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Women's basketball Bracket Watch: What seed does Tennessee deserve?

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Women's basketball Bracket Watch: What seed does Tennessee deserve?


(Editor’s note: This is part of the Bracket Central Series, an inside look at the run-up to the men’s and women’s NCAA Tournaments, along with analysis and picks during the tournaments.)

After a whirlwind week across conference postseason play, we’re on the eve of the official Selection Sunday bracket reveal. If that doesn’t have you ready to run through a wall, man, I have no idea what will.

Ivy Madness has lived up to the hype, Penn and Harvard giving Princeton and Columbia a run for their money. Louisiana Tech had Middle Tennessee on the back foot much of the game until the Raiders pulled away late. Maine, one of my favorite mid-majors, waltzed into its first tournament appearance since 2019 and third under coach Amy Vachon. Top-seeded Hawaii fell to UC Davis in the Big West tournament, advancing the Aggies to a championship meeting against UC Irvine. A win for the Anteaters would push them to their first NCAA Tournament since 1995.

Across every corner and region of basketball, history is being made and excitement is rising. March is in full swing.

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Last four in First four out Next four out Last four byes

Marquette

Columbia

Saint Joseph’s

UNLV

Texas A&M

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Mississippi State

Villanova

Michigan

Arizona

Washington State

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VCU

Vanderbilt

Miami

Penn State

Washington

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Auburn

Multi-bid conferences

Conference Bids

ACC

9

SEC

8

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Big Ten

7

Big 12

7

Pac-12

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7

Big East

3

WCC

2

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Impaction of MACtion?

Ball State and Toledo combined for a 33-3 record in the MAC, and they split the season series. The Cardinals’ only loss outside of Toledo in the MAC came on the road in overtime to Northern Illinois.

Then March happened. Instead of the expected showdown in the MAC tournament finals between the Cardinals and Rockets, upsets set a new stage. In Friday’s MAC tournament semifinals, Buffalo took down Toledo and Kent State shocked Ball State.

Buffalo and Kent State will tip off at 11 a.m. (ET) Saturday for the MAC tournament title in Cleveland (home of this season’s Final Four). As has been said many times, many ways, this is March!

The Golden Flashes have been successful under coach Todd Starkey, finishing with a winning record in seven of his eight seasons, including two regular-season MAC championships. They’re one game away from making the Big Dance for the first time since 2002. Buffalo, on the other hand, has made the NCAA Tournament four times in the last decade, enjoying the school’s best run with Felisha Legette-Jack (now Syracuse’s head coach). Becky Burke is in her second year leading the Bulls and is on the brink of her first tournament appearance.

How does the unexpected impact the bracket?

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Unfortunately for Ball State and Toledo, they’re both a decent ways down the pecking order from an at-large bid. Regardless of what happens the rest of the way in conference tournament play, I’d safely say that both are likely WNIT bound. Similarly to how I explained Lamar’s case, it shouldn’t be forgotten that Ball State and Toledo put together tremendous seasons in the history of each school. But this is just part of the brutality of March.

Though I don’t expect the MAC to become a two-bid league, it does have a sizable impact in pushing some teams up a seed line. Neither Kent State nor Buffalo has the same level of resume as Ball State or Toledo. Rather than the No. 12 seed that’s been projected from the MAC, I would envision either team on the No. 14 seed line, and Fairfield moving to the last No. 12 seed.

What’s Tennessee’s ceiling?

Tennessee is one of the harder teams to project in this year’s field. Injuries significantly impacted the Lady Vols early: Transfer point guard Destinee Wells suffered a season-ending knee injury 10 games into the season, and star forward Rickea Jackson missed eight games with a lower leg injury.

How will the selection committee factor injuries into Tennessee’s slower start? The Lady Vols endured a 4-4 stretch with Jackson out of the lineup, including losses to Indiana, Ohio State, Notre Dame and Middle Tennessee.

It’s worth noting that was one of the toughest nonconference stretches anyone played in the country: Tennessee finished 11th in the country in nonconference strength of schedule and first in overall strength of schedule.

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Tennessee played the best team in the country, South Carolina, tighter than just about anyone this season. The Lady Vols finished within 11 points twice in the regular season and were a 10-second stretch away from winning in the SEC tournament semifinals. Their win against Oklahoma early in the season stands out as a signature win from an overarching perspective, and blowing out Alabama in the SEC tournament to avenge one of their earlier losses goes a long way.

