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Tennessee basketball remains a 4-seed in updated early bracketology

By Caleb Calhoun

Nov 28, 2020; Knoxville, Tennessee, USA; General view during the game between the Western Kentucky Lady Toppers and Tennessee Lady Vols during the first half at Thompson-Boling Arena. Mandatory Credit: Randy Sartin-USA TODAY Sports
Nov 28, 2020; Knoxville, Tennessee, USA; General view during the game between the Western Kentucky Lady Toppers and Tennessee Lady Vols during the first half at Thompson-Boling Arena. Mandatory Credit: Randy Sartin-USA TODAY Sports /
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Although things have remained roughly the same for Tennessee basketball from a personnel perspective over the past two months, there has been a ton of movement across the college basketball world. That could have easily tempered expectations for UT and Rick Barnes next year with a team that should be loaded.

However, the updated bracketology by Joe Lunardi of ESPN doesn’t report it that way. Lunardi kept the Vols as a No. 4 seed in his early projections for the 2022 NCAA Tournament, exactly where they were in his May 18 bracketology.

One SEC team, the Alabama Crimson Tide, was ahead of the Vols as a No.  3 seed, and the Arkansas Razorbacks and Kentucky Wildcats were No. 4 seeds in other regions. The Auburn Tigers moved up to a No. 6 seed, the Florida Gators are a No. 8 seed and the LSU Tigers are a No. 10 seed. That rounds out the SEC.

Given the way the bracket stacks up, Tennessee basketball not falling is actually an indictment of Lunardi having them too low in previous brackets. Alabama and Arkansas both fell in this bracket, meaning the Hogs were also ahead of UT in the last one.

Another No. 4 seed that fell was the Florida State Seminoles. The Houston Cougars, meanwhile, moved up to a No. 3 seed. Still, FSU being ahead of the Vols could be an unfair projection as well given what Rocky Top has returning.

To be fair, the way Barnes and co. underachieved this past year with a top five recruiting class makes any skepticism of what he will do this year fair game. After all, he has a history of doing that, and at some point he has to prove he can win with one-and-done recruits.

The Wright State Raiders, as a No. 13, seed are Tennessee basketball’s projected first-round opponent, and they are projected to play in the Midwest Region. Joining them in the first weekend bracket would be the No. 5 seed UConn Huskies and a play-in game between the Colorado State Rams and Syracuse Orange for the No. 12 seed.

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