Postseason play has arrived for the Tennessee men’s basketball team. Whether the SEC tournament leads to the NCAA tournament for the Vols will dominate a spinning news cycle leading to Selection Sunday on March 17.
With all that in mind, UT coach Cuonzo Martin sat down Monday with Knoxville media for his weekly press luncheon.
“You can only control one game at a time, we are not going (to the SEC tournament) saying we need to win a certain number of games,” said Martin, whose Vols closed the regular season with a 64-62 win over Missouri on Saturday. “Just win the first.”
Fifth-seeded Tennessee (19-11, 11-7) will face the winner of Wednesday’s first round SEC tournament game between 12th-seeded South Carolina (14-17, 4-14) and 13th-seeded Mississippi State (9-21, 4-14).
Martin said the Vols “won’t get consumed” by last season’s opening-round loss to Ole Miss.
For the second straight year, UT won eight of its last nine games to close out the regular season.
“You still have to win games (when it comes to NCAA berth) I feel good about where we are, but you have to continue to win games,” Martin said.
SEC awards including coach of the year, player of the year, freshman of the year and all-league teams are due out Tuesday. Tennessee guards Jordan McRae and Trae Golden, along with forward Jarnell Stokes, are candidates for all-SEC honors.
More coming online and in Tuesday’s News Sentinel.
Brendan F. Quinn covers Tennessee men’s basketball. Follow him at Twitter.com/BFQuinn
Oregon sends Lady Vols home from…
Scripps Interactive Newspapers Group
Comments » 19
emailnodata (Inactive) writes:
Yes, some projections have only 3 from the SEC and 4 from the ACC.
This system is SO whacked.
emailnodata (Inactive) writes:
My proposal:
-Seed the top 48 teams.
-Have a mass play-in for the remaining 16 spots (call it "Big Week").
-Takes about a week to play down to the 16 spots needed.
-adjust each season as needed for odd numbers.
-make the play-in be regional, but not necessarily by conference.
This would be hugely exciting, and give the teams that come on 'late' in the season a good shot... especially those in a power conference.
HooRay_Vol writes:
We may have a chance if we win the first one because we have been hot at the end of the year and had a real nice win streak going. The selection committee looks at this. The big east, big ten and ACC always get more teams in as they are the better basketball conferences (traditionally and historically).
dirty_don writes:
The big east bias hurts all other conferences every year. I do not understand how it continues.
Every year they get in too many teams with seeds too high and lose as soon as they have a tough game they lose. Ex 2012:
1st round: Uconn a 9 loses to Iowa st. a 8, Notre Dame a 7 loses to Xavier a 10.
All others were seeded 4 or higher so had easy games except 12 S.Fla that upset a
bad 5 seed Temple which is also always over ranked and then lost to Ohio a 13 seed.
2nd round: Geargetown a 3 loses to NC St. a 11.
3rd round: marquette a 3 loses to Florida a 7.
4th round: Syracuse a 1 loses to OSU a 2.
Only louisville makes it to final four by beating Davidson, New Mexico and then good wins against Mich St. and Florida then get beat by Kentucky no surprise.
So only Louisville did better than expected of any of the Big Least teams.
It has gone on like this for years. They Still are living off the John Thompson, Raleigh Massamino -(SPELLING), etc.... era.
BrassMonkey writes:
Those Kentucky, Florida, and Missouri wins over the past 3 weeks were awesome and it is great to see the Vols performing at high level. However, finishing 5th in a weak SEC is the true definition of mediocrity. This team has plenty of talent, and I have said that all along. It is what has been done with the talent, stars, and highly coveted recruits. 5th place is unacceptable no matter how good they played for the last 10 games of the year..
carbonzip writes:
Televised games are basically broken up into eighths due to scheduled advertising. Couldn't we go to a four ten minute quarter system in order to make play flow and make legitimate times out meaningful? Get momentum back into the game.
johnlg00 writes:
We'll see what place they are in when the SEC tournament is over. No other team in the league could have lost as important a player as Maymon was to the Vols and finish better than the Vols will finish this year.
Pompey writes:
....spot on, let the nay sayers continue to be miserable....
Witch_Doctors writes:
Witch Doctor say if the NCAA snubs this team..then they are the idiots we always thought they were. Witch Doctor say Vols hottest team in the county. Witch Doctor believe opening win SHOULD get us in...if not, better get out of their way next season or get your butt kicked.
Bones never lie.
NCAA has no say in how proud of this team we are and rightfully should be..
Go Vols
VictorKruger writes:
Just read where Stokes was named SEC Player the Week (again). Way to go Jarnell! I missed my first game in years this past Wednesday against Auburn, so you can blame me for Stokes free throw shooting woes ;>). I think the team needs to win one more to be assured of a place in the NCAAs. The potential opponents have gotten worse while UT has gotten better, so I'm confident of a win.
murrayvol writes:
Exactly.....and then to have Golden's game leave the building for an extended period to boot.
I love what they've done since 11-10 and look forward to what they could do if they actually get to the party.
murrayvol writes:
I'll assume you meant "country" Doc.
Let the record show the NCAA is capable of snubbing anybody, anytime, and for no good reason.
FanNotSheep writes:
Don't see anything mediocre about regrouping from the loss of your most consistent player to win 8 out of 9 SEC games. Agree that Vols haven't had a great year and probably aren't a Sweet 16 team or anything. But they don't quit, they have talent and they've learned to win close ballgames away from home. Should be a good tournament team. Unfortunately they may have to, since experts think strong finish and good strength of schedule don't mean anything to the selection committee. Think the success of the conference's football teams is causing a backlash against basketball?
Witch_Doctors writes:
Witch Doctor say that R makes quite a difference..lol. Witch Doctor for sure meant countRy.... its been a looooong day!
Bones never lie.
mocsandvolsfan writes:
I sorta liked being the best team in the county.
Tucker31 writes:
I hope that you are wrong, but that makes a lot of sense. Should the Vols make it to Friday, that game will most likely send the winner to the NCAA and the loser to the NIT.
Not getting that bye to the semis might be just as well however, to get us 1 more win and to an even 20. I believe this will help a lot in the event they don't make it to Saturday.
I would love to see the Vols play well and maybe even win the SEC Tournament. Let their game do the talking. Just keep winning and the selectors will have to take notice. Go Vols!!
Witch_Doctors writes:
Witch Doctor say ITT tech institute of Knoxvilles BBAll team knows who their daddy is! lol
Bones never lie.
johnlg00 writes:
Surely NOBODY would argue against the Vols being the best team in Knox County, but you never know with SOME of these posters!
johnlg00 writes:
And BTW, what does everybody think about that picture of CCM at the head of this article? Anybody who says Martin isn't engaged or assertive enough ought to have the nerve to say so to THAT face!
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