The Lady Vols don’t necessarily have the same level of quality wins as higher-seeded teams, but how much stock gets put into their play as they closed the year and found a groove? Given that teams in a similar range all have marquee wins against top-flight opponents, it feels difficult to move Tennessee ahead. Watching that game against South Carolina, Tennessee looked like a team capable of hosting in the tournament. That SEC tournament run seemed much stronger to me than a No. 8 seed, but Tennessee’s resume still is what it is, and it feels like a bit of a gray area to start projecting with the eye test.

I’m curious how the selection committee handles Tennessee as a case study because with respect to balancing the bracket, finding the right place to put the Lady Vols is challenging.

Seed list

Seed Team Automatic qualifier Lock

1

South Carolina

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AQ

Yes

2

USC

AQ

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Yes

3

Iowa

AQ

Yes

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4

Stanford

5

Texas

AQ

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Yes

6

UCLA

7

Ohio State

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8

LSU

9

Notre Dame

AQ

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Yes

10

NC State

11

UConn

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AQ

Yes

12

Oregon State

13

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Virginia Tech

14

Indiana

15

Colorado

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16

Kansas State

17

Gonzaga

18

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Oklahoma

19

Utah

20

Syracuse

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21

Baylor

22

Ole Miss

23

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Louisville

24

West Virginia

25

Duke

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26

Creighton

27

Florida State

28

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Iowa State

29

Nebraska

30

Tennessee

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31

Michigan State

32

Princeton

AQ

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33

North Carolina

34

Alabama

35

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Kansas

36

Maryland

37

UNLV

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AQ

Yes

38

Michigan

39

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Vanderbilt

40

Auburn

41

Marquette

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42

Texas A&M

43

Arizona

44

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Miami

45

Green Bay

AQ

Yes

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46

Middle Tennessee

AQ

47

Drake

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AQ

48

Richmond

AQ

Yes

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49

FGCU

AQ

50

Fairfield

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AQ

51

South Dakota State

AQ

Yes

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52

Marshall

AQ

Yes

53

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Eastern Washington

AQ

Yes

54

Jackson State

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AQ

55

Chattanooga

AQ

Yes

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56

Stony Brook

AQ

57

Maine

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AQ

Yes

58

Rice

AQ

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Yes

59

Kent State

AQ

60

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Norfolk State

AQ

61

Cal Baptist

AQ

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62

Portland

AQ

Yes

63

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UC Irvine

AQ

Yes

64

Texas A&M-CC

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AQ

Yes

65

Holy Cross

AQ

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66

Presbyterian

AQ

Yes

67

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Sacred Heart

AQ

68

Tennessee Martin

AQ

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Yes

The Bracket Central series is part of a partnership with E*TRADE.
The Athletic maintains full editorial independence. Partners have no control over or input into the reporting or editing process and do not review stories before publication.

(Photo of Kellie Harper and Tennessee: Jacob Kupferman / Getty Images)





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TN Lottery Powerball, Lotto America winning numbers for July 8, 2026

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The Tennessee Lottery offers several draw games for those aiming to win big.

Here’s a look at July 8, 2026, results for each game:

Winning Powerball numbers from July 8 drawing

12-29-37-43-55, Powerball: 18, Power Play: 4

Check Powerball payouts and previous drawings here.

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Winning Lotto America numbers from July 8 drawing

17-26-31-32-37, Star Ball: 01, ASB: 02

Check Lotto America payouts and previous drawings here.

Winning Cash 3 numbers from July 8 drawing

Morning: 5-0-7, Wild: 6

Midday: 9-0-5, Wild: 8

Evening: 4-7-3, Wild: 3

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Check Cash 3 payouts and previous drawings here.

Winning Cash 4 numbers from July 8 drawing

Morning: 1-9-3-7, Wild: 4

Midday: 0-0-0-8, Wild: 3

Evening: 8-0-5-3, Wild: 1

Check Cash 4 payouts and previous drawings here.

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Winning Daily Tennessee Jackpot numbers from July 8 drawing

07-14-15-18-29

Check Daily Tennessee Jackpot payouts and previous drawings here.

Winning Tennessee Cash numbers from July 8 drawing

01-02-06-13-27, Bonus: 03

Check Tennessee Cash payouts and previous drawings here.

Winning Powerball Double Play numbers from July 8 drawing

06-27-33-44-69, Powerball: 23

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Check Powerball Double Play payouts and previous drawings here.

Winning Millionaire for Life numbers from July 8 drawing

16-18-43-48-50, Bonus: 01

Check Millionaire for Life payouts and previous drawings here.

