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NCAA Tournament 2019: Buy or sell Michigan State, Michigan, Tennessee and Kentucky?

By Adam Childs

LEXINGTON, KENTUCKY - FEBRUARY 16: Ashton Hagans #2 of the Kentucky Wildcats is defended by Lamonte Turner #1 of the Tennessee Volunteers at Rupp Arena on February 16, 2019 in Lexington, Kentucky. (Photo by Andy Lyons/Getty Images)
LEXINGTON, KENTUCKY - FEBRUARY 16: Ashton Hagans #2 of the Kentucky Wildcats is defended by Lamonte Turner #1 of the Tennessee Volunteers at Rupp Arena on February 16, 2019 in Lexington, Kentucky. (Photo by Andy Lyons/Getty Images) /
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NASHVILLE, TENNESSEE – MARCH 17: Bruce Pearl of the Auburn Tigers gives celebrates after 84-64 win over the Tennessee Volunteers during the final of the SEC Basketball Championships at Bridgestone Arena on March 17, 2019 in Nashville, Tennessee. (Photo by Andy Lyons/Getty Images)
NASHVILLE, TENNESSEE – MARCH 17: Bruce Pearl of the Auburn Tigers gives celebrates after 84-64 win over the Tennessee Volunteers during the final of the SEC Basketball Championships at Bridgestone Arena on March 17, 2019 in Nashville, Tennessee. (Photo by Andy Lyons/Getty Images) /

Tennessee Volunteers – BUY

Tennessee has looked great lately against anybody except Auburn and the Tigers probably would have beat anybody on Sunday with the way they were shooting. The Volunteers showed their toughness by beating Kentucky twice at the end of the season after getting beat badly in Lexington. After a two game hiccup that included their loss to Kentucky, Tennessee has gotten back to looking like a possible number one team that they were for about a month during the season.

Will that translate well into the tournament? The good news for the Volunteers is their draw is rather light. In the second round they get either Iowa who just got blown out by Michigan and doesn’t play great defense or a Cincinnati team that has been playing well, but hasn’t exactly looked like a great team either. In Sweet 16 if seeds hold they would see either Villanova or Purdue. Both of those teams have looked great at times this year, but are very inconsistent. Tennessee would be a huge favorite in either one of those games.

That would lead to a probable Elite Eight date with Virginia. While we bought on Virginia making the Final Four, we are also buying on Tennessee. They are a tough matchup for each other and would be a great game, but Tennessee has the ability to score on them and it would probably be a pick em game. With the draws they both got they could be fairly fresh heading into this game and could set up a great game.

Many will pick Tennessee as a trendy upset pick because of their struggles against some top teams and their performance last year, but don’t sleep on them. They have the talent to make it to the Final Four and even win a championship. Don’t get blinded by last year’s results in the tournament. Virginia and Tennessee are both teams you should buy on.

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