Kentucky coach John Calipari and Tennessee coach Cuonzo Martin said Monday they believe the SEC will get at least five teams into the NCAA tournament.
Martin said at his Monday press luncheon that the Vols are one of the teams outside of the SEC's top five that are "hovering,'' after Saturday's 62-50 loss at Alabama.
Tennessee (14-13, 6-6) plays host to Ole Miss (15-11, 5-7) at 7 p.m. on Wednesday (TV: CSS) at Thompson-Boling Arena before finishing the regular season with games at South Carolina (Saturday), at LSU (Feb. 29) and at home against Vanderbilt (March 3).
"Right now, you'd say on paper maybe five ... six (in the NCAA tournament)?'' said Martin, whose team is in a four-way tie for fourth. "The guys on paper, Kentucky, Florida, Vanderbilt, Alabama, Mississippi State ... there's five, bona fide, unless someone completely falls on their face.
"You have other teams out there hovering; I think we are. For us, it's finishing strong down the stretch and winning games in the tournament.''
Calipari said he believes the Vols are one of two SEC teams outside the current top five that are capable of going on a run at the league tournament in New Orleans.
"I think we've got five teams that will be in (the NCAA tournament), and if somebody crazy, one of those other teams wins our tournament, we may have six in,'' Calipari said on the SEC teleconference on Monday. "What our league has done nonconference, and playing each other, we've got five teams in.
"If someone goes into the tournament and goes on a crazy run, and let me tell you something, the other teams can do that,'' he said. "We played Tennessee, ask Florida about Tennessee, ask them. Arkansas, now Arkansas loses a tough game to Florida. They hadn't lost at home. What if one of those two teams goes on a crazy run and wins the tournament? "They're capable. Now all the sudden, we've got six teams in.''
More details as they develop online and in Tuesday's News Sentinel
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Comments » 85
formerflgranny writes:
Well, I don't know if I would consider Calipari as being very knowledable on that but I believe what Coach Martin says.
born2ride writes:
SEC teams in:
Kentucky - #1 Seed
Florida
Vandy
Bama
Mississippi State
Conzo Martin is dreaming. The Vols must win the SEC tourney to get an NCAA bid. We have too many losses.
formerflgranny writes:
I see you are still riding the pine. I bet all those splinters hurt!
ProfessionalHandicapper writes:
Tennessee has a horrible RPI and will not win over Vandy or LSU. Most likely they drop either Ole Miss or at S Carolina. I see LSU as the best Long Shot. LSU plays four winnable games and could easily finish with 20 wins. They face Ole Miss, Tn, Aub and Ga. LSU is the most improved team winning 4 of the last 5 including a huge win over Miss State. Tennessee is just too small and limited inside. Maymon and Stokes would benefit from a true center like the 7 footer at LSU. UT may miss the NIT if they lose to Vandy,LSU and either Ole Miss or USC and lose the first game of the SEC Tourney. Mentioning this team as a NCAA Tourney team is a pipe dream at best. Not critizing martin or the Vols, just an honest oppinion. Hopes for an NIT bid and a winning record at this point is realistic.
Lane_Kiffins_Daddy_Wears_Diapers writes:
Coach Martin is dreaming when he says Bama and Ms State are locks.
Alabama is 1-5 against teams in the Top 50 of the RPI. A team ranked 40th in the RPI with a 1-5 record against top 50 teams usually ends up in the 3 letter tourney.
MS State is ranked 60 in the RPI.
Calipari is just lobbying that the SEC is tougher than it appears so his team (and not Syracuse) can get a #1 overall seed and stay close to home for the first 4 rounds.
Martin is trying to paint the picture that UT has lost 5 of its 6 league games against NCAA "lock" teams.
Saban_Palin writes:
Jerry Palm is an expert on predicting the NCAA bracket and he says Bama is a lock, especially when their suspended players return. Why don't you post with facts and intelligence, instead of with blind jealousy due to your hangover of being pummelled by their football team the last 5 seasons??? Roll Tide, 14 National Titles in football, NCAA bound in basketball!
Zalweed22 writes:
if these coaches are not lobbying for their respective teams, they shouldn't be coaching
GerryOP writes:
Guaranteed way to get into the NCAAs ... win the SEC Tournament. Probably the only way so get to it and do it!
vol4gzus writes:
Don't think Ms. Palin would really pair up with the Great Sabini..... on topic we are a stretch for sure nc2A and nit.....
doh writes:
Right now i dont think miss.st is a lock. UT has to win its last four and some games in the sec tourney to get in. After the bama game i dont think that is possible. But if they dont make it i think this year has been good. After watching them play early and losing to ap and at oakland i really thought UT would be lucky to win fourteen games. So good job coach Martin. I really appreciate the job you are doing.
ClemCash writes:
Aggravates me to no end that UF gets in, after we owned them twice, and we have no chance unless we win the SEC tourney. It's like even when we beat UF, they get the last laugh.
Regardless, you can't take away the fact that we swept them this year, probably the highlight of our season.
Lane_Kiffins_Daddy_Wears_Diapers writes:
Since you quoted Palm, why don't you read what he said about Bama. He said they were On The Fence.
