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Tennessee Basketball: Five Bold Predictions About the Vols on the Season

By Caleb Calhoun

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Jan 13, 2015; Knoxville, TN, USA; The Tennessee Volunteers cheerleaders during the game against the Arkansas Razorbacks at Thompson-Boling Arena. Mandatory Credit: Randy Sartin-USA TODAY Sports

5. Tennessee Will Win at least 20 Games

This seems like a very tall order given the fact that the Vols were 15-15 last year and lost their best player. But remember Bruce Pearl’s first team in Knoxville?

He inherited a squad that lost its top guard and its top post player, then the top Tennessee recruit left for another school. But Pearl brought in a simple, up-tempo system that the players bought into, and it paid off.

Something similar could happen this year.

Pearl was helped at the time by Chris Lofton reaching his potential. This year, it could be Robert Hubbs III reaching his potential. Armani Moore adds an athletic presence in the post, and Kevin Punter is another elite scorer who could become deadly if he transitions well enough to the point guard spot.

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    • But even if he does not, this team, although worse than that 2005-2006 team, plays a bit of an easier schedule. There are at least 11 non-conference wins on the schedule.

    If the Vols can finish .500 in the conference, which they should be good enough to do, that will be 20 wins. But even if they don’t they should have a winning record, so you’ve got the SEC Tournament and postseason play after that to get there, particularly if they reach the NIT.

    Again, this is not a guarantee of the NCAA Tournament. But it is a guarantee for 20 wins to set the stage for an exciting era to come under Barnes.

    Next: #4: Robert Hubbs III Will Have a Breakout Year

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