Tennessee basketball enters the final week of the regular season projected as a one-seed in the NCAA Tournament according to numerous bracketologist.
ESPN’s Joe Lunardi, CBS Sports Jerry Palm and The Athletic’s Joe Rexrode all have Tennessee as the one-seed in the West Region entering the final week of the regular season.
Lunardi has Tennessee playing in Lexington the first weekend of the NCAA Tournament, facing 16-seed Norfolk State in the first round before facing either eight-seed BYU or nine-seed New Mexico in the second round of the tournament.
The Vols have already faced Norfolk State this season, beating the Spartans in a relatively close 67-52 matchup in Knoxville back in December. Other top teams in the West Region in Lunardi’s bracketology include two-seed Michigan State, three-seed Texas Tech, four-seed Michigan and five-seed Missouri.
Palm has Tennessee facing off against 16-seed Omaha in the first round of the NCAA Tournament in Lexington. The Vols’ second matchup would be against either eight-seed BYU or nine-seed UConn. Other top teams in Palm’s West Region include two-seed Wisconsin, three-seed Texas A&M, four-seed Iowa State and five-seed Mississippi State.
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In Rexrode’s bracket, Tennessee faces 16-seed Quinnipiac in the first round and either eight-seed BYU or nine-seed Gonzaga in the second round. Other top teams in the West Region include two-seed Wisconsin, three-seed Iowa State, four-seed Arizona and five-seed Michigan.
While three of the biggest bracketology names have Tennessee as the fourth one seed entering the final week of the regular season, that is not the consensus view. Smaller names but strong bracketologist’s like JBR Bracketology, Made For March and Dave’s Bracket all have Tennessee as the two-seed in the Midwest Region with Alabama occupying the top-spot in the west.
Tennessee, Alabama and even Florida are neck and neck entering the final week of the regular season as they battle for the final one-seed. Much could change this week and Tennessee needs to win at Ole Miss on Wednesday night and again at home on Saturday against South Carolina to have any serious chance of holding on as a one seed.
Here’s a quick look at the trios resumes here.
Tennessee
- NET ranking: No. 5
- Quad 1 record: 10-5
- Quad 2 record: 4-0
- Quad 3 record: 4-0
- Quad 4 record: 6-0
Alabama
- NET ranking: No. 6
- Quad 1 record: 10-6
- Quad 2 record: 7-0
- Quad 3 record: 4-0
- Quad 4 record: 2-0
Florida
- NET ranking: No. 4
- Quad 1 record: 6-4
- Quad 2 record: 9-0
- Quad 3 record: 4-0
- Quad 4 record: 6-0
