KNOXVILLE, Tenn. – For the 26th time in program history, including the sixth in a row, the University of Tennessee men’s basketball team will compete in the NCAA Tournament.
Fifth-ranked Tennessee (24-8, 14-4 SEC) earned the second seed in the Midwest region, as revealed Sunday night on the NCAA Selection Show, live on CBS. The Volunteers will begin play Thursday at the Spectrum Center in Charlotte, N.C., versus No. 15-seeded St. Peter’s (19-13, 12-8 MAAC) in the Round of 64.
In the lone prior meeting between the Volunteers and Peacocks, Tennessee registered a 54-40 decision on March 14, 1984, in Knoxville in the opening round of the NIT.
Joining the Volunteers and Peacocks in the pod is seventh-seeded Texas (20-12, 9-9 B12) as well as the “First Four” victor in the matchup between No. 10-seeded Colorado State (24-10, 10-8 MWC) and No. 10-seeded Virginia (23-10, 13-7 ACC). The winner of the Tennessee/St. Peter’s game will face the advancing team between Texas, Colorado State and Virginia Sunday in the Round of 32.
Tennessee is 25-26 all-time in NCAA Tournament action, including 6-5 in its first five appearances under ninth-year head coach Rick Barnes. The No. 2 seed for the Volunteers matches the program record set in 2005-06, 2007-08 and 2018-19, the latter also under Barnes’ guidance.
Additionally, this is the second time Tennessee has reached the NCAA Tournament six times in a row, joining a streak from 2005-06 through 2010-11. In each of its six NCAA Tournament trips during Barnes’ tenure, Tennessee has garnered a seed of fifth or better; it had done so just six times before his arrival, since seeding began in 1978-79.
The Volunteers’ streak of six consecutive NCAA Tournament bids is tied with Houston and Kansas for the fourth-longest active mark in the nation, trailing only Michigan State (26), Gonzaga (25) and Purdue (nine). The only other schools at even five are Baylor and Colgate.
This is the 28th NCAA Tournament selection for Barnes in his 37 seasons as a head coach, tying Bob Knight for fourth-most all-time at the Division I level. Only Mike Krzyzewski (36), Jim Boeheim (35) and Roy Williams (30) amassed more bids.
