Will Tennessee make the March Madness 2024? Breaking down Volunteers' NCAA tournament odds
Tennessee Volunteer basketball is reaching late February in competition for a top NCAA Tournament seed. The Vols have not been a traditional powerhouse, but Tennessee could reach new heights under Rick Barnes. The No. 8 Vols (19-6, 9-3 SEC) are gearing up for a potential March to remember.
Will Tennessee Make the 2024 NCAA Tournament?
Yes, they certainly will. The Vols and Alabama look to be the top two teams in the SEC. Tennessee has been in the top ten for most of the season, with a low rank of No. 17 and a high rank of No. 5. That would equate to somewhere between a No. 2 seed and a No. 5 seed, which is probably UT's range of potential outcomes. But they're definitely in the NCAA field.
Tennessee NCAA Tournament History
The Vols have never been to a Final Four, with a 2010 Elite Eight being their longest NCAA Tournament run. Tennessee is 25-26 all-time in the NCAA Tournament. The Vols did reach the Sweet 16 last season, losing to No. 9 seed Florida Atlantic 62-55 after overcoming No. 5 seed Duke in the previous round.
Tennessee March Madness Odds
Tennessee's odds of winning the 2024 NCAA title are hanging around +1300 to +1400. The Volunteers currently have +300 odds to reach their first Final Four.
TeamRankings.com gives the Vols a 100% chance of reaching the Tournament and a 44.6% chance of taking a No. 2 seed, their most likely outcome.
Tennessee Basketball Strengths
Tennessee is a competent offensive team (80.4 ppg, 41st in the nation) that does an excellent job of valuing the basketball, as illustrated by very high assist totals (17.4 apg, 16th in the nation) and very few turnovers (10.1 per game, 319th most in the nation).
Guard Dalton Knecht (20.1 ppg, 4.7 rpg) has been one of the best players in the country and has freed Tennessee's role players (Zakai Ziegler, Santiago Vescovi, Jonas Aidoo) to shine without having to focus on scoring. The Vols also hold opponents to just 38.5% shooting (4th best in the nation).
Tennessee Basketball Weaknesses
UT doesn't have a ton of depth. The Vols basically play eight players, with their ninth players having logged just 84 minutes all season. Fouls or injuries could hurt in the Tournament.
Aside from Knecht, Tennessee doesn't have any superlative perimeter shooters. Nobody else tops 36.3% from the 3-point range, and two of the Vols' eight normal players are non-shooters.
Lastly, history does matter. These UT players haven't succeeded in the NCAA Tournament. How much that hurts will remain to be seen.
Do you think Tennessee can reach the Final Four this year? Or will the Vols struggle in the early rounds of March Madness? Let us hear from you in the comments below.