Tennessee Basketball: Vols Fall Outside of Top 60 in RPI

After four losses in five games, Tennessee basketball has slid down the NCAA Ratings Percentage Index. See where they stand now.

At the beginning of the month, Tennessee basketball had moved into the Top 40 of the RPI with a huge chance to move into the Top 30 and secure a firm spot in the NCAA Tournament.

But a terrible February, where they have gone 2-5, lost four of their last five, and only beat the Missouri Tigers and Ole Miss Rebels at home, has knocked them back down the RPI rankings again.

With one more week of basketball left to play, the Vols now have the No. 66 ranked RPI. That comes due to 15-14 record with the No. 10 ranked strength of schedule. Add in the fact that the RPI doesn’t recognize one of those wins, and Tennessee basketball is clearly a middle of the pack team.

Furthermore, with two games left against the LSU Tigers and Alabama Crimson Tide, the Vols are not likely to see their RPI ranking increase.

Their schedule strength will likely fall slightly, so winning will only keep them where they are.

That means they need a strong SEC Tournament to have any shot at making the NCAA Tournament at this point.

But coming off of a 27-point loss to the South Carolina Gamecocks, any postseason play seems out of reach at this point.

Rick Barnes’s group has regressed over the past month, and there are no signs of future improvement right now.

So while they are only No. 66 in the RPI, it’s even hard to sell them there in reality.