Tennessee continues to land on the one-line in Joe Lunardi’s latest bracketology report.
Lunardi’s most recent report from Dec. 28 has Rick Barnes’ team as the No. 2 overall team in the tournament only trailing Auburn.
Tennessee currently ranks No. 1 in the country with a perfect 12-0 record as the Vols only have one game left on the non-conference schedule before the start of SEC play.
The Vols will host Norfolk State in The Food City Center on Tuesday afternoon for a New Year’s Eve showdown before SEC play begins next Saturday. Tennessee will kick off the conference slate by hosting the Arkansas Razorbacks with former Kentucky head coach John Calipari and former Tennessee forward Jonas Aidoo.
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Tennessee is one of four SEC teams on the 1- and 2-lines in Lunardi’s bracketology report. Auburn and Tennessee represent the top two seeds in the tournament, in order, with Florida and Alabama landing as the No. 5 and No. 6 overall teams on the two-line.
The SEC also has Kentucky on the three-line at No. 10 overall along with Mississippi State and Texas A&M as four-seeds at No. 13 and No. 14 overall. Oklahoma is projected as a five-seed, Ole Miss is projected as a six-seed, and Georgia is projected as an eight-seed.
Arkansas, the Vols’ opponent to kick off the SEC schedule on Saturday afternoon in Knoxville, is currently projected as a nine-seed in the tournament before the conference slate begins. Texas and Missouri land as 11-seed projections.
There are 13 SEC teams in total in Lunardi’s Dec. 28 projections.
Tennessee has never held a No. 1 seed in the March Madness tournament but has twice been on the two-line during Rick Barnes’ tenure in Knoxville (2019 and 2024). Tennessee was also a two-seed twice during the Bruce Pearl era (2006 and 2008).
Stay tuned to Rocky Top Insider for live coverage of Tennessee’s game against Norfolk State this Tuesday afternoon in Knoxville.
— Joe Lunardi (@ESPNLunardi) December 28, 2024
