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NCAA Tournament 2021: Tennessee basketball fans’ rooting guide

By Caleb Calhoun

LYNCHBURG, VA - FEBRUARY 22: Darius McGhee #2 of the Liberty Flames dribbles the ball during a college basketball game against the North Alabama Lions at Vines Center on February 22, 2021 in Lynchburg, Virginia. (Photo by Mitchell Layton/Getty Images)
LYNCHBURG, VA - FEBRUARY 22: Darius McGhee #2 of the Liberty Flames dribbles the ball during a college basketball game against the North Alabama Lions at Vines Center on February 22, 2021 in Lynchburg, Virginia. (Photo by Mitchell Layton/Getty Images) /
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Mar 6, 2021; St. Louis, Missouri, USA; Loyola Ramblers head coach Porter Moser talks with his team during a time out against the Indiana State Sycamores during the second half in the semifinals of the Missouri Valley Conference Tournament at Enterprise Center. Mandatory Credit: Jeff Curry-USA TODAY Sports
Mar 6, 2021; St. Louis, Missouri, USA; Loyola Ramblers head coach Porter Moser talks with his team during a time out against the Indiana State Sycamores during the second half in the semifinals of the Missouri Valley Conference Tournament at Enterprise Center. Mandatory Credit: Jeff Curry-USA TODAY Sports /

3. Loyola-Chicago Ramblers over Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets

Friday at 4 p.m. ET; TBS

Similar to the Clemson Tigers and Rutgers Scarlet Knights, this game doesn’t have a big impact on Tennessee basketball. Both teams are actually pretty good matchups for the Vols. However, the question then becomes which team has a better chance to knock off the top-seeded Illinois Fighting Illini in the second round.

In that case, you have to put your money on the Loyola-Chicago Ramblers. Vol fans know all too well from 2018 how capable this team is of making a run. Led by 10th-year head coach Porter Moser, the Ramblers come into this game 24-4, winners of the Missouri Valley Conference regular season and tournament championships.

Ranked 17 in the AP Poll and No. 16 in the Coaches Poll, Loyola-Chicago lives by efficient three-point shooting and playing an inside-out game. However, they don’t make it rain three-pointers, and playing inside favors UT provided they are healthy for the NCAA Tournament.

To be fair, it favors Illinois too. On the other hand, Georgia Tech is the No. 8 seed and won the ACC Tournament title by default with a 17-8 record after the Virginia Cavaliers and Duke Blue Devils both had to cancel play due to COVID. Josh Pastner is not good enough of a coach to upset Illinois. He’s never developed an offense. That makes the Rambles the better team to root for.

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