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Tennessee basketball: 5 teams Vols should root for Sweet Sixteen games

By Billy Williford

SAN JOSE, CALIFORNIA - MARCH 24: The Oregon Ducks mascot celebrates after defeating the UC Irvine Anteaters during the second round of the 2019 NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament at SAP Center on March 24, 2019 in San Jose, California. Oregon defeated UC Irvine 73-54. (Photo by Ezra Shaw/Getty Images)
SAN JOSE, CALIFORNIA - MARCH 24: The Oregon Ducks mascot celebrates after defeating the UC Irvine Anteaters during the second round of the 2019 NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament at SAP Center on March 24, 2019 in San Jose, California. Oregon defeated UC Irvine 73-54. (Photo by Ezra Shaw/Getty Images) /
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TULSA, OKLAHOMA – MARCH 22: Fabian White Jr. #35, Galen Robinson Jr. #25 and Breaon Brady #24 of the Houston Cougars celebrate from the bench against the Georgia State Panthers during the second half in the first round game of the 2019 NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament at BOK Center on March 22, 2019, in Tulsa, Oklahoma. (Photo by Harry How/Getty Images)
TULSA, OKLAHOMA – MARCH 22: Fabian White Jr. #35, Galen Robinson Jr. #25 and Breaon Brady #24 of the Houston Cougars celebrate from the bench against the Georgia State Panthers during the second half in the first round game of the 2019 NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament at BOK Center on March 22, 2019, in Tulsa, Oklahoma. (Photo by Harry How/Getty Images) /

No.2 – Houston Cougars (33-3)

Head coach: Kelvin Sampson
American Athletic Conference

Let me preface my decision to add Houston to my list. While I think playing the Cougars would be a tough test for at least one hundred reasons. One being they have one of the best defenses in the nation. In fact, they rank first in the entire country in effective defense field goal percentage, 42.3 percent. They also hold teams to under 43 percent from two-point range on average which doesn’t bode well for the Vols.

And there is the fact the Cougars offense isn’t a joke thanks to their ability to grab offensive rebounds and shoot the ball from anywhere on the court. But, seeing Houston with a chance to play in the National Championship Game before let’s say Kentucky or North Carolina, sounds much more enticing.

Despite beating the Kentucky Wildcats two of the three times this season, there is no chance playing Kentucky for the fourth time is a good idea. Can Tennessee beat Kentucky for the third time this season? Yes.

However, why even test John Calipari and the Wildcats again especially in tournament play? Maybe I’m crazy, but Vol fans should root for Houston with everything they got.

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