Where will Tennessee likely play its first 2024 March Madness games? Here's what we know.

Devarrick Turner, Knoxville News Sentinel

Tennessee basketball is in the mix to be a top seed in the 2024 NCAA Tournament. If the Vols advance past four rounds, the final destination would be Glendale, Arizona, but where will their journey start?

Latest NCAA projections ahead of Selection Sunday (March 17) have Tennessee in the West Regional with its first and second rounds most likely being played at Spectrum Center in Charlotte, North Carolina, March 21-23. The West Regional runs through Los Angeles.

ESPN's Joe Lunardi has the Vols as the No. 1 seed playing in Charlotte against the winner of the No. 16 seed play-in game between Stetson and Merrimack. No. 8 Dayton and No. 9 Oklahoma are a potential second-round opponents.

CBS Sports' Jerry Palm also has Tennessee as the No. 1 seed facing the winner of Stetson and Merrimack for the opening Charlotte game. Palm predicts either No. 8 Gonzaga or No. 9 Texas would be second-round opponents.

If you’d to like to watch the Vols play live, tickets to the Charlotte games are starting around $50 via Ticketmaster.com as of March 13. Other ticket options are available at ncaatickets.com. Driving to Charlotte from Knoxville takes around 3 hours and 50 minutes.

But this could all change depending on how the Vols fare at the SEC Tournament at Nashville's Bridgestone Arena.

Follow live Sunday Selection coverage on knoxnews.com.

Where else could Tennessee play opening March Madness rounds?

Tennessee’s potential No. 1 seed and the location of its opening games hang on whether the Vols are able to advance and win the SEC Tournament championship on Sunday, March 17. Tennessee is the No. 1 seed as the SEC regular-season champions.

If the Vols are not a No. 1 seed, here are other cities where Tennessee could play the first two March Madness rounds:

  • Brooklyn, New York, at Barclays Center (March 22-24)

  • Indianapolis at Gainbridge Fieldhouse (March 22-24)

  • Omaha, Nebraska, at CHI Health Center (March 21-23)

  • Pittsburgh at PPG Paints Arena (March 21-23)

  • Salt Lake City at Delta Center (March 21-23)

  • Spokane, Washington at Spokane Veterans Memorial Arena *March 22-24)

  • Memphis, Tennessee, at FedEX Forum (March 22-24)

Tennessee basketball's NCAA Tournament history under Rick Barnes

The Vols have reached five consecutive NCAA Tournaments, making it to the Sweet 16 a year ago. The streak started during coach Rick Barnes' third year leading the program during the 2017-18 season.

The Vols earned a top-five seed in each of the five tournament appearances. They were a No. 2 seed for the third time in program history in 2019 when they reached the Sweet 16. They were a No. 3 seed in the 2018 and 2021 tournaments. They lost in the second round in those seasons.

UT has 25 NCAA Tournament appearances in program history. It has reached one Elite Eight and has never been to a Final Four.

Knox News Tennessee athletics reporter Mike Wilson contributed to this report.

Devarrick Turner is a trending news reporter. Email devarrick.turner@knoxnews.com. On X, formerly known as Twitter @dturner1208.

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Where the Tennessee Vols play their first games in in 2024 NCAA Tournament could hinge on how the team fares at the SEC Tournament at Nashville's Bridgestone Arena.
Where the Tennessee Vols play their first games in in 2024 NCAA Tournament could hinge on how the team fares at the SEC Tournament at Nashville's Bridgestone Arena.

This article originally appeared on Knoxville News Sentinel: What we know about Tennessee basketball 2024 March Madness games

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