Tennessee advances to the Elite Eight after a great performance in the second half against the Iowa State Cyclones.
Tennessee advances to the Elite 8 after winning their third contest of March Madness. This was their toughest matchup on paper thus far, and they walked into Chicago and walked out of the arena with a major victory.
The game was against the Iowa State Cyclones, who are one of the more balanced teams, as they have one of the better defenses when it comes to forcing turnovers, but they also have some of the better scorers in the country. The final score of this contest was 76-62. Iowa State couldn't get their stars rolling in time, which didn't help, as they were without their biggest star of the 2025 season. That player was Joshua Jefferson, who was out with an ankle injury after being listed as a game-time decision.Mar 27, 2026; Chicago, IL, USA; Tennessee Volunteers forward Nate Ament speaks with head coach Rick Barnes in the second half against the Iowa State Cyclones during a Sweet Sixteen game of the Midwest Regional of the men's 2026 NCAA Tournament at United Center. Mandatory Credit: Kamil Krzaczynski-Imagn Images | Kamil Krzaczynski-Imagn Images The Cyclones and the Vols were close for the first half of the game, as the Tennessee Volunteers were up by only one point. The star of the first half was Felix Okpara, who finished with 10 points, eight rebounds, and three blocks, all while shooting 4/5 on the half. He was the star for the majority of the game, but the usual players ended up coming up clutch for the Tennessee Volunteers. Those stars are Ja'Kobi Gillespie and Nate Ament. The two stars were great, but could have been even better if they weren't in foul trouble. The Vols jumped out on the Cyclones in the second half, and they never looked back, as some quick buckets and some physical defensive plays allowed them to dominate in the first 10 minutes of the second half. Both teams entered the bonus fairly quickly after questionable foul calls by the ref on both sides of the ball. This had many fans in the arena upset, as there was a great deal of Iowa State fans in attendance, while Vol fans still traveled as usual. The Tennessee Volunteers will now turn their focus to the next round, as they will have a very quick turnaround. The Vols will be playing on Sunday afternoon when they play against the Michigan Wolverines. The Wolverines advanced after defeating the Alabama Crimson Tide on Saturday night. That game was played right before the Vols took the court, which can be viewed as a slight advantage. This is a game that the Vols will be the underdogs in, but if they were to win that contest, they would advance to the Final Four for the first time in program history.Caleb Sisk is a talented sports journalist from the state of Georgia. Originally from Chattanooga, Tennessee, Sisk's passion for sports grew. Bringing years of recruiting coverage experience, he has been named a National Recruiting Reporter and covers various college sites on the On SI network. He takes pride in covering recruiting and has been featured by numerous companies for his excellent coverage and knowledge. He has also spent time at other companies, including Rivals, where he covered the Tennessee Volunteers.Road to the Final Four: March Madness Predictions, Picks for Thursday’s Sweet 16 Games
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