Where Tennessee basketball’s 2024 NCAA Tournament resume stands for March Madness bracket

Tennessee basketball is heading to March Madness with the certainty of a top seed on Selection Sunday.

The Vols (24-8) will be in the field for the sixth straight season under coach Rick Barnes. They did not make the tournament since 2014 prior to Barnes' arrival.

Here is where the Vols stand heading into Selection Sunday.

What seed will Tennessee basketball be in NCAA Tournament bracket?

Tennessee is projected to be a No. 2 seed in March Madness.

ESPN's Joe Lunardi has the Vols as the No. 2 seed in the Midwest Regional in Detroit with a matchup against No. 15 St. Peters. No. 7 Clemson or No. 10 Colorado State would be the potential second-round matchup in Charlotte.

CBS Sports' Jerry Palm also has the Vols as the No. 2 seed in the Midwest Regional. He has UT facing No. 15-seeded Western Kentucky. No. 7 Gonzaga or No. 10 Oregon are the potential second-round opponent in Charlotte.

What is Tennessee basketball's March Madness résumé 

Tennessee won the SEC regular-season title outright for the first time since 2008 by going 14-4 in league play.

The Vols finished with an 8-7 record in Quad 1 games and a 5-1 mark in Quad 2 games. They were 5-2 at home, 6-3 on the road, and 2-3 in neutral-site games in Quad 1 and 2. They lost all three Quad 1 neutral-site games.

UT notched four standout road wins by winning at Wisconsin, Kentucky, Alabama and South Carolina.

The Vols had many strong home victories to their credit, including topping Alabama by 20 in January, beating Illinois in December, and downing Auburn in February. They also beat Syracuse and NC State in neutral-site matchups.

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How Mississippi State loss hurt Tennessee basketball seeding

Tennessee entered the SEC Tournament projected by Lunardi and Palm to be the No. 1 seed in the West Regional. It was expected to be a battle with North Carolina for that final spot through the conference tournaments, then the Vols had a letdown in the opener.

UT lost 73-56 to Mississippi State, which effectively ended any opportunity to claim the final one seed and giving the Tar Heels the direct path to the spot.

Mike Wilson covers University of Tennessee athletics. Email him at michael.wilson@knoxnews.com and follow him on Twitter @ByMikeWilson. If you enjoy Mike’s coverage, consider a digital subscription that will allow you access to all of it.