NCAA Tournament selection committee member explains why Tennessee Vols didn't get a No. 2 seed
The Tennessee Vols had an incredible close to their 2021-22 basketball season. Tennessee finished the season on a seven-game winning streak, including a memorable SEC Tournament championship game win against the Texas A&M Aggies on Sunday. The Vols finished the season undefeated at home with a 26-7 record and ranked in the AP Top 10 […]
The Tennessee Vols had an incredible close to their 2021-22 basketball season.
Tennessee finished the season on a seven-game winning streak, including a memorable SEC Tournament championship game win against the Texas A&M Aggies on Sunday.
The Vols finished the season undefeated at home with a 26-7 record and ranked in the AP Top 10 (they were ranked No. 9 the week of the SEC Tournament).
Despite that strong finish, Tennessee will be a No. 3 seed in the NCAA Tournament. That's pretty much where the Vols were before the SEC Tournament started, which means winning the SEC Tournament means nothing in the eyes of the NCAA Tournament selection committee (at least if you're Tennessee).
Here's a clip of NCAA Tournament committee member Dr. Chris Reynolds trying to explain to Gary Parrish why the Vols didn't get a No. 2 seed.
Wisconsin and Duke were two of the programs that were ahead of the Vols in overall seeding (Duke is a No. 2 seed while Wisconsin is technically slotted ahead of Tennessee as a higher No. 3 seed)
And neither deserved it.
Wisconsin was 9-3 against Quad 1 teams and had two Quad 2 losses and 2 Quad 3 losses.
Duke, meanwhile, was 6-2 against Quad 1 teams and 6-3 against Quad 2 teams. They also had a quad 3 loss.
Tennessee finished the season with 7 losses, but every loss was to a Quad 1 team (UT was 11-7 against Quad 1 teams). They were 9-0 against Quad 2 and Quad 3 teams.
The Vols played 18 games against Quad 1 teams. Wisconsin played 12 and Duke played 8 — that's why Tennessee had more Quad 1 losses.
None of this makes a bit of sense. If Quad 1 wins matter so much, then Tennessee should be the higher seed because they had more Quad 1 wins than either Duke or Wisconsin. And if losses matter so much, then the Vols should still be the higher seed because they don't have any bad losses on their resumé.
There's no explanation that makes sense except that the committee just prefers the Wisconsin and Duke brand.
Fortunately for Tennessee, the difference between being a No. 2 seed and a No. 3 seed isn't that big of a deal. It's just a shame to see the Vols get shafted out of something they deserved.
Featured image via Nathan Ray Seebeck-USA TODAY Sports
