Tennessee is 'unstoppable' during 18-0 run that dooms Creighton, puts 2-seed Volunteers into Elite Eight (2024)

DETROIT — There were 24 seconds left on the shot clock, and all five Creighton players were back on defense. Tennessee didn't have a numbers advantage, but it had momentum, and it had Dalton Knecht.

The Volunteers' All-American guard took one dribble toward the basket from the right wing and promptly drew a crowd of defenders. As a swarm of Bluejays approached, he swung a quick pass to Josiah-Jordan James in the corner. Before Creighton guard Trey Alexander could complete his closeout, James launched.

His shot hit nothing but net, capping off an 18-0 run that defined Tennessee's 92-87 win over Creighton in the Sweet 16 on Friday. In many ways, the spurt defined the Volunteers' season.

Six days after hitting just 3 of 25 attempts from beyond the arc in an ugly, defense-oriented win over No. 7 seed Texasin the second round, the No. 2 seed Volunteers' electric, game-changing spurt against Creighton illustrated the chameleon-esque identity which has made this group just the second in school history to reach an Elite Eight. Awaiting Sunday is a Midwest Regional final showdown with No. 1 seed Purdue.

"I think it just shows how versatile we are," Knecht said of the contrasting styles that have defined his team's last two victories. "We can play defense when our shots aren't falling and make it a physical, gritty game. We can also speed it up and play our type of basketball where we're in transition, shooting 3-pointers, spacing the floor out and just going out and hooping and playing our type of basketball."

Known for the last four seasons almost exclusively for their defense — a recipe that plateaued with a Sweet 16 appearance last season — the Volunteers can now win in other ways, and that versatility has them on the doorstep of the program's first-ever Final Four appearance.

The signs were there from the beginning.

18 UNANSWERED FOR @VOL_HOOPS pic.twitter.com/zxWEOeURuR

— CBS Sports College Basketball 🏀 (@CBSSportsCBB) March 30, 2024

Tennessee's season began exactly five months before Friday night's win over Creighton in eerily similar fashion less than 100 miles away. With veteran guards Zakai Zeigler andSantiago Vescovi out of the lineup, the Volunteers hit 11 3-pointers and topped Michigan State 89-88 in an exhibition showdown. It didn't count, but it showed what might be different about these Volunteers.

Months after an ACL injury to Zakai Zeigler zapped the Volunteers of life late in the 2022-23 season, their exhibition win over the Spartans offered a glimpse at how the 2023-24 Vols would have enough quality guards to withstand less-than-ideal circumstances and still shine offensively.

With Vescovi out again Friday due to illness, Tennessee hit 11 3-pointers and outlasted a quality foe on a court in Michigan with an impressive offensive performance just as it did in late October.

"We can win fast pace, slow pace, and I think our schedule up until this point has really helped us to win different types of ball games," James said.

The Volunteers' schedule has also given them a preview of what's ahead. Tennessee fell 71-67 against Purdue in November's Maui Invitational. Since then, Knecht blossomed into an All-American and Zeigler has regained his form after a slow start following his return from the injury.

"For us to be able to play them again and try to rewrite that story is going to be huge," James said. "I'm glad it was them instead of Gonzaga because we wanted that challenge. We wanted that matchup just to show our growth and our improvement. We feel like if we can beat them, we can beat anybody."

The last time Tennessee had an offense that was close to this dynamic, it led to a Sweet 16 collision with none other than Purdue in the 2019 NCAA Tournament. That Vols team, led by Admiral Schofield and Grant Williams, left something to be desired defensively and fell 99-94 in an overtime thriller as the Boilermakers drilled 15 of 31 attempts from beyond the arc.

What makes these Volunteers different as they head into another high-stakes NCAA Tournament showdown with the Boilermakers is that they haven't sacrificed their elite defense to achieve their offensive evolution.

Tennessee ranks No. 28 in offensive efficiency, per KenPom.com, and No. 3 in defensive efficiency entering the Elite Eight. It could be the first team of coach Rick Barnes' nine-year tenure to finish among the top 30 in both categories.

"I think it's been a pretty good transition," sophomore center Tobe Awaka said. "We just have to understand in terms of our offense that, if we're having a bad night, we still have to keep our defensive mindset. I think it's about holding guys accountable no matter what, whether you're shooting well or shooting poorly. You have to get back and play defense."

