Former Liberty County High School basketball player Jordan McRae will lead Tennessee into the Sweet 16 round of the NCAA men’s basketball tournament tonight in Indianapolis, Ind.
The Volunteers defeated Mercer, 83-63, in the round of 32 on Sunday in Raleigh to advance to the Sweet 16. Tennessee, seeded 11th in the Midwest Region, will face second-seeded Michigan at 7 p.m. on CBS.
McRae, a senior guard, has averaged 18.6 points per game this season and has scored 55 points in his first three tourney games, per espn.com.
According to utsports.com, McRae and Michigan sophomores Mitch McGary (injured) and Glenn Robinson III all participated in the LeBron James Skills Academy last summer in Las Vegas, Nev.
McRae and Robinson III both also attended the 2013 Kevin Durant Skills Academy in Washington, D.C.
On Tuesday, McRae, speaking with CBS Sports Radio personality Scott Ferall, said the Volunteers had to bring strong defense into tonight’s game.
“The Wolverines, they’ve got four great guards that they start,” McRae told Ferall. “The key to that game is on the defensive end and just how it’s been for the whole tournaments for us.”
CBSsports.com named McRae the 42nd best college-basketball player in America and 19th best wing player in America for the 2013-14 season.
The Tennessee-Michigan winner plays the Louisville-Kentucky winner on Sunday for a berth in next weekend’s Final Four in Arlington, Texas. Louisville is the defending national champ.