Tennessee

Tennessee basketball ranked No. 6 overall in March Madness Bracket Preview Show on CBS

Published

2 years ago

February 17, 2024

Tennessee basketball ranked No. 6 overall in March Madness Bracket Preview Show on CBS

Tennessee basketball is ranked No. 6, according to the “March Madness Bracket Preview Show” on CBS. That slots the Vols as a projected No. 2 seed in the NCAA Tournament.

“I look at this and I like Tennessee,” CBS analyst and former Villanova coach Jay Wright said. “I am thinking this is a little bit of an eye-test by the committee because they could be a Final Four team. They are rated high here.”

Purdue was the No. 1 overall seed followed by UConn, Houston and Arizona. North Carolina was the No. 5 overall seed followed by the Vols, Marquette and Kansas. The bracket preview put UT in the Midwest Region in Detroit with Purdue as the top seed, Baylor as the No. 3 seed and San Diego State as the No. 4 seed.

“Tennessee is definitely strong and we will continue to look at them through this process,” said Charles McClelland, the chairperson of the Division I Men’s Basketball Committee

Selection Sunday is March 17.

Tennessee was ranked No. 11 in the initial rankings in 2022. It landed as a No. 3 seed. The Vols were the No. 9 seed in the primary rankings in 2023 and were a No. 4 seed in the NCAA Tournament.

Tennessee has made five straight NCAA Tournaments. It has never been lower than a No. 5 seed in those appearances.

What is Tennessee basketball’s NCAA Tournament resume?

Tennessee has a 4-5 record in Quad 1 games, a 6-1 record in Quad 2 games and a combined 8-0 record in Quad 3 and Quad 4 games.

Tennessee has a pair of standout road wins at Wisconsin in November and at Kentucky in February. UT also topped Alabama by 20 in January and beat Illinois in December for a pair of strong wins. The Vols also hold victories against Syracuse and N.C. State in neutral-site matchups.

UT has five Quad 1 losses to Kansas, Purdue, North Carolina, Mississippi State and Texas A&M. The first three are all projected top seeds in the NCAA Tournament, and MSU and Texas A&M are projected to get in. It also has a Quad 2 loss to South Carolina.

Where Tennessee basketball is in NCAA Tournament projections

Tennessee is widely projected to be a No. 2 seed in the NCAA Tournament.

ESPN’s Joe Lunardi has the Vols as the No. 2 seed in the Midwest Regional, which runs through Detroit. He has UT facing No. 15 seed Colgate. No. 7 Colorado State and No. 10 TCU are a potential second-round opponent in the Charlotte opening weekend.

CBS Sports’ Jerry Palm likewise has Tennessee as a No. 2 seed in Boston’s East Regional, but against No. 15 Oakland. Either No. 7 Florida Atlantic or No. 10 Virginia would be a second-round opponent if UT advances. Palm has UT opening in Memphis.

Mike Wilson covers University of Tennessee athletics. Email him at michael.wilson@knoxnews.com and follow him on Twitter @ByMikeWilson. If you enjoy Mike’s coverage, consider a digital subscription that will allow you access to all of it.

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Tennessee

Tennessee releases availability update on star Nate Ament following injury

Published

12 hours ago

March 3, 2026

Press Room

Tennessee releases availability update on star Nate Ament following injury

Tennessee star Nate Ament will miss a game against South Carolina on Tuesday, the program announced on Monday night. Ament was injured during a weekend contest against Alabama.

Ament was injured when he was rolled up on while going for a loose ball. His leg twisted awkwardly underneath him, and Ament immediately went to the locker room.

He would return briefly in the second half. Nate Ament even made a basket, but then he appeared to tweak his injury shortly after and returned to the bench. He did not re-enter the contest.

Tennessee issued a short statement on his availability against South Carolina. The program released the statement on Twitter.

“Nate Ament will not play tomorrow night at South Carolina,” Tennessee wrote. “Ament is out due to a right leg injury sustained Saturday against Alabama. The timetable for his return is to be determined and he will continue to be evaluated.”

A 6-foot-10, 207-pound freshman, Ament has been one of Tennessee’s best players all season. He is the team’s second-leading scorer, averaging 17.4 points per game. He’s also the team’s leading rebounder, securing 6.4 rebounds per game.

Nate Ament signs NIL deal with Reebok

On3’s Nick Schultz recently published a list of some of the top brands to sign college basketball freshmen to NIL deals. Ament was one of the top signees.

