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Tennessee Lady Vols still hosting in bracketology ahead of SEC Tournament

By Caleb Calhoun

The Lady Vols basketball team celebrates as the team seniors are recognized during senior night before the start of the NCAA college basketball game between the Tennessee Lady Vols and LSU Tigers in in Knoxville, Tenn. on Sunday, February 27, 2022.Kns Lady Vols Lsu
The Lady Vols basketball team celebrates as the team seniors are recognized during senior night before the start of the NCAA college basketball game between the Tennessee Lady Vols and LSU Tigers in in Knoxville, Tenn. on Sunday, February 27, 2022.Kns Lady Vols Lsu /
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A heartbreaking loss to the LSU Tigers Sunday didn’t do too much damage to the Tennessee Lady Vols. However, they aren’t a lock to host in the first weekend of the NCAA Tournament, as they’ll need a couple of SEC Tournament wins to secure that position.

With a 22-7 overall record and a No. 3 seed in the SEC Tourney at 11-5 in league play, Kellie Harper’s team is ranked No. 18 in the AP Poll and No. 15 in the Coaches Poll. That’s a drop of two and one spot respectively, and with LSU in the. top 10 of both polls, a small one makes sense.

When it comes to analytical rankings, the results were mixed. The Tennessee Lady Vols dropped three spots from last week in the RealTime RPI despite still having the No. 4 ranked strength of schedule. They actually moved up to No. 16, though, in the NCAA NET Rankings.

All of these rankings suggests UT is just barely set to host in the NCAA Tournament, which is a top four seed in women’s basketball. Only the AP Poll would have them at lower than a No. 4 seed, and neither major forecaster has them below that just yet.

Charlie Creme of ESPN had Rocky Top as a No. 4 seed last week and is keeping them their this week. In his bracket, the Lady Vols are in the Spokane Region, where the Stanford Cardinal, who beat them earlier in the year, are the No. 1 seed.

The first-round opponent for UT in Creme’s bracket would be the No. 13 seed Drexel Dragons. Joining them in Knoxville for that first weekend would be the No. 5 ranked Notre Dame Fighting Irish and No. 12 ranked IUPUI Jaguars.

College Sports Madness dropped the Tennessee Lady Vols multiple spots, however, in their forecasts. Yes, they were a No. 2 seed up to last week. Now, they’re a No. 4 seed in the region with Harper’s former team, the N.C. State Wolfpack, as the No. 1 seed.

In this forecast, UT would still face Drexel in the first round. The No. 5 seed Ohio State Buckeyes and No. 12 seed Toledo Rockets would be in Knoxville with them as part of that first-weekend bracket, so two Ohio schools would be headed there.

Next. Lady Vols all-time depth chart. dark

Friday night will be the first SEC Tourney game for the Tennessee Lady Vols. They need to at least win that game and could use a win Saturday to make sure they host during the first weekend. Given everything that’s happened this year, playing the first weekend of the Big Dance at home would be a huge boost.