Of course, that is assuming that your Krystal Sackful loving, mullet wearing, double wide living self can read.
http://www.cbssports.com/collegebaske...
vols_fan_n_tx writes:
"More details as they develop online and in Tuesday's News Sentinel." What other details are going to develop that we need to review online on in Tuesday's paper?
sly_stone99#434111 writes:
Going into the season no one should have expected this team to be in the NCAA (other than the Coaches and team). The progress this team has made has been phenominal.
GreeneVol writes:
I'm thinking it's a down year for the conference; five teams could actually be high.
Hardly ever does a team go undefeated in conference & I don't see anyone knocking Kentucky off; to me this probability speaks to the lack of depth in the conference rather than the talent level at UK (albeit very good).
If MSU and Bama don't take care of business, they very well could be NIT bound.
asleep#212036 writes:
I'm not sure that ANY team from the West would be in right now. Bama and Miss State have weak RPI's and very few quality wins, not to mention they are not exactly coasting through a very average SEC. Kentucky is in no matter what and just playing for a #1 seed. Florida and Vandy are likely in barring a total collapse and one team from the West - right now LSU looks like a good shot if they can get to 20 wins. UT would have to win out the regular season and get to the SEC finals to have any shot but considering our RPI is about a million and we already have 13 losses, the NIT is our best goal. And if, like the NCAA, the NIT doesn't count non-division 1 wins, we are sitting at 13-13, serious trouble to make that tournament either. The only thing that might help us on the NIT bubble is TBA and it's 21000+ seats. The NIT plays home games and they sure would like the ticket revenue from that one. Ole Miss we should win, South Carolina the same but at LSU and Vandy at home are questionable, if not doubtful. A split almost certainly guarantees us a .500 record at best and that won't be enough for the NIT. We'd better win 3 of 4 to end the season and at least one game in the SEC tourney, leaving us 17-15 with 21000 potential ticket sales - that would probably do it. Go Vols!!!
mikkim writes:
It smells like dog s____t, looks like dog s_____t, must be dog s____t......NOPE I was wrong....it it just born2ride!
asleep#212036 writes:
They were picked dead last by the pre-season coaches' and writers' polls. Of course, we didn't have Stokes then and without him, we probably would be dead last. Still, Martin has instilled in the team a desire to play defense, something we haven't seen since the Don Devoe days and they play hard even when they don't play particularly well. Bruce Pearl put us on the map (thank you Chris Lofton and Wayne Chism as well) and sold the program to players and fans and I am very grateful that he passed through. But he was reaching the end of his run no matter what because he simply wasn't a great coach. In his hands this team would have lost at least 5 more games because his teams couldn't play defense or operate in a half-court offense. Martin has them headed the right direction and I expect in a couple of years, we will once again be a staple in the NCAA's and not the perennial one-and-done of years gone by. Go Vols!!!
CoverOrange writes:
He had "facts". Where are yours? You just posted somebody else's opinion, and your knee-jerk one.
Colliervol writes:
I have my doubts about Bama if they don't reinstate those two players. And if Miss. State doesn't get its act together soon, they won't make it and Stansbury will be canned. No excuse for a team with that much talent to be struggling like they are.
GerryOP writes:
Good post, well said ... except for where we would be without Stokes. Before Stokes Coach Zo had this team on the right track. How many wins without Stokes, I don't know. But I doubt if we would be dead last as predicted by the pre-season pols. Coach Zo has lead/pushed/pulled this team to a position NO ONE would have predicted before the season. Even my optimistic "win more than we lose and finish far above #11" was an under estimation.
About Pearl, you're right.
Colliervol writes:
If Calipari told me the sky was blue, I'd look outside first. If his lips are moving, he's lying. All you have to do is look at his track record since the days at UMass and nothing has changed. Only thing it tells me is that there are a lot of gullible people within the KY state lines and they are eating it up hook, line and sinker. I thought they had higher standards but I guess not. Win at all costs is the new state motto.
GerryOP writes:
I wonder how long it takes the NCAA/NBA to blow up Calipari's "Spend-an-all-expenses-paid-year-in-Lexington-on-your-way-to-the-NBA (Class attendance optional)" program? In typical Calipari way, he is dealing within the letter of the NCAA laws but not within the intent of the law.
FanNotSheep writes:
Tennessee could win out and lose to Kentucky in the finals of the SEC Tournament and possibly get in. But I don't think they are good enough to do it. Vanderbilt will be tough even in TBA and road wins are hard to come by. Not likely to get more than an NIT bid, but that's not a bad season when you were picked to finish 11 out of 12. If UT wins 3 more SEC games they will finish in the top half and that's not bad.
The RPI is bad but if they close out winning 8 of 9 regular season games and win 3 tourney games -- and keep it close with KY, the committee might let them sneak in. That's a lot of ifs.
GerryOP writes:
The committee doesn't let anyone sneak in. Win the SEC Tournament and no sneaking will be required. C'mon basketVols ... get to it and do it.
Lane_Kiffins_Daddy_Wears_Diapers writes:
Thanks the the assist. I blew up his entire argument by catching him in a lie. Instead of standing by his Crimson, he showed his real color: Yellow.
