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Tennessee basketball: 3 takeaways from Vols’ 2017-2018 schedule

By Caleb Calhoun

NASHVILLE, TN - MARCH 10: Rick Barnes the head coach of the Tennessee Volunteers gives instructions to his team during the 67-65 win over the Vanderbilt Commodores during the second round of the SEC Basketball Tournament at Bridgestone Arena on March 10, 2016 in Nashville, Tennessee. (Photo by Andy Lyons/Getty Images)
NASHVILLE, TN - MARCH 10: Rick Barnes the head coach of the Tennessee Volunteers gives instructions to his team during the 67-65 win over the Vanderbilt Commodores during the second round of the SEC Basketball Tournament at Bridgestone Arena on March 10, 2016 in Nashville, Tennessee. (Photo by Andy Lyons/Getty Images) /
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The SEC completed the 2017-2018 Tennessee basketball slate. Here are three takeaways from the Volunteers’ upcoming schedule.

The SEC basketball schedule for all 14 teams came out Thursday. With that, the Tennessee basketball schedule is set for the 2017-2018 season.

The Vols will look to try to get to the postseason in Rick Barnes’s third year. With all but one major contributor returning and lots of newcomers, expectations are higher for the Vols this year. And excitement is buzzing to a degree about the program.

Tennessee basketball’s non-conference schedule was already out. That happened after the Battle 4 Atlantis bracket came out. For the full schedule, click here on UTSports.

Here are three takeaways from the Vols’ schedule.

1. The non-conference schedule slightly easier than last year.

The 2016-2017 Tennessee basketball schedule included all four teams in the Final Four. Although two of them were SEC teams, the other two were the Gonzaga Bulldogs and North Carolina Tar Heels…and the Vols played both of them. They do play UNC again this year, but it’s at home. And instead of playing Gonzaga out of conference, they will face the Wake Forest Demon Deacons. That’s a solid opponent, but nothing like Gonzaga.

The one thing that may be more difficult is facing the Iowa State Cyclones on the road in the SEC/Big 12 challenge as opposed to the Kansas State Wildcats at home. Again, this schedule is still difficult. But assuming those Final Four teams won’t be as good this year and the dropping of Gonzaga, it’s a bit easier.

2. The SEC slate is about the same.

Tennessee basketball has to face the Kentucky Wildcats and South Carolina Gamecocks both twice this year. Kentucky is always good, and Frank Martin has South Carolina now at a level where it likely won’t drop off after going to the Final Four. However, they replace the Mississippi State Bulldogs as a two-time opponent with the Georgia Bulldogs.

There’s not much difference when you break that down. As a result, the Vols will have the same rough road as they did last year. Even if South Carolina’s not as good, the SEC basketball coaches are so good that another team could rise up. That makes things a bit more difficult.

3. This will be a top 5 strength of schedule.

Last year, Tennessee basketball’s schedule was so brutal that just a winning record would have likely gotten the Vols into the NCAA Tournament. The same thing is likely to happen again this year.

The Vols may have a slightly easier schedule than last year, but it’s still a rough road, and Rick Barnes is clearly not running from anybody. As a result, with lots of returning talent, just getting to 17 or 18 wins will put his team on the bubble. However, doing that on its own is going to be tough with this schedule.

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