No. 18 Tennessee (30-8, 12-6 SEC)

The Volunteers have coach Rick Barnes back with contract extension after 10 seasons and a 232-109 record that allows him to stay as long as he wants. Barnes also has the top recruit in the 2025 class in Nate Ament joining Felix Okpara, the only starter back from an Elite Eight squad. The Vols have additions through the portal ready to pitch in for a program that has made seven straight NCAA Tournaments and one of only two teams to reach the last three Sweet 16s and past two Elite Eights.

Players to watch

The 6-foot-10 Ament will be counted on to score like Chaz Lanier and Dalton Knecht before him. The 6-5 Clarence Massemba from France is among five freshmen in a recruiting class ranked No. 8 nationally by 247Sports. Even though Okpara made his only at

See Full Page