While fans on the men’s side are angry about Tennessee basketball receiving just a No. 3 seed in the NCAA Tournament, fans on the women’s side are breathing a sigh of relief. Despite a bad slide to finish the season, mostly due to key injuries that kept happening, the Tennessee Lady Vols are hosting their first two games of March Madness.
UT earned a No. 4 seed in the Wichita Region of the tournament. Obviously by hosting, they are a projected Sweet 16 team, although if they reach it, that would be a first for them since 2016. Yes, the drought has been that long, and it’s something they need to end.
Their Final Four drought is even longer, as they haven’t made it since their last national title in 2008. Who do they have to get past this year to reach it? Let’s break that down. Each page on this post will list all their potential opponents in a round en route to get out of the Wichita Region. Here is the Tennessee Lady Vols’ road to the Final Four.
Round of 64 matchup
No. 13 seed Buffalo Bulls (25-8)
This is a matchup evident of how brilliant current UT athletic directors Danny White is at making hires, ironically from the other side. The Buffalo Bulls have won their third MAC title and are entering their fourth NCAA Tournament under Felisha Legette-Jack. White hired Leggete-Jack to Buffalo in 2012.
Make no mistake about it, this is not an easy out for Rocky Top. Legette-Jack won the first game of her last two appearances in the tourney, both times as a lower seed, and she even got her team to the Sweet 16 as a No. 11 seed back in 2018. Simply put, she runs a dangerous program.
When the Tennessee Lady Vols take on Buffalo Saturday, there’s a very good chance Legette-Jack pulls off another stunner. Given how banged up this team is without Keyen Green, and likely still without Jordan Horston, it’s even more plausible. Legette-Jack simply knows how to coach come tournament time, so watch out.