Add Dennis Gates to the growing list of coaches who believe

Dennis Gates is another coach who thinks Tennessee might win a National Championship; his list of supporters is increasing. Tom Izzo started the compliments at the start of the season during an East Lansing scrimmage. Several more have come after that.

After the Volunteers easily defeated the Tigers in Columbia on Tuesday night, the head coach of Missouri concurs.

“What an incredible team we were tonight,” Gates remarked following the match. “Amazing group. This is, in my opinion, Rick Barnes’ strongest team to date. They have a good amount of equilibrium. Everything you require is available there. That’s what makes a squad win a national title.

Nor was it a very lovely night for Tennessee. Zakai Zeigler and Dalton Knect didn’t have it early on, but the Vols survived thanks to crucial post play and second-chance points from  Aidoo and Tobe Awaka. When Knecht started moving, it was all over.Jonas

It served as a great reminder of Tennessee’s several winning options and a team effort.

“They have great point guard play, assist-to-turnover ratio, shooting, depth, and inside play. They could be the national player of the year.”they have veterans and a ratio,” Gates remarked. “So they’re healthy when you look at their program and where they are in comparison to last year?”

Naturally, Gates was referring to Zakai Zeigler’s injuries sustained at the close of the previous year. In the SEC Tournament of the previous year, Gates and Missouri were able to defeat Tennessee by capitalizing on his absence. The Zeigler injury was especially painful as Tennessee’s victory against Duke created a clear path to the Final Four. But in that game, the Vols faced a fiery FAU squad and desperately needed their sparkplug.

“I believe Zakai Zeigler’s injury from last season hindered their tournament progress, but they’re back to full strength and playing excellently,” Gates said.

Again, there’s nothing like this crew. The standard lights-out defense serves as the foundation for a plethora of other parts and strategies they can use to defeat you. Dalton Knecht, though, elevates them beyond the others. To be honest, this team lost the Missouri game last year. It’s the one on Tuesday night. Rick Barnes has been lacking that player on the squad who can step in and win games ever since Grant and Admiral left.

Over the next three weeks, Tennessee still has a ton of work to attend to. A difficult run that includes Texas A&M, Auburn, at Alabama, at South Carolina, and Kentucky awaits them at the end. All of that will happen prior to the SEC Tournament. Tennessee will get an opportunity to secure their first No.

1 seed in school history, but it won’t be simple at all.

This will be Barnes’ finest opportunity to cause serious damage in the NCAA Tournament since 2019 come March, no matter what happens.