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NCAA Basketball: Tennessee comes up big in latest winners and losers

By Adam Childs

KNOXVILLE, TN - DECEMBER 2: Dunk from Yves Pons #35 of the Tennessee Volunteers during the first half of their game against the Texas A&M-CC Islanders at Thompson-Boling Arena on December 2, 2018 in Knoxville, Tennessee. (Photo by Donald Page/Getty Images)
KNOXVILLE, TN - DECEMBER 2: Dunk from Yves Pons #35 of the Tennessee Volunteers during the first half of their game against the Texas A&M-CC Islanders at Thompson-Boling Arena on December 2, 2018 in Knoxville, Tennessee. (Photo by Donald Page/Getty Images) /
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LEXINGTON, KY – FEBRUARY 06: Admiral Schofield #5 of the Tennessee Volunteers celebrates during the 61-59 win against the Kentucky Wildcats in the game at Rupp Arena on February 6, 2018 in Lexington, Kentucky. (Photo by Andy Lyons/Getty Images)
LEXINGTON, KY – FEBRUARY 06: Admiral Schofield #5 of the Tennessee Volunteers celebrates during the 61-59 win against the Kentucky Wildcats in the game at Rupp Arena on February 6, 2018 in Lexington, Kentucky. (Photo by Andy Lyons/Getty Images) /

No. 1 Loser – Kansas State Wildcats

The Wildcats made a run to the elite eight last year and came into this year with high expectations. They started off the year 6-0 but did not exactly look like world beaters in doing it. Then last Saturday they lost to Marquette for their first loss of the year. While they should have beat them it was not a horrible loss as the Golden Eagles have been playing good basketball as of late. That is not what landed them on this list.

This week they only had one game against Tulsa. A Tulsa team who had got beat earlier this year by SIU Edwardsville by ten points. An easy game for Kansas State right? Not exactly. Not only did the Wildcats lose they only scored 46 points. Nevada, who admittedly is a very good team, scored 96 points on Tulsa earlier this year. Tulsa was not being confused for a great defensive team and yet Kansas State could only muster 46 points. It was an ugly game and lands the Wildcats as the number one loser.

No. 1 Winner – Tennessee Volunteers

Rick Barnes has had Tennessee trending upwards since he got here three years ago. Last year they were a top ten team but fell to Loyola-Chicago in the second round. They looked last year that they were ready to take the next step.

The only thing they were missing was that signature win. They came close earlier this year when they gave up a second-half lead and lost in overtime to Kansas in their upset attempt. Well, they finally broke through on Sunday beating number one ranked Gonzaga 76-73.

dark. Next. Biggest Bracketology winners of the week

Admiral Schofield came up big scoring 25 second-half points. The Volunteers finally showed they could win the big game and that they should be taken seriously moving forward.

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