To put it mildly, Tennessee’s path to the NCAA Tournament wasn’t typical. After defeating the Alabama Crimson Tide, who appear to be the best team in the sport, the Vols, who started the season ranked among the general consensus top eight teams in college basketball, moved up to the No. 2 spot.

But in the final stretch, they found it difficult. Midway through the season, many believed the Tigers’ chances of making it to the conference tournament were slim to none, but Missouri passed them in the SEC standings and awarded the Tigers a double-bye. Tennessee finished the pre-tournament schedule on a negative note, losing to Missouri after defeating a subpar Ole Miss team in the SEC Tournament.

March, as we all know, is when everything goes out the window. When they faced Louisiana, the Vols weren’t exactly playing their style of basketball, but they eventually found their winning formula. They played to their strength because they have one of the best defenses in America.