Alexis Washington, Assistant Sports Editor
Second-year guard Terrence Hill Jr. announced his commitment to the University of Tennessee on Sunday, following an impressive season with VCU that helped lead the program to an NCAA Tournament win.
“I see myself scoring a lot, play-making a lot, whether that’s being at the one or being at the two,” Hill said in an interview with 247sports after committing to Tennessee. “But primarily going forward, I think for me to get to that next level is going to be me at that point guard spot.”
Hill was among the top 10 players in the portal, according to draftxpress, catching the interest of teams like the University of Oregon, Louisiana State University and the University of Kansas.
Hill averaged 15 points per game and 2.8 assists — both team highs for the Rams — shooting 46.6% from the field and 37% from three.
Hill quickly became a household name for the Rams following a 82-78 victory over No. 6 University of North Carolina in the first round of the NCAA Tournament, drawing national attention.
VCU trailed by 19 but stormed back to force overtime fueled by Hill’s performance. He finished with 34 points off the bench, setting a VCU program record for most points scored in a tournament game.
Hill’s announcement to the portal was no surprise despite telling his agent, Connor Odom — the son of former VCU head coach Ryan Odom — he was keeping his options open in returning.
Hill was recruited by Ryan Odom, where he averaged just 3.4 points per game in his first year. His role expanded under head coach Phil Martelli Jr., leading to a significant jump.
“It [improvement from last year] speaks to the work I put in over the summer, the confidence I have going into this season, because I knew what I was capable of once I got the opportunity, so I just wanted to take advantage of it,” Hill said in a previous CT story.
His offseason development translated into major recognition, earning First Team All-Atlantic 10 honors, Sixth Man of the Year and Most Improved Player this season.
Hill’s departure underscores the growing financial gap in college basketball. As a mid-major program, VCU faces challenges competing with player salaries compared to larger schools. Hill received multi-million dollar offers in the transfer portal — figures that would have been difficult for VCU to match, according to the Richmond Times-Dispatch.
The total revenue share for Tennessee during the 2024-25 season was $20.5 million compared to VCU’s $4 to $5 million, according to 247sports.
The biggest revenue generators for the Vols were football and men’s basketball at $35.2 million during the 2024-25 fiscal year.
Hill is not the only Ram moving on. Third-year forward Keyshawn Mitchell committed to Iona University, while Jordann Dumont, Christian Fermin and Obi Okafor have also entered the transfer portal but have yet to announce their next steps.
As Hill heads to Tennessee, his move reflects the realities of the modern transfer portal era. Just as coaches have long pursued better financial opportunities, players now have the same freedom — reshaping the landscape of college basketball.