Breaking down how Rick Barnes built Tennessee into a viable No. 1 seed in the 2024 NCAA Tournament

It’s well-documented that Tennessee (22-6, 12-3) hasn’t necessarily had the postseason success to match what they’ve accomplished in the regular season during the nine-year tenure of Rick Barnes. That may very well change this March, though, based on additions that he made before this campaign ever tipped off.

On3’s James Fletcher III assessed the Vols’ viability as a potential No. 1 seed in the NCAA Tournament during an appearance on ‘Andy Staples On3’ on Friday. He began by recalling those shortcomings in March Madness during Barnes’ time in Knoxville.

“I know that, a lot of people, when they talk about Tennessee? They talk about the NCAA Tournament failures, the struggles that they’ve had to get offense going,” Fletcher said. “That’s why they’ve been so streaky at times under Rick Barnes.”

The Volunteers have made the NCAA Tournament in five seasons under Barnes. This season is set to be their sixth appearance overall. In all those berths, Tennessee was no lower than a No. 5 seed with one No. 2 in ’18-’19, two No. 3s in ’17-’18 and ’21-’22, a No. 4 last season, and a No. 5 in ’20-’21.

However, none of those runs lasted any longer than the Sweet 16. They have made it to the regional semifinal twice with losses to Purdue (’18-’19) and FAU (’22-’23) ending those bids. The other three ended in either the first or second round in the tournament’s opening weekend.

Still, in ’23-’24, Tennessee may very well enter the NCAA Tournament with their first-ever No. 1 seed. They could do it in hopes of reaching at least the Elite Eight for just the second-time in school history. The’d be able to possibly do so because their team now has both sides of the ball playing at a level that could cut several nets over the next month or so.

“You know what the defense is going to be. You know a Rick Barnes team is going to play elite defense. They’re going to come at you for 40 minutes,” Fletcher said. “He has still got those guys, those gritty guys – Zakai Zeigler one of them – who’s just going to go out there and they want to make your life hard. Santiago Vescovi returns, Josiah-Jordan James. I mean they got the guys. They’ve got the veteran talent and they’ve got people who know Rick Barnes’ system.”

“What they were able to do that some people questioned whether it would work or not but it undoubtedly has? He brought in offensive players,” said Fletcher. “Dalton Knecht? Not known for his defense at all. I mean he has improved defensively throughout the year by being in Rick Barnes’ system. That’s part of what has made him such an interesting NBA Draft prospect beyond this. Then you bring in Jordan Gainey, another guy who offers you offensive punch off the bench, a guy who can be that spark plug and knock down shots when you need them.”

Tennessee is averaging 80.7 points, their second-best ever under Barnes, while also still having a top defense nationally. The combination of veteran contributors along with the influx of players like Knecht, who’s one of the country’s best scorers with an average of 20.8 points per game, has made them a whole different team to deal with.

The Volunteers have three ranked games left in the regular season before arriving in Nashville for the SEC Tournament. Those will determine whether or not they can make a final jump toward being one of the four No. 1s.

Still, even if they aren’t, there’s no denying the improved odds for Tennessee when it comes time for madness again. They now have all that they need and more to make their deepest tournament run to date, both under Barnes and in program history, if not win in it altogether in Phoenix.

“Tennessee has a balance that we have not seen in the Rick Barnes era between the offensive firepower and the defensive firepower,” Fletcher said. “That’s what makes them so dangerous when we get into March.”