Tennessee basketball is a No. 4 seed for the first time since 2000, when it reached the Sweet 16.
Duke's frontcourt is going to be a problem for pretty much everyone in the tournament. 11-0 run for the Vols in the final four minutes of the half. 5:55 left: Vols haven't scored in 5 minutes. Vols lead 19-15. Interesting lineup in the game before the media timeout, with Tobe Awaka, Key, Mashack, Julian Phillips and Jonas Aidoo. 2:06 left: Vols have to have a guard make shots when Vescovi is not in the game. Vols lead down to 19-17. 5:14 left: Tyreke Key just ran down a loose ball under his defensive basket, then turned it over to a UL player under the basket, forcing an Awaka foul. Getting closer to out of reach for the Ragin' Cajuns. 3:46 left: Tennessee forces a turnover into the final TV timeout. 5 seed and Oral Roberts is the No. Duke is the No.
The Tennessee Volunteers have outmatched Louisiana in the first round of the NCAA Tournament and advance to the second round.
SportsLine's model revealed its college basketball picks for Louisiana Ragin' Cajuns vs. Tennessee Volunteers during the first round of March Madness 2023.
[Visit SportsLine now to see which side of the Tennessee vs. In addition, Louisiana faces a Tennessee team that has struggled down the stretch. After starting 19-4, the Volunteers have lost six of their last 10 games. In addition, the Volunteers are one of the best rebounding teams in the country. [You can visit SportsLine now to see the model's picks](https://www.sportsline.com/insiders/2023-ncaa-tournament-tennessee-vs-louisiana-prediction-odds-line-spread-picks-for-thursdays-game-from-proven-model/#ttag=03142023_agg_cbssports_picks_basketball_ncaa_model_LouisianaTennesseeCBB). The Volunteers are favored by 11 points in the latest Tennessee vs. [Santiago Vescovi](/college-basketball/players/3156635/santiago-vescovi/) is on a roll. Louisiana](https://www.sportsline.com/college-basketball/game-forecast/NCAAB_20230316_UL@TENN/) and just locked in its picks and March Madness predictions. The Volunteers are 12th in Div. This year, [Louisiana](https://www.cbssports.com/college-basketball/teams/UL/louisiana-ragin-cajuns/) (26-7) takes on Tennessee (23-10), which is coming off a loss to Missouri in the quarterfinals of the SEC tournament. The SportsLine Projection Model simulates every Division I college basketball game 10,000 times. The winner will advance to the second round of the 2023 [NCAA Tournament](/college-basketball/ncaa-tournament/) to face either Duke or Oral Roberts.
NCAA Tournament Updates: No. 4 Tennessee basketball takes on No. 13-seed Louisiana in the opening round.
Vols finished the half on an 11-0 run and didn't allow Louisiana to score over the final 4:43. Ragin' Cajuns are on an 8-0 run because the Vols haven't scored in 6:31 courtesy of a 11 first half turnovers. Tennessee won 61-57 in the round of 48 in Indy in 1982. 4 seed in 2000, UT beat the Ragin' Cajuns in the round of 64 in Birmingham, 63-58. 4-seed Tennessee survives a scare from No. The Ragin' Cajuns' lone win in the series came at the 1985 Sugar Bowl Classic in New Orleans. Tennessee's lead is down to five, 48-43. 4-seed Tennessee basketball plays in the opening round of the NCAA Tournament in Orlando, Florida on Thursday night when it takes on No. GoVols247's Ben McKee and Wes Rucker are sitting courtside at the Amway Center for tonight's late tip between the Vols and Ragin' Cajuns. Tennessee and Louisiana have met twice previously in the NCAA Tournament, with the Volunteers winning both games. ET tip inside of the Amway Center, the home of the Orlando Magic. They'll be providing live coverage all day long on The Checkerboard.
Ahead of the Tennessee-Louisiana first-round matchup, Vols Wire looks at pregame social media buzz. Pregame social media buzz is listed below.
The USA TODAY Sports Bracket Challenge is back! THE BRACKETS ARE BACK! The NCAA men's tournament will crown a champion in Houston. [March 16, 2023] [March 15, 2023] Louisiana won the Sun Belt Conference championship this season. [March 13, 2023] The winner of the Tennessee-Louisiana contest will advance to play the winner between No. [March 12, 2023] 13 seed Louisiana (26-7, 13-5 Sun Belt) at Amway Center in Orlando, Florida on Thursday](https://volswire.usatoday.com/2023/03/12/2023-ncaa-tournament-march-madness-tennessee-vols-basketball-opponent-seed-announced/). 5 Duke and No. 4 seed Tennessee (23-10, 11-7 SEC) will play No.
Louisiana basketball is set to play its first March Madness game in 9 years. Ragin' Cajuns will face Tennessee. Follow live updates here.
[Ragin' Cajuns](https://www.theadvertiser.com/sports/ul/) (26-7) are led by Jordan Brown, who averages 19 points and 8.7 rebounds per game and they'll need a big game from the junior forward [against the No. They led most of the game before the Vols took the lead with less than three minutes to go and held Louisiana off. Follow his Tigers and Cajuns coverage on Twitter: @ByCoryDiaz. 13 seed in Birmingham. [These players helped their 2023 NFL Draft stock at Louisiana football's Pro Day](https://www.theadvertiser.com/story/sports/college/ul/2023/03/15/louisiana-footballs-pro-day-these-players-helped-2023-nfl-draft-stock/69999301007/) [Here are the three things Louisiana basketball needs to upset Tennessee in March Madness](https://www.theadvertiser.com/story/sports/college/ul/2023/03/15/march-madness-louisiana-upset-tennessee-ncaa-tournament/70004132007/)