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The March Madness pool is thinning, and the whirlwind opening weekend is in the books. With the Sweet 16 approaching, each team will be looking to make its final adjustments and lock in on its next opponent.
In the East region, Tennessee (25-10) will face Florida Atlantic (33-3) for a chance to play the winner between Kansas State (25-9) and Michigan State (21-12). This No. 4 vs. No. 9 seed matchup will take place on Thursday at 9 p.m. EST on TBS.
Tennessee enters after a convincing victory over Duke in the round of 32. The Volunteers' 65-52 triumph was never truly in doubt and was more comfortable than the 58-55 win they produced over Louisiana in the opening round.
They are led by senior Santiago Vescovi, who averages 12.7 points per game. Against Duke, Vescovi finished with 14 points, five rebounds, five assists, two steals and a block in 38 minutesy. It was Olivier Nkamhoua who exploded for 27 points in the victory and largely made the difference.
This season, Tennessee has allowed opponents the third-fewest points in the country at 57.8 ppg and is holding opponents to just 26.4% on 3-point attempts, which is the best in the nation. They will need this defense to make a strong impact against the run-and-gun style of Florida Atlantic.
The Owls have emerged as a surprise villain in the tournament after knocking out 16-seeded Fairleigh Dickinson and disrespectfully attempting a dunk when they could have just dribbled things out. After FAU squeezed past Memphis 66-65 in the first round and its offense being too much for FDU 78-70 in the second round, Tennessee will be a significantly more difficult test.
Florida Atlantic has had an impressive seasonl. They average 78.4 ppg, which ranks 32nd in the nation, and hold opponents to just 65.1 ppg, which is the 44th-best rate. The Owls love to get up and down the floor and launch 3-pointers, but will live or die with how their shots fall.
Florida Atlantic vs. Tennessee prediction:
The performance against Duke was among the most impressive victories for Tennessee all season. If the Vols can continue to play like this, there are very few teams that can stop them, and Florida Atlantic does not crack this list.
Expect the Volunteers to come out with a focused effort and for their well-rounded roster to make a difference. With first-seeded Purdue and second-seeded Marquette already eliminated from the East, things have opened up for Tennessee to come out of the group.
The Volunteers are the more talented team and are playing some great basketball, so expect Tennessee to find a way to come out on top in this matchup.
