ESPN's Joe Lunardi still projects Tennessee basketball as a No. 5 seed in the 2026 NCAA Tournament despite back-to-back losses to Missouri and Alabama.

Lunardi led the Vols to move up one spot on the No. 5 line despite losing two straight games.Heading into the loss to Alabama, they were their third No. 5 seed. They now rank as the second No. 5 team, and the No. 18 team overall in the region, behind Arkansas and ahead of Vanderbilt and St. John's.

The longtime Brickologist predicts that Tennessee opens the tournament in the East Region against No. 12 Yale in Portland, Ore.Tennessee will likely face either No. 4 seed Gonzaga or No. 13 UNC Wilmington in the second round.

Tennessee is one of 10 SEC teams that Lunardi currently projects to make the NCAA Tournament in its latest bracket, which was updated Tuesday morning. Lunardi also has No. 2 Florida, No. 4 Alabama, No. 5 Vanderbilt, No......Arkansas, No........Kentucky, No........Georgia, No..... No. He believes No.. 9 Missouri and No. 11 Texas A&M will make itfield.

Texas A&M is considered one of the teams with a "last four break," while Auburn is the first team to come off the field.

CBS also projects Tennessee as the No. 5 seed despite a loss to Alabama.CBS College Hoops experts currently project the Vols to open the tournament as the No. 5 seed in the Midwest against No.12 Miami (Ohio).The Vols will face either No. 4 Virginia or No. 13 UNC Wilmington in the second round, with a win over the RedHawks.

TENNESSEE NCAA TOURNAMENT STREAM

Tennessee is looking to make its eighth consecutive NCAA Tournament appearance this March.The Vols' current streak of seven straight bids broke Bruce Pearl's six-year streak from 2006-11 for the longest streak in program history.

Tennessee is tied with Houston and Kansas (due to a vacant appearance) for the nation's fourth-longest active NCAA tournament streak, trailing only Michigan State (27), Gonzaga (26) and Purdue (10).

The Vols' current streak includes four of their 11 all-time Sweet 16 appearances (2018, 2023, 2024 and 2025), as well as two of their three all-time trips to the Elite Eight (2024 and 2025).They have finished in the top five in all seven NCAA Tournament appearances under Barnes: 3rd in 2018, 2nd in 2019, 5th in 2021, 3rd in 2022, 4th in 2023, matching the seasons in 2019, 2008 and 2006 for their best position ever.

Tennessee is 12-7 in the NCAA Tournament during Barnes' 11-year tenure on Rocky Top.

No. 23 Tennessee returns to action Tuesday night when it wraps up the final week of the regular season at South Carolina.Tipoff between the Volunteers and Gamecocks is set for 6 p.m.ET on the SEC Network.

The Vols will return home to face Vanderbilt after a trip to Columbia.Tennessee will host their in-state rival this Saturday on the final day of the regular season.The Senior Day announcement is scheduled for 2:00 p.m.on ESPN.