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Tennessee’s overtime loss at LSU didn’t do a whole lot for the Vols’ chances at grabbing a No. 1 seed in the upcoming NCAA Tournament. Tennessee was clinging to the top line after their loss to Kentucky, now, according to nearly all projections, the Vols are sitting as a No. 2 seed.
Bracketology around the web
- Bracket Matrix, which averages out each projection from around the web (including our own Bill Riccette’s), has Tennessee as the fifth overall seed as of Monday morning. Virginia, Duke, Gonzaga and Kentucky have move to the top line for now.
- USA Today has Tennessee as a No. 2 seed in the South Region, sitting in Virginia’s bracket.
- CBS Sports echoed USA Today with Tennessee as the No. 2 in the South Region.
- Blogging the Bracket has Tennessee now as the seventh overall seed.
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With two weeks left to play, Tennessee will have every opportunity to reclaim their No. 1 seed. Their biggest chance comes on Saturday with Kentucky coming to town. But each of their final four regular season game will come against NCAA Tournament teams. Of course, the SEC Tournament will factor into that equation as well.
Tennessee’s last three games have pushed the Vols all the way down to the ninth spot in KenPom, still being dragged down by their 37th ranked defense. That, plus shooting slumps from Jordan Bowden and Lamonte Turner are things that Rick Barnes and his staff have to get fixed before tournament season.