Tennessee vs Loyola-Chicago Preview

When the at-large bids came to an end on the 11 line, the selection committee chose San Diego State and Loyola-Chicago as the top remaining automatic qualifiers. The Aztecs carry some recent tournament history. The Ramblers…well, if you’re like me, you didn’t even know Loyola-Chicago was the Ramblers before this year. Loyola did win the NCAA Tournament in 1963, one of four appearances for the decade. They next made the tournament in 1985. They next made the tournament this year.

So they may be relatively unknown, but they’re the best Cinderella on the dance floor. At 40th in KenPom, they’re an eight seed disguised as an eleven.

Do not overlook this team. But do not overrate them: they beat Florida in December and beat Miami yesterday, but Tennessee will be the best team on their schedule.

The Vols and Ramblers play at a similar pace, with Tennessee slightly faster (271st nationally; Loyola is 314th). Like Tennessee, Loyola distributes the ball well (24th nationally in assist percentage). But while Tennessee’s distribution leads to the muscle of Grant Williams and Admiral Schofield (and often an offensive rebound or the free throw line), Loyola’s leads to high percentage, first-shot scoring.

The Ramblers are 15th nationally in three-point percentage and 13th in two-point percentage. Their threes are opportunity shots – only 35.8% of their attempts are from the arc, 215th in the country – but they take full advantage. Point guard Clayton Custer takes just over four threes per game, but shoots 46.2% from deep, 23rd nationally. Forward Donte Ingram shoots more often and hits 39.9%. Center Cameron Krutwig (6’9″ 260) is a high-percentage scorer inside, over 60% from the floor. And their most efficient scorer comes off the bench: forward Aundre Jackson averages 10.9 points in 19.1 minutes.

But if they don’t get it on the first attempt – and especially if Krutwig doesn’t get the rebound – Loyola doesn’t get it. The Ramblers are 331st nationally in offensive rebounding percentage (which is why they’re only 67th in offensive efficiency despite shooting so well). I haven’t seen them enough to know this for sure, but my assumption is their focus is on preventing transition and playing great defense. And they do that: the Ramblers are also 26th in defensive efficiency. They don’t foul, and they don’t block shots. But they will take it away, getting a steal on 10.1% of opponent possessions.

Loyola is 24-0 when shooting at least 45%, 5-5 when they don’t. Their lowest shooting percentage in those 24 victories was yesterday, 47.3%. This is the biggest question for this game: how much can Tennessee’s defense affect the great shooting Loyola is accustomed to?

The Vols are fifth nationally in defensive efficiency. The best defensive team Loyola has faced is Florida (19th). But they shot 52% against the Gators, including 10-of-12 for Aundre Jackson and 6-of-10 for Cameron Krutwig inside. They hit 6-of-12 from the arc. And they held Florida to 36.9% from the floor; the Gators had 15 more shot attempts thanks to 18 offensive rebounds, and only turned it over eight times, but simply could not convert.

Even without Wichita State, there are still some good defensive teams in the Missouri Valley: Evansville is 32nd in efficiency, Northern Iowa 60th. The Ramblers also played Wright State. Miami, 44th in defensive efficiency, gave up 47.3% from the floor to the Ramblers, out-shooting them from the floor and the arc. But they turned it over 16 times (and the loser of yesterday’s game was always going to kick themselves for missing five free throws).

Tennessee should represent the stiffest challenge for Loyola’s offense this year. But the Vols played a top five strength of schedule; Loyola’s offense should not be the stiffest challenge Tennessee’s defense has faced.

The Vols have played 13 offenses rated higher in efficiency than Loyola, including teams rated first (Villanova), second (Purdue), and fifth (North Carolina). For pure shooting, only Villanova and Purdue have been better than the Ramblers. But when you include the rebounding and free throw components, their numbers fall down the list. Tennessee held Purdue to 37% from the floor and the arc. Villanova was good, but not spectacular (46%) against Tennessee’s defense. The Vols have defended well enough against great offenses to feel confident they can do it again tomorrow.

