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NCAA Tournament 2021: Tennessee basketball’s road to the Final Four

By Caleb Calhoun

Mar 13, 2021; Nashville, TN, USA; Tennessee Volunteers head coach Rick Barnes talks in a huddle during the second half against the Alabama Crimson Tide at Bridgestone Arena. Mandatory Credit: Christopher Hanewinckel-USA TODAY Sports
Mar 13, 2021; Nashville, TN, USA; Tennessee Volunteers head coach Rick Barnes talks in a huddle during the second half against the Alabama Crimson Tide at Bridgestone Arena. Mandatory Credit: Christopher Hanewinckel-USA TODAY Sports /
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Feb 16, 2021; Champaign, Illinois, USA; Illinois Fighting Illini head coach Brad Underwood talks with center Kofi Cockburn (21) and guard Adam Miller (44) and guard Da’Monte Williams (20) and guard Andre Curbelo (5) and guard Ayo Dosunmu (11) during the second half at the State Farm Center. Mandatory Credit: Patrick Gorski-USA TODAY Sports
Feb 16, 2021; Champaign, Illinois, USA; Illinois Fighting Illini head coach Brad Underwood talks with center Kofi Cockburn (21) and guard Adam Miller (44) and guard Da’Monte Williams (20) and guard Andre Curbelo (5) and guard Ayo Dosunmu (11) during the second half at the State Farm Center. Mandatory Credit: Patrick Gorski-USA TODAY Sports /

Potential sweet 16 matchups

No. 1 seed Illinois Fighting Illini (23-6)

After leading the Illinois Fighting Illini to the Big Ten Tournament Championship, Brad Underwood is in his first NCAA Tournament in four years. Ranked No. 2 in the AP and Coaches Polls, Underwood’s has an inside-out complete game with Kofi Cockburn down low and Ayo Dosunmu and Trent Frazier on the outside. If UT faces them, they need the guards to go off from three.

No. 8 seed Loyola-Chicago Ramblers (24-4)

The Loyola-Chicago Ramblers, upset UT in the 2018 NCAA Tournament en route to the Final Four. Now, ranked No. 17 in the AP and No. 16 in the Coaches Polls, 10th-year head coach Porter Moser led his team to the Missouri Valley regular season and tournament championship with Cameron Krutwig leading a dominant inside game and the defense only allowing 55 points a game.

No. 9 seed Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets  (17-8)

Josh Pastner lucked out with the Duke Blue Devils and Virginia Cavaliers missing the ACC Tournament due to a COVID outbreak. His Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets then won by default. However, they are on an eight-game winning streak with two straight wins over top 25 schools. Led by ACC Player of the Year Moses Wright, this team wins with solid defense.

No. 16 seed Drexel Dragons (12-7)

A conference tournament Cinderella story, the Drexel Dragons won four straight after missing two weeks due to COVID shutdowns to capture the CAA title, getting fifth-year head coach Zach Spiker to his first Big Dance.They don’t have the makeup of a No. 16 seed that could pull off that rare upset, and it’s almost certain they wouldn’t reach the Sweet 16 to face UT, but you never know.

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