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Tennessee basketball: Ranking Vols by importance in NCAA Tournament

By Caleb Calhoun

NASHVILLE, TENNESSEE - MARCH 16: Jordan Bone #0 of the Tennessee Volunteers celebrates during the 82-78 win over the Kentucky Wildcats during the semifinals of the SEC Basketball Tournament at Bridgestone Arena on March 16, 2019 in Nashville, Tennessee. (Photo by Andy Lyons/Getty Images)
NASHVILLE, TENNESSEE - MARCH 16: Jordan Bone #0 of the Tennessee Volunteers celebrates during the 82-78 win over the Kentucky Wildcats during the semifinals of the SEC Basketball Tournament at Bridgestone Arena on March 16, 2019 in Nashville, Tennessee. (Photo by Andy Lyons/Getty Images) /
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Tier 3: Length inside

6. Kyle Alexander

This is a bit of a mixed bag for Tennessee basketball. Up until the SEC Tournament, it would have been very obvious that Kyle Alexander is super important for the NCAA Tournament. He’s been a regular two-year starter and the one guy to provide length for this team.

After all, Alexander’s absence due to injury is a big reason the Vols lost to Loyola-Chicago in the second round last year. If he had been healthy, they may have been able to make a Final Four run last year given the upsets that took place in the bracket.

Instead, Rick Barnes saw his team eliminated in the second round. He has developed Alexander in a very impressive way, and Alexander knows his role as a block machine who gets rebounds and scores when you leave him alone.

Those things matter, and he will have to come through at times in the tournament. But he did foul out against the Kentucky Wildcats last Saturday, and the Vols went small with 10 minutes left. That shows that they can move players around and win without him, which is a big deal.

Add in the fact that John Fulkerson can now come in and provide enough valuable minutes, and Alexander, while still crucial to this rotation, doesn’t always have to be the inside guy. They can mix up lineups with Fulkerson and then going small.

Now, again, there will be a point in which Alexander is needed this tournament. Don’t get me wrong. Barnes knows he can’t go for six games with that mentality. But he could get away with it for a game, and that’s what drops Alexander below the other guys we’re about to name.

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