And more good news for Tennessee: the Vols will also be the most efficient offense the Ramblers have faced all year.

Loyola is a good team accustomed to winning, and after yesterday I’m sure they’re feeling good. They are one of the best teams in the nation at scoring on their first shot. But if they don’t get it then, they don’t get it. And Tennessee will test them – on both ends of the floor – in ways they haven’t been tested yet.

Saturday, 6:10 PM ET, TNT. Atlanta awaits.

Go Vols.

Tennessee 73 Wright State 47: Smother and Advance

The Vols missed their first six shots in the first three minutes, a few nerves showing their face in Dallas, perhaps. But in those same three minutes, Wright State went 0-for-3 and turned it over twice. Then the Vols got going. The Raiders did not.

Tennessee led by 11 at halftime, never let Wright State get closer than 10 from there, and stretched their legs in the final minutes to take home a 26-point victory. In the SEC/Big 12 Challenge the Vols held Iowa State to 45 points and 33.3% from the floor, the best performance from Tennessee’s defense this year before today. The Vols held Wright State to 31.7% shooting, and just missed a new benchmark for points allowed before a mini-spurt from the Raiders in the last three minutes.

The Vols almost had double-double-doubles: Admiral Schofield had 15 points and 12 rebounds, while Grant Williams added 14 points and nine rebounds. Lamonte Turner poured in 19 points off the bench, including 9-of-10 at the line, while adding nine assists to just one turnover. Tennessee also got good work from John Fulkerson and Jordan Bowden in grabbing seven rebounds apiece.

It’s the sixth time since 2006 the Vols have advanced to the tournament’s second round; four of the other five made their way to the Sweet 16. To get there the Vols will have to go through Miami or Loyola-Chicago, a stiffer challenge either way. But credit the Vols today for using defense to do exactly what a three seed should do to a 14. Not since Tennessee blew out Long Beach State in 2007’s opening round have the Vols had such an enjoyably easy time in the tournament. It won’t be this easy again, but the Vols look more than up to the challenge.

March Madness: Tennessee vs. Wright State TV channel, tip time, and online game-watching party

The Vols open NCAA Tournament play at 12:40 p.m. ET today against the Wright State Raiders. TruTV has the broadcast, so if you’re not watching online or casting to your big screen, you’d better start looking for the channel number now.

While you’re waiting, check out today’s roundup of hype videos and game previews.

Game info

Go Vols!

Gameday Today: Let’s Dance

Let’s dance

Tennessee opens NCAA Tournament play this afternoon at 12:40 p.m. ET against Wright State, and the Hype Machine is already cranked up to 11:

Even the objective media types are adding to the momentum:


But those particular horses must be held, as Tennessee has to get by Wright State first. The Raiders aren’t highly-ranked by KenPom (No. 131 this morning), but they can play defense and score points from the free throw line. They are going to have a real challenge, though, with Tennessee’s physicality.

So what do the Vols need to do to advance today? Well, every time Will has identified exactly what makes the Vols tick, they go full chameleon curveball and surprise everyone by ticking yet another a new way.

So, we’ll just have to see what they have in store for us this afternoon. We’ll have a game thread later this morning for the 12:40 tip on truTV.

ICYMI

It’s not too late to join the Gameday on Rocky Top bracket contest.

Tennessee is one of seven teams that will be featured on NCAA March Madness Confidential, which means we’ll get to see some extra behind-the-scenes stuff peppered into the tournament coverage this year. Nice.

Rivaling the Bruce Pearl Timeline and Brian Williams’ weight loss as the most-repeated go-to talking point for color analysts is the subject of Admiral Schofield’s first name. You may be tiring of it, but I’m hoping to hear it about six more times.

UTSports has an excellent feature on Rick Barnes and how he has positively affected the culture throughout the Tennessee athletic program.