The Volunteers are still capable of producing offensive clunkers, as they showed in a sloppy 62-58 second-round victory vs. Texas. But when they do, their defense is good enough to keep them in a game. And when the offense is on, too?

Well, just look at Friday's 18-0 second-half surge against Creighton for an example of what can happen.

"If we just put those two together," Tennessee center Jonas Aidoo said, "I feel like we're unstoppable."

Tennessee is 'unstoppable' during 18-0 run that dooms Creighton, puts 2-seed Volunteers into Elite Eight (2024)

FAQs

Is Tennessee a 1 seed? ›

– For the second time in program history, Tennessee is the No. 1 national seed in the NCAA Baseball Tournament.

Where can I watch Tennessee Volunteers men's basketball vs Purdue Boilermakers men's basketball? ›

How To Watch: Tennessee vs. Purdue
  • Gameday: Sunday, March 31st, 2024.
  • Game time: 2:20 pm ET.
  • TV: CBS.
  • Stadium: Little Caesars Arena (Detroit, Michigan)
  • Live stream on fuboTV: Start with a 7-day free trial!
Mar 31, 2024

What seed is Tennessee basketball? ›

2 Seed in 2024 NCAA Tournament. KNOXVILLE, Tenn. – For the 26th time in program history, including the sixth in a row, the University of Tennessee men's basketball team will compete in the NCAA Tournament.

Why do they say #1 seed? ›

The term was first used in tennis, and is based on the idea of laying out a tournament ladder by arranging slips of paper with the names of players on them the way seeds or seedlings are arranged in a garden: smaller plants up front, larger ones behind.

Is #1 seed good? ›

Securing the number 1 seed provides tangible advantages in terms of home-court advantage, easier matchups, and psychological benefits. One of the primary advantages of clinching the number 1 seed is the assurance of home court advantage throughout the playoffs.

Why is Tennessee the Volunteers? ›

The 'Volunteers' name derives from the 1,500 troops from Tennessee that fought under General Andrew Jackson against the British at the Battle of New Orleans during the War of 1812. That same Volunteer spirit carried on when the war of Texas Independence broke out in 1835.

Why is Purdue called the Boilermakers? ›

Purdue defeated Wabash College again in 1891, 44–0. An account of the game in the Crawfordsville Daily Argus News of October 26, 1891, was headlined, "Slaughter of Innocents: Wabash Snowed Completely Under by the Burly Boiler Makers from Purdue". Purdue became known as the Boilermakers the next year.

Is Zach Edey going to the NBA? ›

Zach Edey is heading to the Memphis Grizzlies. The Grizzlies selected the Purdue center with the No. 9 pick in the 2024 NBA draft. He will join a core that includes Ja Morant, Jaren Jackson Jr. and Desmond Bane. Fans took to social media to express shock at Edey going in the top 10.

Has Tennessee ever been to the Elite 8? ›

Tennessee's lone Elite Eight appearance came in the 2010 NCAA Tournament when the Vols lost 69-70 against Michigan State in a tough battle. Pearl was unable to return to the Elite Eight in his final year in Knoxville, and no coach since has been able to match Pearl's postseason success in 2010.

Has Tennessee men's basketball ever been to the Final Four? ›

Tennessee has the fourth-most NCAA Tournament appearances among programs that have never made a Final Four. The Vols have earned a trip to March Madness 26 times in their history, including their most recent berth this season.

What seed is Tennessee projected? ›

Tennessee baseball projections: Vols No. 1 seed in 2024 NCAA Tournament.

Did Tennessee baseball earn the number 1 seed in the NCAA Tournament? ›

Tennessee baseball has earned the No. 1 overall seed in the NCAA Tournament, announced during the selection show on Monday afternoon. The Vols earned the top bid for the second time in three years following their No.

Are there any number 1 seeds left in the NCAA? ›

1 seeds left in NCAA men's basketball tournament after Alabama and Houston lose.

What is a 1 seed in basketball? ›

A one-seed is a team that performed best during the regular season and conference championship and is placed at the top of a regional group and pitted against the lowest-ranked team (16-seed). There are four one-seeds at every March Madness tournament chosen by the selection committee.

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