photo by UT Athletics
Tennessee drew more fans to Thompson-Boling Arena for men's and women's basketball games during the 2019-20 season than any other school in America.
A total of 461,146 Big Orange fans attended 33 games, as the Vols drew 322,822 for their 17 home games, and the Lady Vols drew 138,324 for their 16 home events.
Tennessee's total attendance was 33,077 more than the next closest school.
Other national leaders in combined hoops attendance were Kentucky (443,725), Louisville (428,069), Iowa State (401,953) and Indiana (370,069).
In terms of average home attendance, the Tennessee men ranked fourth nationally for the second straight year (18,990), while UT's women climbed one spot to sixth in the country (8,645).
VOLS ATTENDANCE NOTES
The Tennessee men hosted two games with capacity crowds this season. The Wisconsin game on Dec. 28 drew 21,678, which is Thompson-Boling Arena's listed capacity. And the Memphis showdown on Dec. 14 had a season-high 21,868 in attendance.
Two other UT home games—against Kentucky and Auburn—drew crowds larger that 21,000. In Rick Barnes' five seasons as Tennessee's head coach, the Volunteers have played in front of 15 home crowds of 20,000 or larger.
Tennessee sold 15,551 season tickets this season. That number by itself exceeded the average home attendance of all but 11 Division I men's basketball programs.
LADY VOLS ATTENDANCE NOTES
After having no home crowds larger than 10,000 a season ago, the Lady Vols had three five-figure crowds in 2019-20 under first-year head coach Kellie Harper, including 12,738 vs. Texas A&M, 10,230 vs. LSU and 10,036 vs. Georgia.
The attendance for that Texas A&M game was the Lady Vols' largest home crowd since Feb. 25, 2018, when 13,058 fans witnessed Tennessee's victory over South Carolina.
The Lady Vols played in front of three of the nation's largest crowds this season, including 13,735 at South Carolina (3rd), 13,659 at UConn (4th) and 12,738 vs. Texas A&M in Knoxville (7th).
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