GerryOP writes:
Amen Vol brother, amen.
RashaadSalabeb writes:
Well, that settles it! Let's go on a crazy run!
Go Big Orange!
bigdisbig writes:
If the Vols didn't lose to mighty Austin Peay, Oakland and Charleston they would have a great shot. You cannot lose the games you are SUPPOSED TO WIN!!!
I'm no Fla. fan but they deserve to be in the big dance. I hope the Vols don't pull the gators first round in the SEC tourney. A healthy Fla. on a neutral court would be bad for they will want it more than the Vols. The Vols proved how bad they wanted it at Bama.
bigdisbig writes:
I wouldn't call it phenominal but it is better than expected. Don't forget they lost to Austin Peay, Oakland and Charleston. Those were games they should have won. They did beat Fla. twice but played bad in some games such as Bama and at Ga. I think they have overachieved and thats a good thing.
underthehill writes:
Ark win over Mich helped the SEC but I don't see more than 4 going to the NCAA unless one of the 4 don't win the tourn..and I don't see KY losing unless Anthony Davis gets in foul trouble..which is not likely..
BodeaneVol writes:
Like all Vols BB wins, the victories over UF were flukes.
Razzle writes:
Just wanted to point out that Tennessee has also won 4 of their last 5 w/ a huge win at Florida.
Razzle writes:
10 flukes in 15 games? I don't think so.
GerryOP writes:
Ignorance is bliss and lil' ZZGataBoy is certainly blissful.
We swept the Gatas this year ... swept 'em. Mopped the floor with them.
asleep#212036 writes:
Good call. If we end up .500, we just might make it because of the reasons you stated. I still think the NIT will try and keep sub-.500 teams out, if for nothing else than to support their delusion that they are still relevant. Go Vols!!!
SevenT writes:
Tennessee is the program under NCAA sanctions in Basketball and Football Pal. Pearl was run out by the NCAA for cheating.
On the other hand Coach Cal has NEVER been found by the NCAA at fault in anything. You need help with your facts
EightLetters writes:
Does not matter if it is one-and-done, two, three or four-and-done....Calipari and Kentucky will get the best of the best recruits. They will then proceed to kick the *$!+ out of the rest of the SEC.
Just face the fact that they are the gold standard for basketball in the SEC, and the Nation. They are the best, and Tennessee is...something less. Nothing wrong with that, it is what it is.
GerryOP writes:
Do you really believe that Calipari's "Spend-an-all-expenses-paid-year-in-Lexington-on-your-way-to-the-NBA (Class attendance optional)" program is really the intent of NCAA college basketball? Interesting! What would happen if all universities took this approach to college basketball? I'll give you even odds that most of the one-and-done UK freshmen 'ballers would be declared academically ineligible at the end of their freshman year.
CoverOrange writes:
Then wouldn't their APR be zero and they would be losing scholarships left and right? Haven't heard that yet.
johnlg00#206211 writes:
And yet again, just who is this "we" you are talking about? You certainly aren't a member of the team, and since you can't seem to think of a single good thing to say about the Vols or Vol fans--EVER--you can't be a Vol fan, either. Do you have a mouse in your pocket?
CoverOrange writes:
Lying not cheating. The cheating was minor.
Is it a coincidence that every time a player for Calipari is caught doing something monetarily or academically wrong that Calipari changes jobs shortly thereafter? Why is that?
IBAVolFan writes:
What is Martin smoking?
johnlg00#206211 writes:
I haven't heard anything about UK's APR, either, and that frankly surprises me. I don't like the way the NCAA counts players going pro against a team's APR, but they do, so I still don't get why UK hasn't been called on it. Maybe they keep all those other guys on the bench who never play because they are scholars who keep the APR high enough to escape scrutiny.
IBAVolFan writes:
Sorry to disagree but with Pearl as coach we would have won atleast five more.
johnlg00#206211 writes:
You absolutely CAN'T know that, so the only reason you posted it was to hack off those who think Martin is doing a good job. Did you already forget that Pearl lost to both Oakland and CoC at TBA? That he lost an exhibition game to a Div-II team at TBA? And all of these with a team with two McD's All-Americans and at least four seniors that HE recruited? Compared to the tone of your posts, your screen name is either the biggest case of cognitive dissonance I have ever seen on this board or you are a total hypocrite. Please enlighten us.
BigHornBuckShot writes:
SEC deserves maybe 4 teams in the NCAA. Kentucky, Florida, Vanderbilt and Mississippi State. And fans, that is it. Weak league. I am hoping the rest do well in the NIT. And Tennessee needs to work toward the NIT, that is, unless they have players like Derick Rogers and Tyler Bray that are too good to play in the NIT.
cloudodust writes:
I have to agree. After what this program has been through, a NIT invite would look good and the team should embrace it...if it comes to pass.
GerryOP writes:
I can't answer that question. If nothing else, Calipari is a master at "working the system."
Orangejellybean writes:
Who, B-B-Que Pearl? Yeap, he put the vols on the map, alright. As I understand it, there's not a hotdog or T-bone left in the state of Tennessee.
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