Record-Setting Defense Making Tennessee Volunteers a March Madness Favorite

Tennessee is the top candidate to win the 2023 NCAA tournament. The team has never won it before. Head coach Rick Barnes has fine-tuned a defense that currently rates as the most efficient in more than two decades of KenPom.com data. Memphis was the previous record-holder at 84.2. Opponents are shooting 20.9 percent from three-point range. Houston is holding opponents to 25.1 percent on three pointers. It's unlikely that the team will be able to keep that pace. They are also holding their opponents below 26.4 percent.

Vanderbilt scored 68 points against Tennessee. The Commodores gave up trying to penetrate and started shooting threes. Tennessee's previous 15 opponents were held to 51.2 points per game. They won the Battle 4 Atlantis championship game 64-50. Their defense is good enough to win games, but their offense is a double-edged sword. They have averaged 79.6 points over their last five games. If their offensive regression shows up, they might not be a national champion. It's a little terrifying to bet on them. But they are a team that has a chance to be the best in March.

Noah Shelby, Jordan Wright and Trey Thomas scored for Vanderbilt. Myles Stute made a three-point attempt blocked by Tyreke Key. Colin Smith kicked it out to Shelby for a triple. Tennessee's 7'1" center Uros Plavsic got switched onto 6'6" Jordan.