March Madness 2022: Five keys for Tennessee Vols vs. Longwood in NCAA Tournament Round of 64

3. Continue elite perimeter defense

Only the Mississippi State Bulldogs shot the ball well from three against Tennessee basketball in the SEC Tournament, and the Vols still held them to just 59 points. The Kentucky Wildcats shot an abysmal 2-of-20, and the Texas A&M Aggies shot 4-of-19 despite shooting over 50 percent in every other SEC Tourney game.

You could say it was just a luck of the draw for the Vols, but with Josiah-Jordan James leading the way, perimeter defense has been this team’s calling card. There’s a reason their opponents only shoot 31.6 percent from beyond the arc, and that’s despite playing in a conference with numerous teams who live by the three.

This must continue into March Madness. Longwood lives and dies by the three more than maybe anybody in the tournament. They make over eight a game and shoot 38 percent from beyond the arc as a team. With no size, getting red-hot from outside is the one way they can make this close.

As a result, the Vols have to maximize their elite perimeter defense. It’s well-documented that the turning point in the season for UT came after a 107-79 loss to Kentucky. They let UK go off on them from three. If that happens here, Longwood will win.