Not to be outdone, the News Sentinel has a great feature on Vol Chris Darrington having to cope with the loss of a friend.

DylanVol takes another look at Vols’ hoops recruiting.

This is about a week late, but I neglected to post it earlier, and because it will never get old, I’m posting it now:

 

There Is No Blueprint

What has grown since November comes to an end in March. While there will be only one champion, the entire field can hope for a moment. Just one moment to lead to the chance to make just one more. The last days of the season are the best, as long as you keep winning.

While I don’t want to find out what it’s like to lose to a 14 seed, this season is already safely in the “best” category for Tennessee. I’ve got the t-shirt to prove it. And this is still the same year that started in 13th place in the media poll. Many didn’t think we’d be playing today at all, nevermind as a three seed.

You couldn’t script this season. And it’s really hard to script this team:

  • The Vols are 19-3 when shooting at least 33.3% from three. But they also beat Florida, Texas A&M, and won at Rupp Arena shooting less than that.
  • The Vols are 17-0 when holding their opponent under 40% from the floor. But they also beat Kentucky twice when the Cats shot above that.
  • The Vols are 14-0 when assisting on at least 64% of their made shots. But they beat Purdue and Kentucky when assisting on less than half of their makes.

Who makes this team go?

  • Grant Williams has scored 20+ eight times, but the Vols lost two of those games. Meanwhile one of their best performances of the year was at Mississippi State, when he had eight.
  • Admiral Schofield has scored 20+ seven times, but only two of those came against tournament teams (Kentucky twice). Meanwhile the Vols beat nine-seed NC State in the Bahamas when Schofield had zero.
  • The Vols are 13-2 when Jordan Bowden scores double digits, but just annihilated Arkansas in the SEC Tournament when he had two points.

(All these stats come from the fine folks at Sports Reference)

There was no blueprint for a season like this one in November, and there is no detailed blueprint for what Tennessee does well in March. The Vols play inside-out and defend well enough to give themselves a chance to win every night, but have enough diversity offensively to get that win in a number of different ways. They won the deepest SEC in history, won eight games against tournament teams, and went to the wire with a one seed and a two seed. They ran past Arkansas with 84 points and won in Rupp Arena by holding Kentucky to less than 60. I’m not even sure what a bad match-up would look like for this team, but I know no one will look forward to playing them.

I don’t know what’s going to happen from here. But I do know, whoever we’re facing, Rick Barnes and his staff will give these players a chance to win, one way or another.

Let’s dance.

The 2018 Hoops Recruiting Landscape: While we Wait

After a thrilling SEC Tournament run that ended in a fun to watch but hard to take 77-72 loss to Kentucky, the Vols will kick off what could potentially be a magical NCAA Tournament run on Thursday against Wright State.  And while Rick Barnes and the entire Tennessee basketball program are no doubt focused on the task at hand, one eye is always on the future and recruiting.  As we went over in depth here, the immediate future is incredibly bright as not only are twelve of the thirteen scholarship players on this conference champion roster scheduled to return and nine of those thirteen sophomores and freshmen but the level of talent Barnes and Co. are recruiting is already clearly at a higher level than since he’s been in Knoxville.  So while we wait for Thursday’s tipoff, let’s take a quick look at some interesting developments on the recruiting scene

Mark Fox Fired from UGA

As rumblings started that Mark Fox was likely to be fired at Georgia, 5-star PG prospect Ashton Hagans from the Atlanta area decommitted from the Dawgs.  Currently a 2019 prospect, there has been much discussion about whether he might reclassify to the 2018 class.  Either way, his recruitment has become much more crowded as the likes of Georgetown, NC State and others have thrown their hat into the ring.  Depending on who Georgia hires, and whether or not the new coach keeps assistant Jonas Hayes on, the Dawgs could still be a factor as well.

