The Baha Mar Tournament officially announced its four-team bracket for this November’s tournament in the Bahamas. Tennessee will face Virginia in its first game of the event before facing either Baylor or St. John’s in its second game.
The Vols will face Virginia on Thursday, Nov. 21 before facing either the Bears or Red Storm a day later on Friday, Nov. 22.
Virginia projects as the worst team in the four-team event. Both Baylor and St. John’s are projected to be preseason to 25 teams while the Cavs are not. In ESPN’s Joe Lunardi’s latest bracketology update, Baylor is a No. 3 seed, St. John’s is a No. 6 team and Virginia is not in the field.
Once one of the top programs in not only the ACC but the country, Virginia has scuffled under head coach Tony Bennett in recent seasons. After winning the 2019 National Championship, Virginia has failed to win a single NCAA Tournament game. Furman upset them in the first round two years ago and Colorado State defeated them in a First Four game a season ago.
Expectations remain high for Tennessee entering Rick Barnes’ 10th season as head coach. The Vols are coming off a SEC Regular-Season Championship and a run to the Elite Eight a season ago. Tennessee lost a number of key players from that team including SEC Player of the Year Dalton Knecht (NBA Draft) and All-SEC center Jonas Aidoo (transfer portal).
But Tennessee does return a number of key contributors including Zakai Zeigler, Jordan Gainey and Jahmai Mashack while also looking for second year leaps from Cam Carr, JP Estrella and Cade Phillips. The Vols also brought in a quartet of upperclassmen transfers this offseason including Darlinstone Dubar (Hofstra), Felix Okpara (Ohio State), Igor Milicic Jr (Charlotte) and Chaz Lanier (North Florida).
Tennessee’s non conference schedule includes six matchups against power five teams and seven buy games. The Vols go on the road to face Louisville and Illinois, host Syracuse at Thompson-Boling Arena at Food City Center and face Miami on a neutral site in addition to their two games in the Bahamas.
