March Madness: 5 reasons Tennessee Vols could lose to Colgate Raiders

5. Rebound margin could make a difference.

Colgate has horrible interior defense, and they can’t really turn up the tempo too much. Not being able to do either is usually a bad formula for an underdog team that tries to pull off a major upset in March Madness, especially when you’re playing a team like Tennessee.

However, they do have one thing going for them, and it’s rebounding. Believe it or not, the Raiders can compete for loose ball under the basket. They are in the top 60 nationally with a plus-4 rebounding margin per game, and they are in the top 50 in total rebounds with 1,209. Their rebounding numbers are actually slightly better than the Vols in most categories.

This comes despite the fact that they are a team who likes to focus on perimeter play, which would hint at one not being great when it comes to rebounding. This type of versatility could pose just enough of a problem for the Vols.

Imagine, for a second, Kyle Alexander getting in foul trouble. Then imagine this team playing lazy enough, like they did Sunday against the Auburn Tigers. All of a sudden, rebounding becomes an advantage for the Raiders.

Remember, guys like Grant Williams know how to position themselves well, but there still isn’t a ton of height to rebound the ball under the basket if Alexander goes out. Rick Barnes will have to go small at times. It’s not going to win the game for Colgate alone, but it will be a start.