The Vols were in the mix before Hagans committed to UGA and one would assume they will try and get more involved now with the dynamic lead guard.  If Hagans does indeed reclassify to 2018, one would think that the opportunity to come in and immediately play for a title contending team will be attractive.  If he stays in the 2019 class the Vols will have that much more time to recruit him, and will likely be that much more of a power program, so either way Hagans will be one to watch

Tubby Smith Fired from Memphis

Although this isn’t official as of this writing, Tubby Smith will not be coaching at Memphis next season and it’s just as likely that Penny Hardaway will be.  That could have multiple implications for Tennessee recruiting in 2018:

Tyler Harris: The diminutive local high school star is thought to *currently* be a Baylor lean with the Vols trying to get him on campus.  However, though he was never signing with Memphis with Smith as coach it seems very likely that Hardaway will land him

Anfernee Simons: Simons is the Vols #1 target and is an elite player who would make the Vols a preseason darling and maybe even Top 5 type team.  Simons is eligible for the NBA Draft and very likely could go that route. With Hardaway’s hiring it is rumored that Simons, who is named for and whose family has some sort of relationship with Penny, the Tigers could become a factor here.  All that of course is dependent on Simons passing on the opportunity to declare for the NBA Draft, which seems less and less likely.  His next chance to impress NBA scouts will be the Jordan Brand Class on April 8th in Brooklyn and he will have to make a final decision one way or the other soon after

Myreon Jones: An interesting prospect who had limited offers (Colorado State and Wofford) before committing to the Tigers despite being ranked by 247 Sports as the #91 ranked player in 201 class.  He’s considered more of a combo guard who at 6’3, 170 can handle and distribute the ball but is known for his shooting/scoring ability.  He’s also an outstanding student which would likely fit the kind of character mold that Barnes looks for. Where his commitment stands once Smith is forced out is still to be determined, and there has been no interest from Tennessee to-date.  However, the Vols might take another look once the season is over if Jones opens his recruitment back up

Gaines Continues State Title Run

The lone Tennessee high school commitment is 2019 Davonte Gaines, who has had an outstanding senior year leading his Buffalo-area team this season.  That continues as he is now making a run in the NY State tournament before leaving to take a 5th year at Hargrave Academy.  Gaines is an exciting prospect who can do a bit of everything and will spend the year at Hargrave bulking up his wiry frame and improving his overall game against competition that is miles above what he’s faced in Buffalo

More Coaching Changes to Come, More Options Likely to Emerge

While Fox and Smith are two of a handful of firings that have taken place so far, there is likely to be more shakeup in the coaching ranks once the season officially ends.  This will likely cause more players in the 2018 class who are currently committed/signed elsewhere to become available, and at the same time make more players who have the option to take a 5th-year graduate transfer jump at that chance.  Tennessee is going to look like a really good option for someone, especially considering how much publicity the program is getting in March and what kind of team the Vols project to return in 2018-19, not to mention the positive experience James Daniel III had as a 5th year transfer on this team.  So while the pickings look relatively slim right now (after Simons) for that one spot in the 2018 class, expect Barnes and Co. to have a lot of options to add a meaningful piece when it’s all said and done

Join the Gameday on Rocky Top Bracket Challenge

A bracket here, a bracket there. Brackets, they are everywhere.

Including here.

Join the Gameday on Rocky Top 2018 Bracket Tourney Pool, and show the rest of us how it’s done.

The prize? Bragging rights. Glorious bragging rights.

So head over and sign up now, come up with a snappy bracket name, and make your picks. We’ll update the results weekly, so you have multiple opportunities to feel good about your luck.

Have fun, and Go Vols.

Tennessee vs Wright State Preview

Wright State comes in 135th in KenPom; that’s the lowest 14 seed and lower than two 15 seeds. Since opening with Presbyterian and High Point, the Vols have only played two teams with a lower KenPom rating: Mercer (148) on November 29, and Lipscomb (165) on December 9. That’s what the fourth-best schedule in the nation looks like.

