Staff Predictions, Preview: Tennessee-Texas A&M Set For SEC Tournament Championship

Previewing and predicting the SEC Tournament Title game between the Vols and the Aggies.

The No. 9 (No. 2 SEC) Vols are set to take on Texas A&M (No. 8 SEC) in the 2022 SEC Tournament Championship in Amalie Arena in Tampa, Florida, on Sunday at 1 p.m. ET. 

The Vols enter Sunday having defeated Kentucky in a rubber match on Saturday with a 69-62 victory, led by Kennedy Chandler's 19 points. 

The Aggies enter Sunday as one of the hottest teams in the nation, having won seven straight, including victories over Auburn and Arkansas. 

The Vols will be looking for their fifth SEC Tournament title in program history and their first in over 40 years. As for the Aggies, they are searching for their first conference tournament championship. Texas A&M reached the big stage in 2016, where they lost to Kentucky. 

Since losing in Rupp Arena in January, the Vols are 16-2 and have three top five wins on their schedule, with two coming against Kentucky and one against Auburn. But the Aggies just knocked off No. 1 (SEC) Auburn and No. 4 Arkansas (SEC) by a combined 23 points to get to the title game, as Vols' head coach Rick Barnes dubbed the A&M as "one of the hottest teams in the country" in his post-game press conference on Saturday. 

Tip-off is slated for 1 p.m. ET for the Vols and Aggies and Tampa. Predictions from the Volunteer Country staff on Sunday afternoon's showdown are below. 

Jack

Brass Tacks: Tennessee has been the best team in the SEC since they got blown out by Kentucky in January. Josiah-Jordan James is a man on a mission, and Kennedy Chandler is becoming more and more elite defensively every game. And don't forget about the energy Zakai Zeigler brings or the game-changing shooting capabilities Santiago Vescovi has in his arsenal, either.

When Tennessee plays as a cohesive unit, they are better than anyone in the league. And that has been the UT team everyone has witnessed so far this weekend. 

But that has also been their downfall. One player cannot carry when Tennessee faces tough tests. And, usually, when one is bad, all are bad. Although Texas A&M isn't even projected to make the Big Dance, the Vols must be sharp yet again, as the Aggies will be fighting for their season once more on Sunday. 

Prediction: Tennessee will defeat Texas A&M and claim their first SEC Tournament Championship in over 40 years, and they'll do it through elite defense and high-level guard play. The Vols are third in the nation in adjusted defensive efficiency rating, per KenPom. And they showed why against Kentucky. And the Vols' guard play has been nothing short of remarkable the past two months. With Kennedy Chandler's growth on defense and terrific speed, Zakai Zeigler's energy, Santiago Vescovi's eye, and Josiah-Jordan James' leadership, Tennessee is the most complete team the Aggies have faced all tournament, and they will be the ones to end A&M's incredible run. Look for JJJ to close out a terrific weekend with another double-digit performance and for Brandon Huntley-Hatfield to make his presence known down low once more. 

Score: Vols 77, Texas A&M 69

Jake

Quite simply, Texas A&M is playing incredibly well.

The Aggies should be lauded and praised for their run thus far, especially with the way Buzz Williams and Quenton Jackson have led this team past Auburn and Arkansas.

And, as was the case in Tennessee’s title game against Auburn in 2019, A&M has now won seven straight — meaning UT could be running into a maroon buzzsaw.

But with the way this Tennessee team is playing, and with the cohesiveness the Vols have shown down the stretch and into the postseason, I’m not going against them.

Uros Plavsic reiterated yesterday how close this group has grown.

Factor in a gritty defense, UT’s hot shooting and the emotion of this being the final season for John Fulkerson, and Tennessee has the keys to a tournament crown it has not worn since Don DeVoe led the Volunteers in 1979.

I’m going with those factors today, as this game could — and should — serve as a jumping-off point to a spot on at least the 2-seed line in the NCAA Tournament.

Score: Tennessee 75, Texas A&M 65

Riley

The Tennessee Volunteers are a different basketball team than the team that got blown out at Rupp Arena.

Since then, they beat Kentucky in Thompson-Boling Arena and now at a "neutral" site in Tampa, with a crowd that was much more blue than orange. Josiah-Jordan James stepped up his game, Kennedy Chandler has become the reliable, consistent leader the Vols needed and Zakai Zeigler provides the spark off the bench that the Vols use to keep every bit of momentum in their favor. This team wants a 2-seed, and this could be their ticket.

Prediction: Look for Brandon Huntley-Hatfield to build on his momentum last night, and for Santiago Vescovi to prove why he deserved All-SEC honors. Those two are primed to have major games against the surging Texas A&M Aggies. This is set to be a great game and definitely a must-watch for anyone who loves the sport of basketball.

Score: Tennessee 74, Texas A&M 68

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