The Tennessee basketball team has been one of the most polarizing teams in the country all season. At times, the Vols look like a legitimate national title contender. At others, they’ve looked more like an NIT team. The gap between this team’s ceiling and floor is truly remarkable.
Rick Barnes admits one adjustment that swung Tennessee vs. Georgia down the stretch
ESPN posted a story, "Men's college basketball tiers: Ranking 47 teams from contenders to Cinderellas," and they captured the Vols perfectly. ESPN had Tennessee in Tier IV: "Final Four or first-round exit? along with St. John's, Kentucky, Louisville, and North Carolina.
This flawlessly captures the Vols. They have the talent to compete for a Final Four, no doubt, but a single lapse in focus could see them getting knocked out early.
Tennessee basketball does has Final Four upside
Rick Barnes understands that Tennessee may have turned the corner, but they still have a long way to go to get where they want to be.
After the win versus Georgia, Barnes said, "So it’s a matter of understanding you’re in the grind of a college basketball season. I think with maybe six weeks to go. And this is where separation starts to happen. And we’ve got to keep getting better.”
Barnes is right, the college basketball season is a grind. Now that we are heading into February, this is where teams make or break their seeding. If the Vols capitalize down the stretch, they have an opportunity to be a low seed, but a collapse could see them fall to a double-digit seed.
The Vols have all the pieces to make a deep March run. A veteran guard is always a plus, and Ja’Kobi Gillespie is exactly the kind of player who can carry Tennessee in the big moments. Tennessee plays great defense, too, with the ability to defend, rebound, and run with any team in the country.
Plus, Tennessee has an added edge with one of the nation’s top NBA Draft prospects, Nate Ament. If his game continues to develop at the trajectory he’s on, he could be a dominant force come March.
The Vols have all the potential in the world, but they need to continue to build on their good performances as of late.