The Raiders know winning. After an 0-3 start including losses to tourney-bound Loyola-Chicago and Murray State, they won eight of their next ten and then started 7-0 in the Horizon League. There was an issue with guard Justin Mitchell around this time, who apparently left the team in a dispute over playing time. Mitchell averaged 11 points and seven rebounds per game.

Northern Kentucky won the conference, but Wright State swept them. Northern Kentucky is 95th in KenPom and is the best win on Wright State’s resume. They didn’t see them in the conference tournament, rolling past Green Bay by 15, Milwaukee by six, and Cleveland State by 17 in the title game.

As Northern Kentucky is the best team they’ve beaten and Loyola-Chicago is the best team they’ve played (do not – DO NOT – sleep on those guys, 41st in KenPom), Tennessee should be a step up from anything they’ve seen.

What Wright State does well:

  • Defense. Wright State is 53rd in KenPom’s defensive efficiency ratings. That would still be just 11th-best in the SEC, but it’s worth noting. Opponents shoot just 41.4% against them and average 65.7 points per game.
  • Getting to the free throw line. 21% of their points come at the stripe, and the Raiders are 57th nationally in free throws attempted. Three players shoot better than 81% from the stripe; leading scorer Grant Benzinger shoots 89%, 33rd nationally.
  • Can they guard Grant Williams? They’ll put 6’11” Parker Ernsthausen and 6’9″, 275 lbs Loudon Love on the floor at the same time. Seriously, this dude is a tree. So I’m not sure the ‘ol back-em-down will be option number one.

What Tennessee can do to win:

  • More Defense. This will be true as long as we’re in this thing, but it’s especially true here: if the Vols are going to run away from this team, they’ll do it on the defensive end. Wright State is 248th nationally in KenPom’s offensive efficiency ratings. They may hang their hat on defense, but so should Tennessee. The top three seeds in the South region are ranked first, second, and fourth nationally in KenPom defense. No one is getting to or getting out of Atlanta without making things ugly. If the Vols are committed to excellence on the defense end, Wright State shouldn’t threaten the Vols even in a low-scoring game.
  • Exploit size on the perimeter. Ernsthausen and Love provide plenty of size inside, but Wright State’s guards lack length. Playing a team like Kentucky changes everything about how you get good shots, but against the Raiders the Vols should find more opportunities for productive penetration. I’m curious to see how often the Vols put their three guards and Williams/Schofield lineup on the floor against this team to create a mismatch for the Admiral.
  • Let talent prevail. Wright State is huge inside, but they’re not particularly great at blocking shots: 6.7% is the 288th worst block percentage in the nation. So while Grant Williams may not be backing down Loudon Love, he may still be able to get good shots. The Vols took care of business every single time against a mid-major this season, the first time that’s happened in eight years. With defense was the catalyst, the Vols should be able to do the same thing here.

We’ll have more on the bracket this week. The Vols go at 12:40 PM on Thursday, check your local listings for TruTV.

Tennessee Gets Michigan State Transfer Running Back Madre London

 

Tennessee needs immediate-impact playmakers all over the field, and that’s why the Volunteers are such an attractive option for graduate transfers.

A week after getting Stanford quarterback Keller Chryst, UT added another player who figures to get important touches on Sunday night when Michigan State senior transfer Madre London announced via Twitter that he’ll finish his career at Tennessee.

Just this week, I wrote for Bleacher Report that London was looking to leave the Spartans, and I predicted he’d wind up with Notre Dame, only because there hadn’t been any buzz out there on where he’d go. In that same piece, I predicted (wildly guessed) the Vols would go after and get Clemson running back C.J. Fuller. I had it right that the Vols would go after a runner, but I got the wrong one.

Instead, London wanted to go somewhere and get started. That’s why the Vols were a perfect fit.