Feeling lucky? Explore the latest lottery news & results

Are you a winner? Here’s how to claim your lottery prize

All Tennessee Lottery retailers will redeem prizes up to $599.

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For prizes over $599, winners can submit winning tickets through the mail or in person at Tennessee Lottery offices. By mail, send a winner claim form, winning lottery ticket, a copy of a government-issued ID and proof of social security number to P.O. Box 290636, Nashville, TN 37229. Prize claims less than $600 do not require a claim form. Please include contact information on prizes claimed by mail in the event we need to contact you.

To submit in person, sign the back of your ticket, fill out a winner claim form and deliver the form, along with the ticket and government-issued ID and proof of social security number to any of these locations:

Nashville Headquarters & Claim Center: 26 Century Blvd., Nashville, TN 37214, 615-254-4946 in the (615) and (629) area, 901-466-4946 in the (901) area, 865-512-4946 in the (865) area, 423-939-7529 in the (423) area or 1-877-786-7529 (all other areas in Tennessee). Outside Tennessee, dial 615-254-4946. Hours: 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Friday. This office can cash prizes of any amount.

Knoxville District Office: Cedar Springs Shopping Center, 9298 Kingston Pike, Knoxville, TN 37922, (865) 251-1900. Hours: 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Friday. This office can cash prizes up to $199,999.

Chattanooga District Office: 2020 Gunbarrel Rd., Suite 106, Chattanooga, TN 37421, (423) 308-3610. Hours: 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Friday. This office can cash prizes up to $199,999.

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Memphis District Office: Chiles Plaza, 7424 U.S. Highway 64, Suite 104, Memphis, TN 38133, (901) 322-8520. Hours: 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Friday. This office can cash prizes up to $199,999.

Check previous winning numbers and payouts at https://tnlottery.com/.

When are the Tennessee Lottery drawings held?

  • Powerball: 9:59 p.m. CT Monday, Wednesday, and Saturday.
  • Mega Millions: 10:00 p.m. CT Tuesday and Friday.
  • Cash 3, 4: Daily at 9:28 a.m. (Morning) and 12:28 p.m. CT (Midday), except for Sunday. Evening game daily, seven days a week, at 6:28 p.m. CT.
  • Daily Tennessee Jackpot: 9:00 p.m. CT daily.
  • Tennessee Cash: 10:34 p.m. CT Monday, Wednesday, and Friday.
  • Powerball Double Play: 10:30 p.m. CT Monday, Wednesday and Saturday.
  • Millionaire for Life: 10:15 p.m. CT daily.

This results page was generated automatically using information from TinBu and a template written and reviewed by a Tennessean editor. You can send feedback using this form.



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Data centers driving up Tennessee power bills, report finds

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Data centers driving up Tennessee power bills, report finds


NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WSMV) – Home power bills are feeling the impact of data centers opening across Tennessee communities, according to a new report from ThinkTennessee.

Researchers found electricity usage has increased by more than 7.2 times over the past five years as data centers opened in the Tennessee Valley region. Areas with data centers saw average power bills rise more than the state average, but the increase was not distributed evenly among customers in those areas.

“Tennessee’s data center growth is arriving faster than the rules designed to manage that growth,” research director Chris Candelaria said. “Our report isn’t saying whether data centers are good or bad. Instead, we’re trying to highlight the issues that communities and policymakers need to know about.”

Residential customers hit harder than businesses

Residential customers in communities with data centers saw their bills jump 3.2 percent, to an average of $149 a month, between 2023 and 2024, the report found.

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During that same period, commercial customers, including data centers themselves, saw their bills slightly decrease. By comparison, the statewide average power bill over the same period increased 1.3 percent.

Candelaria said the findings are tied directly to where the data centers are located and signal what may be ahead for the rest of the state.

“Residents seeing these higher prices and that’s associated with where the data centers are located,” Candelaria said. “We know that the data centers are coming, and the report’s really just forecasting that this situation may play out in more places across the state. This is an issue that city and community leaders will need to address directly.”

He said the trend warrants close attention, but stopped short of drawing firm conclusions in their report based on the data analyzed.

Tennessee emerges as a data center hub

The report, titled “Powering the Boom,” describes Tennessee as an emerging data center market that has likely not yet seen the full scale of potential growth. For roughly 15 years, the state’s electricity consumption was essentially flat or declining before the current surge began around 2020.

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Data center facilities planned, operating or under construction in Tennessee represent approximately 2,177 megawatts of demand capacity which is roughly equivalent to powering more than 1.3 million homes for a year. Those facilities are concentrated in and around Memphis, Nashville and Knoxville.

