He didn’t make a 3-pointer until the 16:28 mark of the second half.

Jordan Gainey had another one of those games in last one at Tennessee

Gainey once again was at his best in a big game for Tennessee, but he got little help. The senior guard got cooking offensively early in the second half.

He made a 3-pointer with 15:43 to play to start a run of 10 straight points in 2:23.

Tennessee created turnovers with its defensive pressure in the final 10 minutes, but Houston hit four straight 3-pointers that buried any chance of a comeback.
 We covers University of Tennessee athletics. follow us on facebook @Lifeofateam