Tennessee Volunteers

Sweet 16 Preview and Picks: Michigan Wolverines vs. Tennessee Volunteers

Michigan, Tennessee made key adjustments to reach Tourney's second weekend
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Sweet 16 Preview and Picks: Michigan Wolverines vs. Tennessee Volunteers
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Transformation is one of the key words for both Michigan and Tennessee as they reached the Sweet 16.

The top players for both teams have transformed themselves from last season. Michigan's Nik Stauskas added muscle to make him much more than a spot-up jump shooter. Meanwhile, Tennessee’s Jarnell Stokes lost 10 pounds to become a more mobile and versatile big man.

But beyond individuals, both teams had to transform through the course of the season.

Purdue Boilermakers vs. Tennessee Volunteers Prediction: NCAA Tournament Sweet 16 Preview

Boilermakers, Volunteers meet for the second straight season, this time for a spot in the Elite Eight
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Purdue Boilermakers vs. Tennessee Volunteers Prediction: NCAA Tournament Sweet 16 Preview
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Purdue vs. Tennessee is not just one of the few Sweet 16 matchups that I correctly picked in my bracket this year. It also one could set the tone for the remainder of the NCAA Tournament.

 

Both the Boilermakers (25-9) and Volunteers (31-5) have more than held their own in one of the more competitive Tournament fields in recent memory. Purdue made short work of Old Dominion in the first round, then the Big Ten regular-season champs put the hammer down on defending national champion Villanova in the second round, beating the Wildcats by 26 points.

 

College Basketball Top 25 for 2018-19

Athlon Sports' preseason basketball rankings
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The Athlon Sports College Basketball Top 25 is littered with familiar faces, especially at the top where Kansas has edged Kentucky for the No. 1 spot in our preseason rankings. 

 

The Wildcats are once again loaded with elite freshmen, but this team also brings back three sophomores who played key roles last season — giving John Calipari’s team the type of veteran leadership usually lacking in Lexington. At Kansas, Bill Self has a roster led by junior big man Udoka Azubuike and several key transfers who will be stepping into prominent roles.

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