Tennessee basketball is a game away from advancing to the Final Four for the first time in program history. Standing in the Vols’ way is a Michigan team that has consistently been one of the nation’s best all season. The Wolverines have not yet been tested in the NCAA Tournament. Tennessee is looking to pull the upset.
Here are the RTI staff predictions for the opening round NCAA Tournament matchup.
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Ric Butler
Tennessee is back in the Elite Eight for the third time in the last three seasons. The Vols have had some talented players reach this point in the tournament, but is this the year that Tennessee finally breaks through for the first time in program history? They’ll have to go through a wagon of a team in order to do so.
Virginia and Iowa State were obviously quality opponents, but Michigan feels in a different tier. This is an excellent basketball team that the analytics love. Michigan isn’t just built on one side of the court, either. The Wolverines can do a lot right, starting with the star play of Yaxel Lendeborg.
I’ve talked about the role players stepping up in predictions before the UVA and ISU game. And while that’s still true for this point in the tournament, I think Tennessee needs its stars to shine against such a good opponent. Whether it be Ja’Kobi Gillespie and/or Nate Ament, or maybe even Felix Okpara and/or JP Estrella. I think it’s easiest to look at Gillespie in that spot. If his three-pointer is locked in, look out.
Tennessee has had a great run through the tournament so far, but this is a tough matchup. I’ve picked Tennessee in all three rounds, but that’ll end here. With Tennessee’s physicality and UT’s top players’ ceiling, there are certainly possible ways for the Vols to win. But I see Michigan as a team that is so well-rounded and so complete that it’s hard to pick against it.
Tennessee has impressed me enough to pick them to cover, but I’m going to take the Wolverines in this one. And if it’s a loss, I don’t think it’ll be a collapse like last season.
Prediction: Michigan 77, Tennessee 70
Ryan Schumpert
Tennessee is back in the Elite Eight again and once again the one-seed in the Midwest Region is waiting for them. Michigan, Arizona and Duke have been the three best team in the country in some order all season. The analytics give Michigan a nod as the best team. It’s an incredibly tall task for Tennessee.
But this is a Tennessee team playing very well. Ja’Kobi Gillespie is playing some of the best basketball of his season while Nate Ament has given Tennessee strong contributions despite playing on a banged up ankle. The Vols also have a front court that can compete against Michigan’s in a way few other teams have this season. Now, Tennessee’s front line has not consistently been great like Michigan’s but they have a super high ceiling.
What Michigan does defending the rim makes this such a daunting challenge for Tennessee. The Vols have not been a great three-point shooting team this season. Can they knock down enough shots from deep in this game? The Wolverines do not excel at forcing turnovers. Tennessee needs to take care of the basketball and maximize the number of shots they get.
In the end, there’s too many things that have to go right for Tennessee to win this game. Michigan has been the better team all season and will likely have a major crowd support advantage. Crazier things have happened, but my pick is for Michigan to advance.
Prediction: Michigan 78, Tennessee 65