There’s no question London wanted to go somewhere where he could get vital carries, and there’s also no doubt the Vols need a power back who can churn out yards. Just like UT wants to go to a more downfield passing attack, they also want a power running game, and with John Kelly off to the NFL, there aren’t any proven options there. Incoming freshman Jeremy Banks will serve that role in the future, but will he be ready in 2018?

That’s why London was necessary.

It appears London was wanted by the Vols all along, at least according to ESPN.com’s Adam Rittenberg:

Sophomore Ty Chandler should be the starting running back, but London brings with him valuable reps in the Big Ten. He’s not going to be a guy who can break off 40- or 50-yard runs, but he played three years in East Lansing, finishing with 924 yards and eight touchdowns in three seasons.

He looked like he may be the Spartans’ primary back as a freshman when he had more than 500 yards, but he got injured, and LJ Scott took over; he’d never relinquish the job. In that span of time, Scott had 2,591 yards and 25 touchdowns, and with him returning for his senior year, London was going to be the backup again. So, he’ll go to Tennessee where he can carve a niche for himself.

He averaged four yards per carry in his career, and at 6’1″, 218 pounds, he’s a between-the-tackles player who can move the chains in short-yardage situation. That’s exactly what UT needs; the Vols don’t need an every-down back, but they need somebody who can get tough yards.

Getting London will allow the Vols to bring Banks along slowly and also to work in Chandler and Tim Jordan. With Carlin Fils-Aime moving to cornerback this spring to work on that side of the ball, depth was an important need for the Vols at the position, and London brings it.

“They (have) been letting me know the situation I can be a part of this fall,” London told GoVols247’s Ryan Callahan recently. “They feel like I can play a big role in the offense, and they were looking for a player that is used to playing in big games and that is used to playing in front of a big crowd.”

Tennessee Basketball Nets No. 3 Seed in South Region; Starts NCAA Tournament Against Wright State in Dallas

 

Beat Kentucky on Sunday, and Tennessee could have stared down a No. 2 seed, and the Vols were hoping they’d be getting it in their back yard in Nashville.

Instead, following a 77-72 loss to Kentucky in the SEC Tournament Final, UT had to settle for what could wind up a pretty sweet consolation prize. Rick Barnes’ Vols wound up getting a pretty sweet draw in Dallas. No, they won’t get to play in the friendly confines of the Music City, but a glimpse at Tennessee’s bracket shows favorable matchups all the way through to the Sweet 16 and perhaps even the Elite 8.

First thing’s first with the news: Tennessee got the No. 3 seed in the South Region, playing No. 14 seed Wright State in Dallas on Thursday. The Raiders went 25-9 and finished second in the Horizon League, trouncing Cleveland State 74-57 in the tournament final to earn the automatic bid.

So, what does Tennessee know about the Raiders?

Yep. That’s about as much as we all know, but let’s look a little deeper at them and the Horizon League.

Northern Kentucky won the regular-season title, but Wright State was the best team throughout the season. The Raiders beat the regular-season champions both times it played them, by narrow margins each time. They also beat Georgia Tech, 85-81 in Atlanta back in December. There were some bad losses throughout the year, too, but Wright State is a well put-together team that thrives defensively but is inconsistent scoring the basketball.

The Raiders are led by senior guards Grant Benzinger and Justin Mitchell, as well as 6’9″, 275-pound freshman sensation  Loudon Love, who averages 12.9 points and 9.8 boards per game. But they have just two players over 6’7″, and they don’t pose much of a match-up threat for UT. They are 27th nationally in scoring defense, allowing just 65.7 points per game, though they score just 72.1 (225th).

For what it’s worth, 5Dimes’ early line says the Vols are a 13.5-point favorite.

After going 12-3 over their last 15 games, the Vols finished with their highest seed since 2008. They unquestionably wanted to get that elusive SECT title with a third win over Kentucky on Sunday, but the the focus now shifts toward five days of rest and preparation for Wright State.

