Skip to main content
tennessee logo

ESPN Bracketology updates projection for Tennessee in NCAA Tournament

IMG_3593by:Grant Ramey•about 15 hours•

GrantRamey

Chaz Lanier, Tennessee Basketball | Andrew Ferguson, Tennessee Athletics
Chaz Lanier, Tennessee Basketball | Andrew Ferguson, Tennessee Athletics

ESPN’s Bracketology update Sunday evening had Tennessee as the No. 2 seed in the East Region, spending the first weekend of the NCAA Tournament in Cleveland. Joe Lunardi moved the Vols from the South Region to the Midwest Region in Saturday night’s update.

Duke is the No. 1 seed in the East Region (Newark) and Houston is the No. 1 seed in the Midwest Region (Indianapolis). Alabama is now the No. 2 seed in the Midwest.

Sunday’s bracket had Tennessee facing No. 15 Central Connecticut in the first round, opposite of No. 7 Louisville and No. 10 Georgia. The No. 3 in the East Region was Iowa State and the No. 4 seed was Wisconsin.

Tennessee (25-6, 12-6 SEC) finished the regular-season schedule with a 75-65 win over South Carolina at Food City Center Saturday afternoon. The win clinched a top-four finish in the SEC standing and the double-bye into the SEC Tournament quarterfinal round.

Tennessee has never been a No. 1 seed in the NCAA Tournament, but has been a No. 2 seed three times, including twice under head coach Rick Barnes.

Tennessee ranked No. 5 in NET, KenPom

Last season Tennessee went to the Elite Eight as a No. 2 seed. In 2019 it was an overtime loss to No. 3 Purdue as a No. 2 seed. The 2007 Tennessee team lost in the second round to No. 7 Wichita State as a No. 2 seed.

The Vols entered the game as the No. 5 overall seed, projected by Joe Lunardi to be the No. 2 seed in the Midwest Region (Indianapolis), where Houston was the No. 1 seed, Texas A&M was the No. 3 and Michigan was the No. 4.

Tennessee entered Saturday’s game ranked No. 5 in the NET. The Vols are 9-6 in Quad 1 games, 5-0 in Quad 2, 5-0 in Quad 3 and 6-0 in Quad 4. They’re also No. 5 in the KenPom.com ratings, ranked No. 1 in adjusted defensive efficiency, giving up 88.5 points per 100 possessions, and No. 22 in adjusted offensive efficiency, scoring 119.3 points per 100 possessions. 

Up Next: SEC Tournament quarterfinals, Friday, Nashville

Tennessee is the No. 4 seed in the SEC Tournament and will face either No. 5 Texas A&M, No. 12 Vanderbilt or No. 13 Texas in the SEC Tournament quarterfinals on Friday afternoon at Bridgestone Arena in Nashville.

The SEC Tournament bracket was officially set Saturday night, with Tennessee scheduled to play Friday at approximately 3:30 p.m. Eastern Time on ESPN.

No. 12 Vanderbilt and No. 13 Texas play Wednesday at approximately 3:30 p.m. Eastern Time on SEC Network. The winner advances to face No. 5 Texas A&M at the same time Thursday on SEC Network.

Auburn is the No. 1 seed and will face either No. 8 Ole Miss, No. 9 Arkansas or No. 16 South Carolina. Florida is the No. 2 seed on the bottom half of the bracket and will play No. 7 Missouri, No. 10 Mississippi State or No. 15 LSU. Alabama is the No. 3 seed and will play either No. 6 Kentucky, No. 11 Georgia or No. 14 Oklahoma.

You may also like