Tennessee all but locked in one of the four No. 1 seeds in the NCAA Tournament with its win over No. 6 Alabama. All they had to do was survive the final week of the regular season, which included an upset spot with a trip to Ole Miss, and the Vols did not pass the test.
Ole Miss upset the Vols 78-76 in Tennessee's final regular season road game. It was expected to be a close game, with Tennessee only being a 2.5-point favorite, but the loss, regardless of how good Ole Miss has been this year, could boot Tennessee out of the No. 1 seed in the NCAA Tournament.
While fans, coaches, and players throughout the program were hoping to secure its first No. 1 seed, it would have come with one significant disadvantage being the top No. 2 seed wouldn't have.
If Tennessee is a 1-seed, it will have to travel West to San Fransisco to play its Sweet Sixteen and Elite Eight games. That can be a tough trip for a team from East Tennessee and its fans, especially compared to where Tennessee could play if it were a 2-seed.
If the Vols drop to a 2-seed, they will likely play its Sweet Sixteen and Elite Eight games in Atlanta, only a few hours away from Knoxville.
Tennessee's playing location for the first two rounds of the NCAA Tournament could determine if the Vols move on to the second weekend, especially after a long season and possible SEC Tournament run on deck.
The Vols have one game remaining in the regular season. They will close out the year at home against South Carolina on Saturday. The game is scheduled to tip off at 2:00 PM ET on SEC Network to close out the final weekend before college basketball tournament season.