No. 6 Cyclones fall to No. 23 Tennessee in Sweet 16
CHICAGO, ILLINOIS - MARCH 27: The Iowa State Cyclones bench looks on against the Tennessee Volunteers during the second half of the Sweet Sixteen round game of the 2026 NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament held at the United Center on March 27, 2026 in Chicago, Illinois. (Photo by Tyler Schank/NCAA Photos via Getty Images) | NCAA Photos via Getty Images CHICAGO — No. 2 seeded Iowa State bowed out of the NCAA Tournament late Friday night with a 76-62 loss to No.
6 seeded Tennessee in the Sweet 16 at the United Center. The Cyclones fall to 0-4 all time inside “The House That Jordan Built”. A pair of seniors, Tamin Lipsey and Nate Heise, led the Cyclones (29-8, 12-6 Big 12) with 18 points each.
Killyan Toure scored nine and Blake Buchanan tallied eight in the loss. Milan Momcilovic connected on a pair of 3-point baskets. Iowa State shot 38.
8 percent on 21-of-54 shooting, going 5-for-23 from 3-point range and 15-of-25 at the free-throw line. Defensively, ISU forced the Volunteers (25-11, 11-7 SEC) into 17 turnovers resulting in 14 points. Tennessee shot 50.
8 percent (30-of-59) from the floor and 31. 8 percent (7-22) from beyond the arc. The Volunteers dominated the rebounding battle, 43-22.