ESPN panel predicts Tennessee in Final Four, win national championship

Tennessee (26-7) will play in the South region as a No. 3 seed in the NCAA Tournament against 14th-seeded Longwood (26-6) on Thursday.

The Vols won the Southeastern Conference Tournament championship for the first time since 1979.

Ahead of the NCAA Tournament first round, an ESPN panel predicted who they believe will advance to the Final Four and win the national championship.

ESPN panel members predicted Tennessee advancing to the Final Four, while also having the Vols win the national championship.

Below are ESPN’s panel and predictions.

• Kris Budden: Gonzaga, Kentucky, Tennessee, Kansas (champion)

• Jimmy Dykes: Gonzaga, Kentucky, Tennessee (champion), Iowa

• Ted Emrich: Gonzaga (champion), Baylor, Tennessee, Auburn

• Alaina Getzenberg: Gonzaga (champion), Purdue, Tennessee, Auburn

• Doug Kezirian: Gonzaga, Kentucky (champion), Tennessee, Kansas

• Myron Medcalf: Gonzaga (champion), Kentucky, Tennessee, Iowa

• Carolyn Peck: Gonzaga (champion), Kentucky, Tennessee, Kansas

• Brooke Pryor: Gonzaga (champion), Kentucky, Tennessee, Kansas

• Adam Rittenberg: Gonzaga (champion), Kentucky, Tennessee, Kansas

• Michael Rothstein: Gonzaga, Purdue (champion), Tennessee, Iowa

• Marty Smith: Gonzaga, Kentucky, Tennessee (champion), Iowa

• Dick Vitale: Gonzaga, Kentucky (champion), Tennessee, Iowa

• Mark Wise: Gonzaga (champion), Kentucky, Tennessee, Kansas

Brackets: Fill out your NCAA Tournament bracket here!