Is this the year where the Tennessee basketball team is able to make some program history? There was hope that the Vols would take home a No. 1 seed for the first time ever, but Rick Barnes and Co. had to settle for a No. 2 spot in the Midwest Region.
Despite that, the Vols are fully focused following the loss to Florida on Sunday to go on a deep tournament run. Will UT reach the Final Four for the first time? That's the hope. In order for that to happen, though, everyone is going to have to be at their best.
Yes, fans are always going to talk about Chaz Lanier and Zakai Zeigler, but they can't do everything on their own. If Tennessee wants to go on a deep run, including potentially upsetting Houston in the Elite Eight, we've got our eyes on one player in particular. That'd be senior guard Jordan Gainey.
Jordan Gainey could be a driving force for the Tennessee Vols to reach the Final Four
This past weekend could not have gone any better for Gainey. In the upset win over Auburn, he poured in 15 points. While the Vols lost to Florida, Gainey single-handedly kept Tennessee in things by scoring 24 points.
He has the ability to knock down a jumper from anywhere on the hardwood, while he's also not afraid to drive and attack the basket. Gainey is the kind of player every team needs - he's going to come up with a big shot and he's not scared to hustle and get his hands dirty either.
Is he going to be the No. 1 scoring option for Tennessee in the coming weeks? Absolutely not, but the fact of the matter here is that whenever Barnes calls his number, he will play with a ton of confidence and deliver with what's needed. He doesn't get a ton of love for being a star, but that's just fine.
He'll fly under the radar and keep proving to people why he's such an important guy in the locker room. Look for Gainey to keep operating at a high clip on Thursday with Wofford coming up first in the NCAA Tournament. The senior guard is heating up at the right time for Barnes.