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NCAA Tournament 2021: Tennessee basketball’s five toughest matchups in Midwest Region

By Caleb Calhoun

Mar 14, 2021; Indianapolis, Indiana, USA; Members of the Illinois Fighting Illini celebrate defeating the Ohio State Buckeyes at Lucas Oil Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Aaron Doster-USA TODAY Sports
Mar 14, 2021; Indianapolis, Indiana, USA; Members of the Illinois Fighting Illini celebrate defeating the Ohio State Buckeyes at Lucas Oil Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Aaron Doster-USA TODAY Sports /
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Mar 6, 2021; Morgantown, West Virginia, USA; Oklahoma State Cowboys guard Bryce Williams (14) celebrates with Oklahoma State Cowboys guard Cade Cunningham (2) after defeating the West Virginia Mountaineers at WVU Coliseum. Mandatory Credit: Ben Queen-USA TODAY Sports
Mar 6, 2021; Morgantown, West Virginia, USA; Oklahoma State Cowboys guard Bryce Williams (14) celebrates with Oklahoma State Cowboys guard Cade Cunningham (2) after defeating the West Virginia Mountaineers at WVU Coliseum. Mandatory Credit: Ben Queen-USA TODAY Sports /

A huge part of any team’s run in the NCAA Tournament is how much they luck out from other results in their bracket. Tennessee basketball’s only Elite Eight run, back in 2010, was aided by them getting to avoid the No. 3 seed Georgetown Hoyas in the second round thanks to the Ohio Bobcats upsetting them.

However, it’s not necessarily upsets that aways help. Matchups are the story, regardless of the seeding, and there are plenty of teams in the Midwest Region that could pose matchup problems for the Vols. In this post, we’re going to look at the toughest teams they would have to face if the reach the Final Four.

The simplest way to put it is that Rick Barnes’ team wants to avoid playing these teams. Our criteria for the ones we listed include how the way the play exposes UT’s biggest weaknesses and their overall level of talent. Both are factors. Looking at them, these are the Vols’ five toughest potential opponents in their region of the NCAA Tournament.

No. 4 seed

If Rocky Top faces the Oklahoma State Cowboys, it will be in the second round. Ranked No. 11 in the AP Poll and No. 12 in the Coaches Poll, Oklahoma State has been on a run, winning eight of their last 10 and reaching the Big 12 Tournament Championship game before losing a close one to the Texas Longhorns. Included in those wins are five top 25 victories.

Although they aren’t very deep, they have the best player in the Big Dance in projected No. 1 NBA Draft pick Cade Cunningham, a 6’8″ 220-pound forward who is one of the top three-point shooters in the nation and is averaging over 20 points and six rebounds a game. Cunningham isn’t the only threat, though.

Avery Anderson is another elite shooter from the outside, and 6’9″ 210-pound forward Kalib Boone’s presence gives this team dominance on the interior on both sides. Add in the health of Isaac Likekele, a solid shooter who is an elite perimeter defender, and fourth-year head coach Mike Boynton’s first NCAA Tournament team has now weaknesses in its main rotation.

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