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NCAA Tournament 2021: Tennessee basketball’s five keys

By Caleb Calhoun

Mar 12, 2021; Nashville, TN, USA; Tennessee Volunteers head coach Rick Barnes talks in a huddle during the first half against the Florida Gators at Bridgestone Arena. Mandatory Credit: Christopher Hanewinckel-USA TODAY Sports
Mar 12, 2021; Nashville, TN, USA; Tennessee Volunteers head coach Rick Barnes talks in a huddle during the first half against the Florida Gators at Bridgestone Arena. Mandatory Credit: Christopher Hanewinckel-USA TODAY Sports /
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Tennessee guard Josiah-Jordan James (5) and Tennessee guard Keon Johnson (45) react to the game between the Tennessee Volunteers and the Appalachian State Mountaineers on the sidelines during a basketball game at Thompson-Boling Arena in Knoxville, Tenn., on Tuesday, Dec. 15, 2020.Kns Vols App State Hoops Bp
Tennessee guard Josiah-Jordan James (5) and Tennessee guard Keon Johnson (45) react to the game between the Tennessee Volunteers and the Appalachian State Mountaineers on the sidelines during a basketball game at Thompson-Boling Arena in Knoxville, Tenn., on Tuesday, Dec. 15, 2020.Kns Vols App State Hoops Bp /

After two months of inconsistent play, Tennessee basketball enters the NCAA Tournament looking to make a deep run. There is plenty of reason to believe the Vols have what it takes given their elite scoring guards and their interior defense, but as we’ve said in the past, these guys are just as capable of losing in the first round as they are of making the Final Four.

Rick Barnes is looking to make his first Final Four appearance since 2003. How can his team make sure that happens? In this post, we’re going to break down everything UT needs to do to be able to survive and advance in the Big Dance.

As a No. 5 seed opening things up Friday against the No. 12 seed Oregon State Beavers, Rocky Top appears to have gotten somewhat of a favorable bracket. However, most of their potential foes in the Midwest Region are red-hot right now. Here’s how they can overcome that. These are Tennessee basketball’s five keys to the 2021 NCAA Tournament.

5. Avoid dry spells

This is often a hallmark of Barnes-coached teams in general. His lets his kids play through other teams’ runs without calling timeout, creating long dry spells without a chance to regroup. While it’s good for the professional development of the guys trying to reach the next level, it’s not helpful in the moment.

UT blew a 15-point lead in the second half in its last outing to the Alabama Crimson Tide because it allowed a 14-0 run at one point. In their last tournament outing, 2019, the Vols nearly blew a 25-point lead to the Iowa Hawkeyes for the same reason in the second round.

If Tennessee basketball is going to go anywhere in the NCAA Tournament, it has to make sure this doesn’t happen. A long dry spell can prove costly against any team in March Madness, regardless of their seeding or the way they are built. The Vols have to make sure that doesn’t happen.

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