Why Terrence Hill Jr. had his eye on Tennessee basketball before the transfer portal opened

Terrence Hill Jr. was taking notice of Tennessee before the Vols were able to take notice of him. The VCU combo guard, looking to make his own NCAA Tournament run with his own team, couldn’t help but see what Ja’Kobi Gillespie was doing with the Vols. 

“I was actually watching the March Madness game,” Hill said, “where he was shooting anything he wanted.”

And he noticed what Rick Barnes was letting Gillespie do at point guard.

“I was like, ‘Shit, he let his point guard go,’ so I like that,” Hill said. “And me and my agent were watching it like, ‘Tennessee might be a good spot for me.’”

Tennessee has added five players from the NCAA Transfer Portal

Tennessee was the spot for him on Sunday morning, when he announced his commitment, picking the Vols over Kansas and other schools out of the NCAA Transfer Portal. 

He’s the fifth addition made by Barnes and his staff out of the portal and the sixth overall as Tennessee’s 2026-27 roster rebuild continues. 

Hill averaged 15.0 points, 2.8 assists and 2.7 rebounds in 36 games at VCU this season, shooting 46.6% from the floor and 37.0% from the 3-point line in 25.0 minutes per game. While listed as a combo guard, he’s expected to be in more of the point guard role at Tennessee. 

“Just having that opportunity of me being that starting point guard in the SEC, in a big conference,” Hill said, “and just me getting to that next level for my dream.”

Terrence Hill Jr. scored 51 points in two NCAA Tournament games

Point guard is where Gillespie starred for the Vols this season, after transferring from Maryland. He averaged 18.4 points per game and shot 41.0% from the field and 33.8% from the 3-point line.

Gillespie was at his best during the first weekend of the NCAA Tournament, scoring 29 points in the first-round win over Miami (Ohio) then 21 more in the second round against Virginia. He went a combined 9-for-16 from the 3-point line to lead the Vols back to the Sweet 16 for a fourth straight year. 

Hill got his own taste of the first-weekend success at VCU. He erupted for 34 points in a first-round upset of North Carolina, then had 17 in a second-round loss to Final Four-bound Illinois. He went 10-for-19 from the 3-point line in the two games.

Now he’s headed to Tennessee wanting to make a deeper run, to get the Vols to a fourth straight Elite Eight … and beyond.

“So much desire, man,” Hill said. “Just getting that one win felt everything to me, so I can only imagine what it feels like to get to that Final Four.”