Can the Vols Defense Carry Them In March?

Head coach Rick Barnes has always placed an emphasis on defense wherever he has gone. Will it pay off this season with a run in March from the Tennessee Volunteers?

One question remains as the Tennessee Volunteers battle it out with the rest of the SEC in Nashville for the conference tournament. Will the Vols make a long-awaited tournament run? And will it be backpacked by their stellar defense?

According to the KenPom rankings, the Volunteers are the most efficient defense in the country, with a rating of 87.6. They also are the fifth-most efficient team in the country. A lot of it is carried by their No. 1 ranked defense. Their offense is ranked 49th in the country according to the ranking. 

The Vols have also held opponents to under 60+ points in 23 of their 32 games played so far this season. The team's defense has been on top of getting the Vols victory this season. From one of Rick Barnes' early press conferences, he said, "Defensively, we have to work hard without fouling. It's a mindset."

That has been the foundation of the Volunteers' program since coach Barnes arrived in 2015. Tennessee fans are also itching for a tournament run. The Vols just had one elite eight appearance in their history in 2010. They also have been knocked out of the first two rounds in back-to-back seasons. The defense is number one in the nation, and you know the saying... defense wins championships. 

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