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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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Dec 20, 2020; Piscataway, New Jersey, USA; Rutgers Scarlet Knights head coach Steve Pikiell (C) talks to his team during the second half against the Illinois Fighting Illini at Rutgers Athletic Center (RAC). Mandatory Credit: Catalina Fragoso-USA TODAY Sports
Dec 20, 2020; Piscataway, New Jersey, USA; Rutgers Scarlet Knights head coach Steve Pikiell (C) talks to his team during the second half against the Illinois Fighting Illini at Rutgers Athletic Center (RAC). Mandatory Credit: Catalina Fragoso-USA TODAY Sports /

Potential Elite Eight matchups Part II

No. 10 seed Rutgers Scarlet Knights (15-11)

Fifth-year head coach Steve Pikiell has the Rutgers Scarlet Knights in the NCAA Tournament for the first time in 30 years. They will face the Clemson Tigers in the first round. Could they go on a run and meet the Vols in the Elite Eight? Well, they rely solely on defense and the post. It’s a shake-up for many opponents, but it plays into others’ hands in the Big Dance.

No. 11 seed Syracuse Orange (16-9)

In his 45th season, Jim Boeheim just got the Syracuse Orange into the tourney again. Another ACC at-large team, Syracuse will face the San Diego State Aztecs in the first round. Boeheim’s team won three of its final four, so they are peaking at the right time, and that zone is so complex that the Vols would struggle with it. Although unlikely, that would be a tough Elite Eight matchup.

No. 14 seed Morehead State Eagles (23-7)

Fifth-year head coach Preston Spradlin got the Morehead State Eagles to the NCAA Tournament by winning 18 of their final 19 games, including seven straight and the OVC Tournament. Since they try to play big, the West Virginia Mountaineers are a bad first-round matchup for them, so an Elite Eight appearance is almost impossible, but you never know.

No. 15 seed Cleveland State Vikings (19-7)

Second-year head coach Dennis Gates won the Horizon League regular season and tournament title, and the Cleveland State Vikings will face the Houston Cougars in the first round. This is not a great shooting team, but it has a lot of elite scorers. Still, like Morehead State, its first-round opponent isn’t a good matchup.

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Of all the teams on this page who could potentially make the Elite Eight, Syracuse has the best chance. However, if the Vols are lucky enough to advance that far in the NCAA Tournament, they would match up well with any of these teams. It would be the luck of the century. Their road will probably be tougher, though.

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