Where Tennessee stands in ESPN Bracketology update after win at Vanderbilt – On3

Tennessee basketball stayed as a No. 5 seed in the new ESPN Bracketology update on Tuesday morning. Joe Lunardi has the Vols in the West Region (San Jose), facing No. 12 South Florida in the first round in Philadelphia, opposite of No. 4 Michigan State and No. 13 High Point. 
Tennessee (20-7, 10-4 SEC), which has won eight of its last nine games, goes to Missouri (18-9, 8-6) on Tuesday (9 p.m. Eastern Time, SEC Network). The Vols host Alabama on Saturday at Food City Center.
Lunardi on Monday had the Vols as the top team on the No. 5 seed line. He has 11 SEC teams currently projected to make the NCAA Tournament, the most of any conference. Texas and Auburn are in his ‘Last Four Byes’ category while Missouri is the first team listed in the ‘Last Four In.’
Florida is the highest-seeded SEC team at No. 3, ahead of No. 4 Alabama, No. 5 Arkansas, No. 5 Vanderbilt, No. 8 Kentucky, No. 9 Georgia, No. 9 Texas A&M, No. 10 Texas, No. 10 Auburn and No. 11 Missouri.
The sites for the first and second rounds of this year’s NCAA Tournament are Greenville, S.C., Oklahoma City, Portland, Tampa, Philadelphia, San Diego and St. Louis. The regional sites are Houston (South Region), San Jose, Calif. (West Region), Chicago (Midwest Region) and Washington DC (East Region). 
The Final Four will be held at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis, where Tennessee’s 2024-25 season ended in an Elite Eight loss to Houston.
Tennessee is up No. 14 overall in the KenPom.com ratings after the win at Vanderbilt. The Vols are No. 14 in adjusted defensive efficiency (95.2) and No. 33 in adjusted offensive efficiency (121.9). 
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Tennessee is No. 14 in the BartTorvik.com ratings, ranked No. 16 on defense and No. 30 on offense. EvanMiya.com has the Vols at No. 15 overall, ranked No. 14 on defense and No. 28 on offense.
The NET has Tennessee at No. 17 after dropping the Vols as low as No. 36 earlier this season. The Vols started at No. 13 in the first NET rankings update of the season.
Tennessee has never been seeded lower than No. 5 during the Rick Barnes era. The fifth-seeded Tennessee team was upset by No. 12 Oregon State in the first round of the 2021 NCAA Tournament. 
The Vols are coming off back-to-back Elite Eight appearances as No. 2 seeds and were a No. 4 seed that advanced to the Sweet 16 in 2023. Tennessee lost as a No. 3 seed in 2022 to No. 11-seed Michigan and lost as a No. 3 seed in 2018 to No. 11 Loyola Chicago.
The 2018-19 team was a No. 2 seed before losing to No. 3 Purdue in overtime in the Sweet 16.
Biggest spenders, highest-paid
Takes new legal step after setback
QB takes NCAA to court
Fined for officiating comments
Roster moves started months ago
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