Peyton Manning’s special relationship with Vols basketball INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) — The Tennessee Volunteers have a chance to make history Sunday — earn a trip to the Final Four. Never in the Vols’ 116 years has a men’s basketball team made it to the elusive final weekend of the NCAA Tournament. Tennessee is one win away from making that happen this year. Standing in the way is the Midwest’s top seed — the Houston Cougars. Sunday’s game will be more than just an Elite Eight matchup, which will be special enough. Tennessee plays Houston in Indianapolis’ Lucas Oil Stadium — the same stadium that former Vols star quarterback Peyton Manning called home during his final seasons with the Indianapolis Colts. “He’s the pride of Tennessee and a true Volunteer for sure, so it would be great to achieve it here, and it’d be historic,” Vols forward Igor Milicic Jr. said. Lucas Oil Stadium is affectionately called “The House that Peyton Built.” Manning helped bring the Colts their first Super Bowl title since moving to Indianapolis. He still holds the franchise records for completions, touchdowns and games started. But before he was the Colts legend, Manning’s immortality was already cemented in Knoxville. He’s still the most beloved and recognized quarterback in Tennessee history. “I feel like he’s a role model for all of us student-athletes,” Vols senior guard Chaz Lanier said. “I feel like he’s the definition of a Vol For Life. What he’s done at the university is tremendous, and we all look up to Peyton.” “I know the mindset he’s had. I listen to certain books. I listen to him talk about football games. I listen to him talk about life. Those mindsets are how you survive a competitive sport like basketball and football,” Vols senior guard Jahmai Mashack said. “So being able to play in a stadium like that knowing what he’s done, it’s special.” Since retiring from the NFL, Manning has been a regular attendee at Vols football, basketball and baseball games. Last summer, Manning was in Omaha to cheer on Tennessee as they won their first College World Series. Friday, he was courtside inside his old home of Lucas Oil Stadium to watch the Vols dominate Kentucky and lock in a spot in the Elite Eight. “I was like, ‘Man, a Hall of Fame legend in the stands watching us? That’s crazy. I never would’ve thought. I thought I’d be somewhere watching him play,” Lanier said. “It was just a full circle moment almost.” “Seeing the impact that he’s had on the whole state of Tennessee is amazing,” Vols point guard Zakai Zeigler said. “It’s really amazing to see not only how he supports us, but he supports baseball. He supports football. He supports everybody, so it’s really amazing to be able to play in a place that he played also.” The Vols are hoping Manning will join in the celebrations if they can get past Houston Sunday. “I’m hoping when we go out and play hard and come out with this win, he can come into the locker room and meet everybody,” Mashack said. “It’s surreal to see somebody like him of his stature come to support a basketball game for the University of Tennessee. Seeing that, you want to do everything you can to come out with a win.” Tennessee tips off against the Cougars at 2:20 p.m. Eastern Sunday. ...read more read less