The Tennessee men’s basketball team finds itself in a tricky spot as the 2025-26 season rolls past mid-February. Where the Vols stand for a March Madness bid remains a big question. They’re on the outside looking in for now. The team holds a 16-7 record overall. But that’s not enough to crack the Top 25 in major polls. Not yet anyway.
Volunteers Getting Votes, Not Respect
Polls show Tennessee is on the radar. They got 26 votes in the ESPN AP poll, per ESPN rankings. The Coaches Poll gave them 10 votes. CBS also reported those 26 votes in their AP Top 25 breakdown. But votes don’t get you a number. They dropped out of the Top 25, previously holding the No. 25 spot. That’s a slide.
And it means they got work to do. They need to string some wins together. Other teams in the SEC are doing better. Florida, for example, sits at 17-6 and is ranked 14th. Texas A&M is even in bubble talks. Tennessee isn’t even mentioned in the Men’s Bubble Watch, which was current as of February 10, 2026. That stings a bit.
Missed Shots Hurting Big Time
The problem for the Vols? It’s simple, according to some analysis. “The remedy is simple for the Tennessee men’s basketball team: start making more layups. An abundance of missed shots at the rim cost the Volunteers a …” said CBS Sports. That’s a basic basketball issue. Missing easy buckets adds up. It loses games.
That bad finishing has to change. They can’t keep leaving points on the floor. It’s a fundamental thing. They’re heading into a game against Mississippi State. Getting those inside shots to drop will be huge. It’s a must-fix situation.
March Madness Outlook is Hazy
Right now, Tennessee isn’t in any at-large bid models. Auburn, a team the Vols beat, is still projected with 90%+ odds despite their recent struggles. ESPN’s Bubble Watch mentioned Auburn’s “consecutive losses at Tennessee and then against Alabama at home Saturday.” So, Tennessee did beat a tournament-caliber team, but it hasn’t translated into their own bracket buzz.
They sit eighth in résumé ranking average among potential tournament teams from the SEC. That puts them ahead of Texas A&M, which is 10th. But A&M is still getting more bubble talk. It’s a weird spot. The Vols need to create their own momentum. They gotta show they belong. And they gotta do it now, before time runs out.
