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

By Caleb Calhoun

SYRACUSE, NY - NOVEMBER 25: Head coach Matt Langel of the Colgate Raiders looks on during the game against the Syracuse Orange at the Carrier Dome on November 25, 2012 in Syracuse, New York. (Photo by Nate Shron/Getty Images)
SYRACUSE, NY - NOVEMBER 25: Head coach Matt Langel of the Colgate Raiders looks on during the game against the Syracuse Orange at the Carrier Dome on November 25, 2012 in Syracuse, New York. (Photo by Nate Shron/Getty Images) /
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Photo by Brett Carlsen/Getty Images
Photo by Brett Carlsen/Getty Images /

3. All the psychological advantages are with Matt Langel’s team.

Don’t look now, but the Colgate Raiders may be the hottest team in basketball. Seriously. The last time they lost was way back on Feb. 2. Since then, they have won 11 straight games, leading them to the Patriot League regular season co-championship and the conference tournament championship.

On top of being red-hot, these guys have to have a ton of morale on their side. As we said, this is the program’s first appearance in March Madness since the tragic death of Jack Bruen in the 1990s. That emotional angle has to be in their minds. Add in the fact that they have nothing to lose with this game, and everything favors them.

Meanwhile, the Tennessee Vols enter this game with a much different feel. For starters, their morale is much lower. After a historically great season, they failed to win even a share of the SEC regular season title or the SEC Tournament title, falling short of both on the last day.

Add in the fact that they fell short of the NIT Season Tip-Off Championship on the last day with an overtime loss to the Kansas Jayhawks back in November, and they enter the Big Dance with no banners. That comes despite being No. 1 in the nation for four weeks.

Such a morale drop hurts enough. But add in the fact that they will likely be looking ahead of Colgate to that second round game, and things could get even worse. Simply put, the Raiders have much higher morale, much more excitement to play this game and much less to lose. All of that combined is dangerous, and it could favor Langel’s kids.

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