How to watch: No. 6 Tennessee vs. No. 2 Iowa State in the Sweet 16

Mar 22, 2026; Philadelphia, PA, USA; Tennessee Volunteers forward Nate Ament (10) dribbles the ball against the Virginia Cavaliers in the second half during a second round game of the men's 2026 NCAA Tournament at Xfinity Mobile Arena. Mandatory Credit: Kyle Ross-Imagn Images | Kyle Ross-Imagn Images Tennessee appears in its fourth straight Sweet 16 tonight, set to face the No. 2 seed Iowa State Cyclones in Chicago.

The Volunteers got through Miami-Ohio and Virginia to get here, while the Cyclones beat Tennessee State and Kentucky. It’s just the fourth ever time the schools have met on the hardwood. Tennessee holds a 2-1 advantage, with the last win coming back in 2018.

The Volunteers are looking for their third consecutive Elite Eight appearance, and of course, that elusive spot in the Final Four. Not many gave this Rick Barnes team a chance, as the Volunteers sputtered down the stretch while dealing with an injury to Nate Ament. The 5-star wing still isn’t up to 100 percent, but senior point guard Ja’Kobi Gillespie has picked up the offensive slack in a big way.

That will need to continue tonight against a stingy Iowa State group. The Cyclones are one of the best in the nation defensively and rank sixth nationally in forcing turnovers. All eyes will be on the status of Joshua Jefferson, Iowa State’s second-leading scorer and leading rebounder, who will be listed as a game-time decision.