Will Tennessee Basketball Make March Madness?

Breaking down Tennessee's chances of making March Madness before Selection Sunday kicks off.

Mar 3, 2026; Columbia, South Carolina, USA; Tennessee Volunteers head coach Rick Barnes speaks with guard Amari Evans (1) against the South Carolina Gamecocks in the second half at Colonial Life Arena. Mandatory Credit: Jeff Blake-Imagn Images | Jeff Blake-Imagn Images

The Tennessee Volunteers have a ton of talent when it comes to basketball. They have had some up and down moments throughout the season, but when they are hot, they are hot. They have all the talent in the world, and will only get better when they get into the swing of things in the tournament.

With Selection Sunday officially here, the question fans always ask is "Will the Vols make the tournament?"

Will Tennessee Basketball Make The Big Dance?

Tennessee forward Nate Ament (10) recovers from a fall against Vanderbilt during their quarterfinal game of the 2026 SEC Men’s Basketball Tournament at Bridgestone Arena in Nashville, Tenn., Friday, March 13, 2026. | DENNY SIMMONS / THE TENNESSEAN / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

The Vols will be in the tournament hands down, as they have the chance to become a top name in the bracket, as this time they will be viewed as a lower seed with the chance of making a run, as they will be one of the sneaky teams. This go around, it seems that they will either be a team that goes quite the distance or experiences an upset very early.

Tennessee suffered a defeat in its second game of the SEC Tournament, as the Vols fell short in Nashville against the Vanderbilt Commodores. This was a tough defeat for the Vols, as they struggled for most of the game, but remained in the running until the very end when they let the game slip back through their fingers. The Vols lost this game following a game against the Auburn Tigers that they had won just the day before. This was a game that potentially cost the Vols' rival their opportunity in the big dance, as if they won that game against the Vols, their chances of getting in over the nearly undefeated Miami (OH) Redhawks were much higher.

Tennessee is projected to be a No. 5 or a No. 6 seed in this tournament after suffering double-digit losses. This was one of the worst seasons that the Tennessee program has had in quite some time, and they still were able to make the tournament. The field is expected to be set later today, as the field will be set around 6:00 PM EST on Sunday.

Fans will await the decision of the committee, as their region is not yet known, and the field will remain unknown at this time. They have a ton of uncertainty at this moment, as conference championship games are wrapping up to see where things stand. The question isn't "will the Vols be in the big dance," but instead the question is "where and who will they play?"