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Tennessee Basketball Jan. 30 Bracketology: Vols in Some NCAA Tournament Brackets Now

By Caleb Calhoun

Jan 21, 2017; Knoxville, TN, USA; Tennessee Volunteers head coach Rick Barnes reacts during the first half against the Mississippi State Bulldogs at Thompson-Boling Arena. Mandatory Credit: Randy Sartin-USA TODAY Sports
Jan 21, 2017; Knoxville, TN, USA; Tennessee Volunteers head coach Rick Barnes reacts during the first half against the Mississippi State Bulldogs at Thompson-Boling Arena. Mandatory Credit: Randy Sartin-USA TODAY Sports /
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Tennessee basketball is now in the NCAA Tournament in some bracketology reports as the Volunteers beat the Kentucky and Kansas State Wildcats last week.

It took one week of solid play, and Tennessee basketball has gone from not even on the NCAA Tournament radar screen to already in the tournament in the bracketology of some media outlets.

Related Story: Men's Jan. 30 SEC Power Rankings: Vols Shoot Up

The Vols came in averaging as a Next Four Out team in this week’s Bracket Matrix, along with the Utah Utes, North Carolina State Wolfpack, and Rhode Island Rams.

They were in the NCAA Tournament in six of the 26 brackets, and they also came in as an 11-seed in the USA TODAY bracket.

Tennessee basketball was a No. 12 seed in one bracket in the Bracket Matrix, a No. 11-seed in another, and a No. 10-seed in the other four.

However, outside of USA TODAY, they weren’t in any mainstream brackets.

CBS and ESPN both left the Vols out.

Still, this is proof that they are firmly on the NCAA Tournament bubble with their 12-9 record, and they have a chance to significantly build on that this week.

After all, they are No. 41 in the RPI and have the No. 3 ranked strength of schedule.

Averaging spots a head of the Vols as the last four out this week were the Wichita State Shockers, Cal Golden Bears, Texas Tech Red Raiders, and Wake Forest Demon Deacons.

Only four SEC teams, the Kentucky Wildcats, South Carolina Gamecocks, Florida Gators, and Arkansas Razorbacks were actually in the NCAA Tournament.

With the Auburn Tigers and Mississippi State Bulldogs both on the road this week, Tennessee still has a tough task to firmly place itself in the NCAA Tournament.

But if they could somehow win both games and then beat the Ole Miss Rebels at home next Wednesday, they would firmly be in.

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