Led by fourth-year head coach Don DeVoe, the team played their home games at the Stokely Athletic Center in Knoxville, Tennessee.

The Volunteers finished with a record of 20–10 (13–5 SEC, T-1st) and received an at-large bid to the 1982 NCAA tournament as the 9 seed in the Mideast region.

After an opening round win over Southwestern Louisiana, Tennessee was defeated by No.

[2] This was the fourth of five straight seasons of NCAA Tournament basketball for the Tennessee men's program.

Junior Dale Ellis was named the SEC Player of the Year – an award he would take home the next season as well.