Sometimes living up to the hype is a difficult thing to do. Last year, preseason hype engulfed the Tennessee Volunteers. The Vols were coming off a so-so season in 2019-20, where they finished 68th in KenPom and 9-9 in league play. But they returned almost everyone, and were adding two 5-star freshmen to the roster. Surely that is a recipe for greatness, right?
But Tennessee was a disappointment last year. They vaulted into the top 10 early in the season, mostly on the back of their defense, but the offense bogged down, and multiple players just had disappointing seasons.