LEXINGTON, Ky. — Tennessee basketball opens up play at the NCAA Tournament on Thursday night when the Vols tip off against 15-seed Wofford at Rupp Arena in Lexington.
The Vols are in the NCAA Tournament for the seventh straight season and are the two-seed in the Midwest Region for the second straight season. Wofford is back in the Big Dance for the first time since 2019, earning a 15-seed after winning the SoCon Tournament.
Here’s three things to watch for as Tennessee basketball prepares to face the Wofford Terriers at 6:50 p.m. ET on Thursday night.
More From RTI: Wofford Provides A Clear Rebounding Reminder For Tennessee Basketball Entering NCAA Tournament
Rebounding Battle Remains Key
Tennessee’s coaches had a clear reminder for its players while going over the scouting report for Wofford— the Terriers grabbed 15 offensive rebounds against Tennessee when the two teams met last season.
Rebounding, particularly on the defensive side, has been an issue for Tennessee as of late. The Vols gave up 10-plus offensive rebounds in three of their last six games and gave up 15 offensive rebounds in its last two losses against Ole Miss and Florida.
One of Wofford’s strengths is its rebounding. The Terriers rank in the top 35 nationally in both offensive and defensive rebounding percentage. In its three-game run through the SoCon Tournament, Wofford finished with 10-plus offensive rebounds twice.
Wofford is a smaller team with the 6-foot-9 Kyler Filewich being the tallest guy in the rotation. But the Terries are still capable of giving Tennessee issues on the glass.
Can The Vols Score At Basket, Foul Line?
Perhaps the most positive development for Tennessee basketball as of late has been its improved ability to score at the basket and to get to the foul line more consistently.
Wofford does not have much rim protection. They have a small front court and Filewich does not block many shots. That sets up well for Tennessee to keep having offensive success at the rim.
Tennessee’s ability to score at the basket is particularly important early in this game. The Vols have done a better job of starting fast as of late. They need to do that against Wofford to try and quickly stifle any Wofford momentum. Scoring at the basket is a good way to do that because of the lack of variance it creates compared to three-point shooting.
If Tennessee scores at the rim consistently they should still be able to route Wofford even if shots don’t fall. That significantly lessens the possibilities of an upset.
Can Tennessee Slow Down Wofford’s Three-Point Offense?
The other area where Wofford can pull off an upset? With its three-point shooting. The Terries score 38.8% of their points from the three-point line and enter the NCAA Tournament red-hot from deep.
Four different Wofford players made 50-plus three-pointers this season and the Terriers made 11-plus three-pointers in all three wins at the SoCon Tournament. Wofford won’t be any short on shooting confidence entering the NCAA Tournament.
Tennessee has the nation’s best three-point defense and should be able to make life difficult on the Terriers’ guards. That’s one of the main keys for the Vols in this matchup. For Wofford to win they will have to shorten the game and make a lot of three-pointers.
Both teams play at a slow pace so shortening the game won’t be an issue. We’ll see if Wofford can make the perimeter shots to make the game interesting.
