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Portland Today
By the People, for the People
Tennessee Basketball Projected as No. 5 Seed in NCAA Tournament
Vols to face Akron in first round, with potential matchup against Kansas or Sam Houston in second round
Mar. 13, 2026 at 12:51pm
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Following their SEC Tournament quarterfinal appearance, the Tennessee Vols have been projected as a No. 5 seed in the upcoming NCAA Tournament. ESPN's Joe Lunardi released updated bracketology predictions, slotting the Vols to face No. 12 seed Akron in the first round, with a potential second-round matchup against either No. 4 seed Kansas or No. 13 seed Sam Houston.
Why it matters
Tennessee's projected seeding and potential tournament path will be closely watched, as the Vols look to make a deep run in the NCAA Tournament after a strong regular season in the SEC.
The details
The Vols defeated Auburn 72-62 in the SEC Tournament second round on Thursday to advance to the quarterfinals, where they will face No. 4 seed Vanderbilt on Friday. Tennessee's 22-10 record (11-7 in SEC play) has them positioned as a No. 5 seed in Lunardi's latest bracketology projections.
- Tennessee defeated Auburn 72-62 in the SEC Tournament second round on Thursday, March 12.
- The Vols will face Vanderbilt in the SEC Tournament quarterfinals on Friday, March 13.
- The NCAA Tournament bracket will be announced on Selection Sunday, March 15.
The players
Tennessee Vols
The men's basketball team from the University of Tennessee, a Division I program that competes in the Southeastern Conference (SEC).
Vanderbilt Commodores
The men's basketball team from Vanderbilt University, a Division I program that also competes in the SEC.
Joe Lunardi
ESPN's bracketology expert, who provides regular projections and analysis of the NCAA Tournament field.
Akron Zips
The men's basketball team from the University of Akron, a Division I program that competes in the Mid-American Conference (MAC).
Kansas Jayhawks
The men's basketball team from the University of Kansas, a Division I program that competes in the Big 12 Conference.
Sam Houston Bearkats
The men's basketball team from Sam Houston State University, a Division I program that competes in the Western Athletic Conference (WAC).
What’s next
The NCAA Tournament bracket will be announced on Selection Sunday, March 15, at 6 p.m. EDT on CBS.
The takeaway
Tennessee's projected No. 5 seed in the NCAA Tournament reflects their strong regular season performance in the SEC, and they will look to build on that success with a deep tournament run starting with a first-round matchup against Akron.
