Lexington, Ky.-after completing a memorable regular season and coming within a game of catching the Southeastern Conference Tournament Title, No. 2 Seed Tennessee will be upset when it fights No. 15 Wofford in a Midwest Region first round game Thursday.
Tennessee (27-7) ended the conference’s regular season game by winning 13 of 19 matches and finishing the fourth behind Auburn, Florida and Alabama. The highlight came in the SEC tour when the volunteers upset no.
Wofford (19-15) had a very different path than the NCAA tournament and finished sixth at the Southern Conference. But they caught fire in their conference tournament and beat East Tennessee State, the Virginia Military Institute and Furman to get their first NCAA look since 2019 and sixth overall.
The two teams have met eight times before, with Tennessee who won all eight, including 82-61 early in the 2023-24 season.
“Of course we played them last year, the game before we went to Maui,” said Tennessee assistant Rod Clark about last season’s game. “And we were up five in half. And I just remember that they slowed down the game, was really physical, screening, cut really hard, played with a lot of power.
“But it wasn’t a simple game in any way. And we could stretch it out at the end. But I only remember after that game, we definitely felt that we were tested at a high level. So immediately when we got that name showed up, obviously as a coach you kind of snap and come into that moment there, okay, now it’s time to prepare. No, not at all.
Tennessee went to Sweet 16 in 2023 and Elite eight 2024, but head coach Rick Barnes takes nothing for granted. He knows about nervous first rounds. Barnes is 30-28 all the time as head coach in the NCAA tournament with 11 first rounds.
“Whatever we get, you still have to go out and manage business,” said senior guard Zakai Zeigler. “I think everyone really understands it now after what just happened in the SEC tournament. I think everyone is really locked up and really understands what is at stake now.”
With All-American Dalton Knecht now in the Lakers range, another transfer came to the heading Vol’s crime.
The shooting guard Chaz Lanier, who spent four seasons on North Florida, an average of 17.7 points per match and played the role of primary score for Tennessee.
Big Man Igor Milicic controls the color of Vols, an average of 6.9 returns a game. Zeigler runs the crime, an average of 7.3 helps a game to go with 13.8 points and the spearhead defense with almost two steals (1.94) per match.
For Wofford coach Dwight Perry, Thursday’s game will be extra special as the third-year coach returns to his Alma Mater from Kentucky to coach in his first NCAA tournament game. He played in 19 matches for Wildcats from 2006-09.
“It’s extremely special,” Perry said. “Of course it is my Alma Mater. I have many amazing friends (at Kentucky). It is an incredible place. Obviously their tradition in basketball really needs no introduction. More than anything I am really excited for our guys to continue this journey this year, so that it will not end.”
Corey Tripp leads Wofford crime as its point guard, an average of 14.3 points and 3.2 helps a game. The fifth year Big Man cools Filewich does everything for terrier, an average of 11.9 points, 9.4 returns and 3.1 assists a game. He recently began shooting free throw because of his fighters (31.8 percent).
Wofford has a 1-5 record in its NCAA tournament history.
-Mike Petraglia, Field Level Media
