Social Media Reacts to Tennessee Vols’ Shocking Tournament Seed

After winning the SEC Tournament Championship on Sunday afternoon, the Tennessee Volunteers were given a No. 3 seed by the NCAA’s Selection Committee later that evening. To the surprise of many people around the college basketball landscape, the committee snubbed Tennessee in their seeding.

The Vols were put behind Auburn, Kentucky, and Duke, three teams that all landed on the two-line.

Following the reveal of the bracket, the college basketball world was noisy in their displeasure regarding Tennessee’s placement as the three seed after winning the SEC Championship that day. But it wasn’t just fans in Knoxville, no, it was both the local and national media as well.

Tennessee’s seeding was also immediately one of the more significant talking points from ESPN’s Bracketology show on Sunday evening, as the analysts were discussing why Tennessee’s rank came in so low.

Below are some of the angriest tweets regarding Tennessee’s 3-seed placement on Sunday night.

See Also from RTI: Leadership, Defense Ends Tennessee’s SEC Tournament Drought

CBS Sports’ Gary Parrish

Tennessee is a No. 3 seed.

There are NOT eight better resumes than the Vols’ resume. That’s a mistake.

— Gary Parrish (@GaryParrishCBS) March 13, 2022

ESPN’s Dick Vitale

Come on how in the world is @Vol_Hoops a 3 seed? they deserve & earned a spot on the 2nd line having won 12 of 13 in the toughest conf. @SEC

— Dick Vitale (@DickieV) March 13, 2022

CBS Sports’ Matt Norlander

"No statistical, viable reason or defense to have Tennessee as a 3-seed in this tournament." @MattNorlander speaks on the Tennessee's NCAA Tournament seeding. #SelectionSunday | @Vol_Hoops pic.twitter.com/BKUXkK2g43

— CBS Sports HQ (@CBSSportsHQ) March 13, 2022

Barstool Sports’ PFT Commenter

https://twitter.com/PFTCommenter/status/1503132835779121161?s=20&t=7HKRnrNCOr8YyDGPET_3SQ

https://twitter.com/PFTCommenter/status/1503142386117062657?s=20&t=7HKRnrNCOr8YyDGPET_3SQ

College Gameday’s Chris Fallica

So not only did Tennessee not get a No. 2 seed, it gets a three-seed and would potentially have to beat Arizona again to get to the Final Four. Bad job by the committee.

— Chris Fallica (@chrisfallica) March 13, 2022

The Athletic’s Kentucky Reporter Kyle Tucker

That is INSANE that Tennessee is a 3 seed. Dumb. Indefensible.

— Kyle Tucker (@KyleTucker_ATH) March 13, 2022

Rocky Top Insider

Joe Lunardi had some alarming comments on Tennessee from the Bracketology show, while Dick Vitale was shocked at the Vols' placement.

One way or another, the selection committee snubbed Tennessee in the NCAA Tournament seeding.#MarchMadness https://t.co/oRILc6yMRS

— Rocky Top Insider (@rockytopinsider) March 13, 2022

GoVols247’s Wes Rucker

Tennessee being a No. 3 seed and Duke being a No. 2 seed is an absolute joke on every level.

— Wes Rucker (@wesrucker247) March 13, 2022

Fox Sports’ Aaron Torres

Also, Tennessee being a three seed once again proves beyond a reasonable doubt: The brackets are set before Sunday's title games.

No benefit to winning on Sunday at all.

Sad, but true.

— Aaron Torres (@Aaron_Torres) March 13, 2022

Barstool Sports’ Brandon Walker

Tennessee is a better basketball team than Kentucky and Auburn.

— Brandon Walker (@BFW) March 13, 2022

ESPN’s Jeff Borzello

Tennessee as a 3 is a joke IMO. Thought they could make a case to be the top 2-seed.

— Jeff Borzello (@jeffborzello) March 13, 2022

Rocky Top Insider’s Ric Butler

The SEC Tournament did not matter in the end, especially for Tennessee and Texas A&M in terms of seeding. Shocking.

— Ric Butler (@Ric_Butler) March 13, 2022

Resume Comparison

Resume Comparison:

Duke (2-seed):
NET – 13
KenPom – 12
SOS – 67
Q1 Wins – 6
Q2-4 Losses – 4

Tennessee (3-seed):
NET – 8
KenPom – 7
SOS – 4
Q1 Wins – 11
Q2-4 Losses – 0

This is a travesty by the selection committee.#SelectionSunday

— kcekjm (@kcekjm) March 13, 2022