Tennessee head coach Rick Barnes yells to officials during a basketball game between Tennessee and Auburn at Thompson-Boling Arena in Knoxville, Tenn., Saturday, Feb. 26, 2022. Volsauburn0226 0486
Joe Lunardi says Tennessee can “solidify” its case for a No. 1 seed with a win against Texas on Saturday.
The Vols will be taking on UT in the SEC/Big 12 Challenge this weekend. It’s a big game for both programs as they’re each fighting for top seeds in the NCAA Tournament.
Per Lunardi, a win for Tennessee would mean it slots into a No. 1 seed. A victory for the Longhorns would push Texas to a No. 2 seed, according to his analysis:
Tennessee enters this game on a 3-game winning streak. The Vols are 17-3 overall this season and have proven to be one of the top teams in the country.
Tennessee’s team is built off of one of the best defenses in recent memory. The Vols’ have the No. 1 defense in the country, per KenPom’s adjusted defensive efficiency ranking.
These 2 teams have met 7 times previously, with Texas holding a 4-3 advantage. The Longhorns have won back-to-back contests, including a 52-51 victory in 2022.
Tipoff from Knoxville is at 6:00 p.m. ET on Saturday evening.
View Comments
This is just one of many big games left on the schedule. Honestly a win or a loss here will only be a temporary impact. Lots of basketball left to play but it’s fun to be a 1 seed at any point in the season for a non blueblood.
Seeds and rankings at this point mean very little. What's important is to be healthy and playing well going into the tournament.
For UT the question remains the same as it has been for the last few seasons - can they shoot well enough consistently to win four games and get to a Final Four, and then for a couple more games? If the answers are yes, there's no limit to how far they can go this year.
Big win for TN.
They’ll just move the goalposts and explain why beating TX by ten didn’t matter that much before hanging a 3 seed on UT.
It's unbelievable how little respect UT basketball gets after all those Natties they won. How many did they win?
It’s crazy right. Maybe one day TN basketball will reach Georgia basketball levels. That will show them
70-41 and your dogs had to make a layup at the buzzer to break 40! Will your dogs ever have a competitive basketball team? No, I didn’t think so.
If you are going to troll, like the other morons on here, you have to up your game…a lot.
I have to up my game??? a lot??? Maybe so but not as much as the hillbilly football program. 1998.
Too bad that has nothing to do with basketball.
Hillbilly basketball program - Last NC - 0000
I love it-I’m rent free in that head now. He got so mad about the comments on the Bama article that he searched other articles I commented on. The child is angry!
He sure has a word attraction to Tennessee. Can say I've ever visited a Georgia site..just have zero interest.
70 - 41 says enough. STFU
What Tennessee needs to do to solidify #1 seed?
Become Duke. Or Kentucky.
I'm so old I can remember them ACC-splaining to us why the ACC deserved-DESERVED mind you, three #1 seeds, but Tennessee wasn't worthy. I think that was the year that #1 overall seed Virginia lost to 16 seed UMBC.
_____________
I should go ahead and prepare myself now; Tennessee will be a 2 seed in a region that includes Michigan, North Carolina, Duke, Kentucky, Alabama, and Arizona. Seen this many times before.
In spite of the job we'll get in terms of tournament seeding, it's still great to be a Tennessee Volunteer. We've been top ten in all three revenue sports in a single year. (Baseball, Basketball, Football). Made it to #1 ranking in two of them. Won SEC titles in two as well. Life is pretty good.