All for Tennessee
Fansided

Tennessee basketball: Vols’ road to Final Four in the 2022 NCAA Tournament

By Caleb Calhoun

Tennessee guard Josiah-Jordan James is greeted by a cheering crowd after the UT basketball team returns to Knoxville after winning the SEC tournament on Sunday, March 13, 2022.Kns Ut Hoops Return RANK 1
Tennessee guard Josiah-Jordan James is greeted by a cheering crowd after the UT basketball team returns to Knoxville after winning the SEC tournament on Sunday, March 13, 2022.Kns Ut Hoops Return RANK 1 /
facebooktwitterreddit
Prev
2 of 5
Next
Michigan Wolverines head coach Juwan Howard talks to hie players during a break in the action against the Indiana Hoosiers in the Big Ten tournament Thursday, Mar. 10, 2022 at Gainbridge Fieldhouse.Mich Big
Michigan Wolverines head coach Juwan Howard talks to hie players during a break in the action against the Indiana Hoosiers in the Big Ten tournament Thursday, Mar. 10, 2022 at Gainbridge Fieldhouse.Mich Big /

Potential Round of 32 matchups

No. 6 seed Colorado State Rams (25-5)

As a Mountain West team with an at-large bid, the Colorado State Rams are in the top 25. They roared off to an 11-0 start and won nine of 10 before being upset by the San Diego State Aztecs in the MWC semifinals. Led by fourth-year head coach Niko Medved, this is their first NCAA Tournament appearance since 2013.

Free throw shooting, three-point shooting and not turning the ball over is how Colorado State wins its games. Tennessee basketball is good at defending the three without forcing turnovers, and if these two face off in the Round of 32, that’s exactly what they would have to do.

No. 11 seed Michigan Wolverines (17-14)

The Michigan Wolverines and Tennessee basketball have a history. They beat the Vols twice in the NCAA Tournament in the 2010s, once in 2011, Bruce Pearl’s final game at UT, by 30. The next time UT made the Big Dance was 2014. They reached the Sweet 16 and lost to Michigan by two after a horrible charging call. That was Cuonzo Martin’s final game on Rocky Top.

Michigan went 3-2 in their final five regular season games with head coach Juwan Howard suspended and then lost their first Big Ten Tournament game when he returned. Their appearance in the NCAA Tournament is controversial, so they have a lot to prove. While they can shoot the three, their bread and butter is playing inside with 7’1″ Hunter Dickinson.

Home/Vols Basketball