In addition to Arkansas star Darius Acuff, Ament signed with Reebok this year. Ament was the crown jewel of Tennessee’s recruiting class. He signed with the brand in October 2024 while he was the No. 4 overall player from the 2025 cycle, according to the Rivals Industry Ranking.

Nate Ament sits second on the Tennessee roster with 17.4 points per game, and his 6.4 rebounds on average leads the Vols. Additionally, his $1.3 million On3 NIL Valuation ranks No. 14 in college basketball and No. 56 in the On3 NIL 100.

On3’s Nick Schultz also contributed to this report.

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Tennessee

Volunteers needed for community-wide cleanup day with Hands On Nashville

Published

1 day ago

March 2, 2026

Press Room

Volunteers needed for community-wide cleanup day with Hands On Nashville

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WTVF) — On Thursday, Hands On and NewsChannel 5 staff will come together for a community-wide cleanup day.

The event, sponsored by NewsChannel 5 will take place from 9:45 a.m. to 12:15 p.m. on Thursday, March 5 as we assist in winter storm cleanup.

If you’d like to help volunteer, you can sign up here.

Rhori, Carrie, Lelan and Brittany will all be helping assist residents removing and sorting debris.

Important details for those wishing to volunteer:

This may require lifting and carrying objects that weigh 20+ pounds.
Closed-toe shoes and long pants required. Heavy soles and steel toes preferred. Gloves and safety goggles will be provided, or you may bring your own.
Current tetanus vaccination recommended. Chainsaws, utility crews, and heavy equipment will be active in the area.
Volunteers under the age of 18 are prohibited from participating.
Eat before you arrive and bring a water bottle, if needed.

Nashville’s Jefferson Street Sound Museum named stop on U.S. Civil Rights Trail

The Jefferson Street Sound Museum is a great little gem in North Nashville. The founder and curator turned his home into a museum to keep the legacy of historic Jefferson street alive. Now, it’s been named a stop on the U.S. Civil Rights Trail. Aaron Cantrell takes us inside.

– Lelan Statom

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Vanderbilt women’s basketball beats Lady Vols for second-ever win in Knoxville

Published

2 days ago

March 2, 2026

Press Room

Vanderbilt women’s basketball beats Lady Vols for second-ever win in Knoxville

KNOXVILLE ― Vanderbilt women’s basketball won at Tennessee for only the second time in program history, beating the Lady Vols 87-77 at Food City Center on March 1.

The Commodores (27-3, 13-3) are the No. 2 seed in the SEC Tournament, which begins March 4 in Greenville, South Carolina.

The regular-season finale featured multiple runs by both teams. Tennessee went on an 8-0 run in the second quarter and took a six-point lead into halftime. Vanderbilt went on an 8-0 run to end the third quarter, then went a 10-0 run in the fourth to put the game away.

The Commodores, who shot 53% from the field, were led by Mikayla Blakes, who finished with 34 points. Aubrey Galvan had 24 points, four rebounds and five assists, and Sacha Washington had 16 points, eight rebounds and two assists.

“The season has been really special, to be able to end it here at Tennessee with a win and secure I think the No. 2 seed in the SEC tournament,” coach Shea Ralph said. “So the double bye, it feels really cool. I’m happy for the team, but we are literally just getting started.”

Tennessee (16-12, 8-8) outrebounded Vanderbilt 32-29. The Commodores shot 17-for-20 on layups and had 27 fast-break points. Tennessee was 10-for-24 on layups.

Vanderbilt’s SEC Tournament seed

The SEC Tournament will be held at Bon Secours Wellness Arena in Greenville, South Carolina. Vanderbilt will start play on March 6 and holds a bye into the quarterfinals, where it will play the No. 7 or No. 10 seed at approximately 5 p.m. CT.

Mikayla Blakes stats

Blakes put up another 30-point performance, her third straight and eighth in her past nine games. She added six rebounds and four assists, but also had six turnovers.

She made six 3-pointers, which ties her season high.

“She had 34 but her biggest buckets were when we had to happen,” Ralph said. “Her biggest moments in this game were when we had to happen. That kid shows up every time.”

Third straight rivalry win

Vanderbilt now has three straight wins over the Lady Vols, beating them last season in Nashville and once in the SEC Tournament.

“I think Tennessee is a great team,” Ralph said. “They will be for as long as women’s basketball exists. Playing here in front of this crowd is tough. It’s tough. So I was really proud of our team for being able to figure it out the second half and win, especially here at Tennessee.”

The Commodores have their most SEC wins in program history.

Aria Gerson covers Vanderbilt athletics for The Tennessean. Contact her at agerson@gannett.com or on X @aria_gerson.

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