ESPN: Tennessee Basketball is one of eight teams that can win the national championship

Tennessee Basketball is one of eight teams that can win the national championship, according to ESPN. The Vols were listed alongside Alabama, Auburn, Duke, Florida, Houston, Iowa State and St. John’s.

“This season’s run by Tennessee is proof that Rick Barnes‘ system works,” ESPN’s Myron Medcalf wrote. “As he seeks his first run to the Final Four since 2003 with Texas, Barnes is poised to have the same success he enjoyed a year ago in the postseason and potentially more.”

Barnes last season took Tennessee back to the Elite Eight for just the second time in program history. The Vols were a No. 2 seed and went through No. 15 St. Peter’s, No. 7 Texas and No. 3 Creighton before falling to No. 1 Purdue in the Midwest Regional final. 

“This season’s group is arguably even better,” Medcalf wrote. “Barnes replaced (Dalton) Knecht with Chaz Lanier (18.0 PPG, 41% from beyond the arc), another offensive catalyst who has led Tennessee to a 17-0 record when he has scored at least 18 points.”

Up Next: No. 5 Tennessee vs. No. 6 Alabama, Saturday, 4 p.m. ET

ESPN listed 22 teams as “near misses”: Arizona, Baylor, Clemson, Creighton, Gonzaga, Illinois, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisville, Marquette, Maryland, Memphis, Michigan, Michigan State, Missouri, Purdue, Saint Mary’s, Texas A&M, Texas Tech, UCLA, UConn and Wisconsin. 

Tennessee is currently projected as the top No. 2 seed in ESPN Bracketology. Joe Lunardi on Wednesday had the Vols as the No. 2 in the East Region, paired with No. 1 Duke, No. 3 Texas Tech and No. 4 Michigan. 

Lunardi’s three other No. 1 seeds were Auburn, Alabama and Houston. The other No. 2s were Florida, Michigan State and Texas A&M. 

Tennessee moved up to No. 4 in the NET on Thursday, behind No. 1 Auburn, No. 2 Duke and No. 3 Houston. The Vols have a 9-5 record in Quad 1 games and are a combined 14-0 in Quad 2, 3 and 4 games. KenPom.com also has Tennessee ranked No. 5 overall, with the Vols at No. 1 on defense and No. 25 on offense. 

No. 5 Tennessee (23-5, 10-5 SEC) hosts No. 6 Alabama (23-5, 12-3) on Saturday (4 p.m. Eastern Time, ESPN) at a sold-out Food City Center in Knoxville. 

The Vols in the final week of the regular season go to Ole Miss on Wednesday and host South Carolina on March 8.

‘This group has helped Tennessee compete with the best’

Tennessee lost five of eight games during three weeks in January, losing at Florida (73-43), Vanderbilt (76-75), Auburn (53-51) and at home against Kentucky (78-73). 

“Sure,” Medcalf wrote, “there are concerns that shouldn’t be overlooked: a 30-point loss at Florida in January, losing both games to Kentucky, and a strange outing at Vanderbilt. 

“But those games — plus the two-point loss at Auburn — are the only blemishes on the résumé of a Vols team that has an eerily similar profile to the one a year ago, but this season’s crew doesn’t rely on one player the way last season’s team did. 

“Yes, Lanier is the leader, but (Zakai) Zeigler is even better this season, and this group has helped Tennessee compete with the best.”

The Vols have won six of seven since February 1, starting with a 64-44 win over Florida and road wins at Oklahoma, Texas A&M and LSU over the last three weeks.

“Remember,” Medcalf wrote, “Tennessee avenged its loss at Florida with a 20-point win (at home) in February. The Vols have similarities to last season’s squad. There is only one difference: This field might not have a team like Purdue or UConn standing in their way.”