Grid strain, costly outages a concern

Candelaria said the study drew on data from across the country to examine how data centers are already affecting communities and what Middle Tennessee should plan for.

“As we get requests for more data centers, there’s an issue with how is that going to affect our current grid infrastructure? This is the key question,” Candelaria said. “We also provide in the report some studies from other states. If you over-strain the system, what does that mean? Well, it could lead to costly outages. We’re just trying to think strategically.”

Alex Kardokus is among the more than 500,000 people who signed a petition against a proposed data center near the Nashville Zoo. He said his concerns have since expanded to the broader impact data centers could have across the city after learning about this report.

“NES, we don’t want that (bill) to go higher because it’s already expensive in Nashville. Don’t want that to be a raising,” Kardokus said.

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Policy seen as key to managing growth

Candelaria said policies, including data center zoning restrictions Metro Council is currently working on, will be key to protecting families from further cost increases. He said the decisions made now will shape whether the growth benefits or burdens Tennessee residents.

“The policy choices that we make now on pricing and grid planning will determine whether that growth is going to strengthen the state’s economy or whether that’s going to shift costs onto everyday households,” Candelaria said.

He added that the situation requires a balancing act, as data centers also bring jobs and economic opportunities to the communities where they operate.

ThinkTennessee said a second installment of the “Powering the Boom” series is expected to lay out policy options aimed at protecting ratepayers while the sector continues to grow.

Copyright 2026 WSMV. All rights reserved.

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In-N-Out’s fifth Tennessee location is opening soon. Here’s how many stores are planned

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In-N-Out’s fifth Tennessee location is opening soon. Here’s how many stores are planned


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  • In-N-Out Burger will soon open its fifth Tennessee location in Madison, near Nashville.
  • The California-based chain currently operates four stores in Tennessee and plans dozens more.

In-N-Out Burger will soon be opening its fifth Tennessee store.

The beloved burger chain lists six locations as “opening soon” on the Grand Openings page of its website, including a restaurant in Madison. The Madison location will open at 1900 Gallatin Pike North, about 13 miles northeast of Nashville.

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The store also plans to open stores in Arizona, Utah, Idaho and two in California, USA TODAY reported.

Find your next meal on DoorDash

In-N-Out, which announced plans for a major expansion and a new headquarters in Tennessee in 2023, opened its first Tennessee restaurants in December 2025.

The chain, known for animal-style fries and double-double burgers, opened locations in Nashville’s Antioch neighborhood, Murfreesboro and Lebanon in early December. It then opened a fourth Tennessee restaurant in Franklin just a few months later.

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Here’s what else to know about the West Coast-based company’s expansion into the Volunteer State.

Why is In-N-Out expanding to Tennessee?

In-N-Out is moving to Tennessee to establish a $125 million corporate hub in Franklin, on the Berry Farms site near Interstate 65. It’s estimated that In-N-Out’s expansion into Tennessee will create 275 jobs and a $125 million investment in the state.

Lynsi Snyder confirms relocation to Tennessee

In 2025, billionaire heiress Lynsi Snyder announced she would relocate her family to the Volunteer State as the company expands eastward.

In a podcast appearance with conservative host Allie Beth Stuckey, Snyder cited frustrations with California’s high costs and regulatory burdens on businesses and families.

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“There’s a lot of great things about California, but raising a family is not easy here. Doing business is not easy here,” Snyder said. “The bulk of our stores are still going to be here in California, but it will be wonderful having an office out there, growing out there.”

After facing criticism for her comments, Snyder clarified that moving to Tennessee offers In-N-Out associates “wonderful opportunities” to buy homes, raise families, and participate in the company’s growth in a new region.

In a video posted to social media, she called the move “a very healthy plan for our growth,” highlighting opportunities for employees in Tennessee and potentially neighboring states.

How many In-N-Out stores are coming to Tennessee?

During a Nashville Business Journal event in 2025, Snyder said that the company is eyeing 35 locations across Tennessee in the coming years.

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How many stores does In-N-Out currently operate in Tennessee?

As of July 2026, In-N-Out operates the following stores in Tennessee:

  • Antioch: 4242 Century Farms Terrace
  • Franklin: 1951 Double Double Drive
  • Lebanon: 915 South Hartmann Drive
  • Murfreesboro: 2508 Medical Center Parkway
  • Madison: 1900 Gallatin Pike North (Opening soon)

Diana Leyva covers trending news and service journalism for The Tennessean. Contact her at Dleyva@gannett.com.



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