Rick Barnes continues to build strong teams as his Tennessee Volunteers now rank as the No. 1 team on KenPom and have the fourth-shortest odds to win the National Championship at BetMGM.
Can he bring them past the Sweet 16 for the first time in his eight-year stint with the program? We look at Tennessee’s odds of cutting down the nets in April and if they are worth backing in the National Championship market.
National Championship Movement (Last Week, Current)- Alabama +1000 –> +900
- Tennessee +1400 –> +1100
- Gonzaga +1800 –> +2000
- Percentage of market’s tickets: 5.1%
- Percentage of market’s handle: 5.4%
Tennessee’s defense gives every coach in college basketball nightmares. There is no such thing as an open look against the Vols, and it typically takes some incredibly high-level shot-making to defeat them. KenPom has the Volunteers tops in the nation in defensive efficiency, effective field goal percentage allowed, and three-point percentage allowed.
Zakai Zeigler and Santiago Vescovi make up the most disruptive guard pairing in all college basketball. Both rank in the top 40 nationally in steal percentage while combining for 8.2 assists and just 3.7 turnovers per game. Their characteristics make up a backcourt that every coach dreams of in a volatile, single-elimination event like the NCAA Tournament.
As Barnes-coached teams always do, the Volunteers share the rock at an elite level. They rank third nationally in assist percentage, with over two-thirds of their made baskets coming via an assist. Six players average between 8.6 and 12.2 points per contest, proving they can beat you with multiple guys contributing rather than relying on a single scorer.
The offense’s occasional off-night could do this team in during the NCAA Tournament. In their recent home defeat to Kentucky, Tennessee shot just 3-of-21 from three, showing that the floor for this team on the offensive end can be pretty low.
The only game all season Tennessee was out of during the final minutes was their fluke loss to Colorado back in November. Losses to Arizona and Kentucky were decided past the final media timeout as the Volunteers hung around despite a struggling shooting night. This team is scrappy and can lock down the top offenses in college basketball.
They say defense travels, which is why Tennessee is an astonishing 8-1 in neutral or true road games this season. This team feels built for March Madness with an experienced head coach, a trustworthy backcourt, and a stout defense. Grab the Vols at 11-1 before that price gets even shorter.