If the Vols get past the Raiders and the winner of the Miami-Loyola (Chicago) winner in the round of 32, they’ll be rewarded with a near-home trip to Atlanta for the regional finals where No. 2 seed Cincinnati could await in the Sweet 16 and a date with top-ranked Virginia could be the draw in the Elite 8.  While Loyola would be a tough out as an 11 seed, the Vols surprisingly match up well with all of those teams. Cincinnati is arguably the team the Vols could have unseated as a two-seed had they won Sunday, so, in my opinion, that’s the worst No. 2.

While Virginia is arguably the best team in the country, the Hoos aren’t going to embarrass anybody with their offense. So, that could be a rugged showdown if the Vols were to make it that far. Also, Virginia must get past Kentucky and Arizona in its half of the bracket, so that’s no guarantee, either. Is it possible the Vols could play Big Blue Nation for a FOURTH time?

Boy, wouldn’t that be fun?

Heck, this is the NCAA tournament. You have to know you’re going to have some very tough games against very good opponents, but the bottom line is this really worked out well for Tennessee. This isn’t where the Vols wanted to be (in Nashville), and while it’s a seed lower than they wanted to be, it’s where we all expected.

Now, it’s time to take this positive step forward, run with it and close the year on a high note.

As far as the other SEC teams, it goes like this. Tennessee earned the best seed because it was the best team from the jump, even if Kentucky is arguably hotter (and inarguably more talented) right now.

Kentucky is with Tennessee in the South, earning a No. 5 seed and a first-round tilt with Davidson, which beat Rhode Island and knocked Notre Dame out of the tournament. If the Wildcats win, they’ll perhaps have to face one of the nation’s hottest teams in the Arizona Wildcats for the opportunity to play Virginia if the seeds hold. Man, that’s a tough draw.

Auburn landed as the No. 4 seed in the Midwest after dropping its quarterfinal game to Alabama in the SEC tournament. The Tigers are an enigma with the short bench and all the injuries, but they play No. 13 seed Charleston in the first round. Win that one, and it could mean a date with Clemson before getting to No. 1 seed Kansas. It’s not out of the realm of possibility for Bruce Pearl to have his team in the Sweet 16 going up against the Jayhawks.

Over in the East, Florida rebounded from a tough start to play much better down the stretch, and the committee rewarded the Gators with the No. 6 seed, and they don’t have an awful draw, either. They’ll play the winner of the No. 11 play-in game between the St. Bonaventure Bonnies and UCLA. The Bruins would be a tough match-up for the Gators, but it’s winnable. Win that game, and it’s a possible Texas Tech and Purdue track to reach the Elite 8, so those aren’t unwinnable.

Arkansas is another possible noise-maker in the East as a No. 7 seed playing No. 10 Butler. If the Razorbacks get past that game, they can be a match-up mis-match for Purdue in the second round with their speed and senior guard play. Could it be possible the Hogs and Gators could match up late in that bracket? They’ve got long roads before then, but the paths aren’t too gnarly.

Still in the East, Alabama is a No. 8 seed playing a very intriguing match-up in the first round against Buzz Williams’ Virginia Tech Hokies, and the winner of that game will have a huge test in the round of 32, going against Villanova, which is arguably the top overall team.

Finally in the West, Texas A&M is the seventh seed with a tough, tough first-round draw with No. 10 Providence. If the Aggies get past that game, they’ll probably face North Carolina in the second round, so that’s not easy.

Missouri feels their pain. The Tigers are the No. 8 seed in that bracket, facing Florida State. If Cuonzo Martin’s Tigers win (and they will be a bit of a wild card with Michael Porter back and shaking off some of the rest) they’ll get a chance at top-seed Xavier in the second round. The Musketeers are the worst top-seed.

It was a strong year for the SEC getting eight teams in. Only the ACC had more with nine. But we’re all focused on the Vols, who look like they could have an exciting, deep March run. If they did, it may help us get some of the bitter taste of losing to Kentucky out of our mouths.