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Tennessee Basketball Labeled a 'Pretender' In Latest NCAA Tournament Discussion

Caleb Sisk|
Tennessee head coach Rick Barnes walks toward an official during a men’s college basketball game between Tennessee and Vanderbilt at Thompson-Boling Arena at Food City Center, Saturday, Feb. 15, 2025.
Tennessee head coach Rick Barnes walks toward an official during a men’s college basketball game between Tennessee and Vanderbilt at Thompson-Boling Arena at Food City Center, Saturday, Feb. 15, 2025. | Caitie McMekin/News Sentinel / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

The Tennessee Vols Men's Basketball team has been labeled a "Pretender" as we near the final NCAA Tournament selection.

The Tennessee Volunteers have been firmly entrenched inside the Top-10 for the entirety of the 2025 College Basketball season. They've managed aa (21-5) record, winning (8) of their (13) conference games in the SEC, the sport's toughest conference by a wide-margin. They are led by Zakai Zeigler who is one of the best guards in college basketball, and they've got deep-run aspirations as the NCAA Tournament nears.

Though, as of late, the Vols have had moments of staggering offensive stalls. Stretches of games where they just can't seem to buy a bucket. It happened this weekend against Vanderbilt, if it weren't for a second-half explosion from Zeigler, the Vols likely don't get back into that game.

It's something that 247sports pointed to in their latest "Contenders or Pretenders" article, labeling the Vols a "Pretender" in the tournament because of their offensive woes.

The deficiency of this Tennessee roster is the same one that tripped up many Rick Barnes teams. That is, for as elite as the Vols may be on the defensive end, their propensity to go cold from the field leaves them vulnerable and makes them eerily inconsistent. Scoring 73 and 64 points in the two losses to a bad Kentucky defense was concerning, and the 43-point effort against Florida early in conference play was an eyesore. Tennessee is a Final Four team at its best, but to string together enough consecutive strong shooting nights to win a title feels like a tall ask for the Vols.

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Caleb Sisk
CALEB SISK

Caleb Sisk is a talented sports journalist from the state of Georgia. Originally from Chattanooga, Tennessee, Sisk's passion for sports grew. Bringing years of recruiting coverage experience, he has been named a National Recruiting Reporter and covers various college sites on the On SI network. He takes pride in covering recruiting and has been featured by numerous companies for his excellent coverage and knowledge. He has also spent time at other companies, including Rivals, where he covered the Tennessee Volunteers.

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