Tennessee basketball is a popular choice for fans filling out March Madness Final Four picks. Many are confident the Volunteers under Rick Barnes are worth penciling in for San Antonio.
Barnes has the Vols entering the NCAA Tournament as a No. 2 seed. Tennessee will be a heavy favorite against Wofford to start its tournament run on Thursday. Barnes is also trying to keep his team confident despite losing the Southeastern Conference title to Florida.
However, this is the time of year for upsets. Even Tennessee is on high alert before taking on the Terriers.
Why is Tennessee getting the upset alarm? Here’s a breakdown of why Wofford will be no slouch inside Rupp Arena in Lexington.
Wofford brings offensive element needed for March
Wofford brings a high-scoring offense in this matchup. The Terriers are averaging 75.3 points per game, all thanks to having this needed element for March.
Wofford can shoot three’s and execute it at a high level. The Terriers average 9.7 made three-pointers a game.
They hit 14 from behind the arc to snatch the SoCon title over Furman. Teams bringing three-point shooting prowess annually become the biggest threats to surpass the first round.
Tennessee is the opposite on the shooting end
Here’s why Wofford’s long-range strength is a concern for Tennessee: The Vols often go cold with their own shooting.
Tennessee shoots a dismal 35.4% from behind the arc. Shooting droughts become a common occurrence during Vols games.
Teams that run an up-tempo style puts Tennessee on its heels. Wofford isn’t afraid to get up and down the court. The Terriers increase their upset chances if they force the Vols into a scoring drought.
Tennessee lacks this major need
Shooting inconsistency is one concern. But the Vols lack depth too, another major need for teams thinking national title.
Tennessee played six players beyond 28 minutes in every game, including the SEC Tournament. But only four were handed between 14 to 10 minutes a contest.
Fortunately for Barnes he’s got four Vols who average double figures in points: Chaz Lanier (17.7), Zakai Zeigler (13.8), Jordan Gainey (11.4) and Igor Milicic Jr. (10). But UT needs bench production to deliver a deep run in this tournament. Barnes’ lack of minutes for his bench could haunt the Vols.
Wofford comes with outstanding guard play
Backcourt play is paramount during St. Patrick’s Day week. Teams with guard depth and stellar backcourt play will always have a chance to collect tournament wins.
Wofford’s strength is the guard spots. Corey Tripp leads this unit with 14.3 points per game. Dillon Bailey follows at 11.3 PPG.
But there’s more beyond Tripp and Bailey. Justin Bailey (no relation to Dillon) and Jackson Sivills hit beyond nine points a night. Both players, however, combined to score 39 points to lead Wofford past Furman. It’ll be a long night for the Vols if at least three Terrier guards gets scorching hot on the scoring end.
Tennessee is facing road warriors
Don’t think the Vols’ fan base will rattle Wofford after the ball is tipped.
Wofford proved its built to win away from the Spartanburg, South Carolina campus. The Terriers won 11 of their last 13 games away from home. Rupp Arena may feel like a “home” game for the SEC representative, but the Vols are facing proven road warriors.
Tennessee will need to turn towards its suffocating defense to prevent the upset. Defense is a familiar Barnes staple, including from his past Texas teams. But they must avoid bricks, or Wofford becomes the 12th No. 15 seed to knock off a second seeded team.
The post Why Tennessee basketball is on upset alert in 2025 NCAA Tournament appeared first on ClutchPoints.
