The Official #6 [2] Tennessee vs. [7] UCLA Game Three, 9:40 PM ET, TBS/TruTV

[YankeeVol]

Men's Basketball Championship - Midwest Region - 2nd Round

#6 [2] Tennessee Volunteers: 28-7 (12-6 SEC)

vs.

[7] UCLA Bruins: 23-10 (13-7 B10)

GAME 36 | TENNESSEE vs. UCLA - Saturday, March 22, 2025 | 9:40 p.m. ET | Lexington, Ky. | Rupp Arena (20,500)

Line: UT -5.5
O/U: 130.5

TV: TBS/TruTV / Watch
Radio: Vol Network / Listen
Satellite Radio: SiriusXM: 208 & 201 / Internet: ---
Online: March Madness Live

UCLA Game Notes

 

[YankeeVol]

THE MATCHUP

• The only prior matchup came on 1/30/77, when #8 UCLA defeated #7 Tennessee, 103-89, in Atlanta.
• Tennessee owns a 35-44 all-time record against the current Big Ten membership. That includes a 66- 64 road win on 12/14/24 at Illinois on a Jordan Gainey buzzer-beater.
• Rick Barnes is 41-40 versus the current Big Ten members, including 8-8 at Tennessee with wins over seven different teams.
• Barnes was 3-1 against UCLA at Texas: a 63-61 road win on 12/2/07, a 68-64 home win on 12/4/08, a 69-59 road win on a 12/3/11 and a 65-63 home loss on 12/8/12.
• The lone prior meeting between Mick Cronin and Rick Barnes came on 3/16/12 in the NCAA Round of 64, a 65-59 Cincinnati win over Texas in Nashville, Tenn.
• UT beat Cronin-led Murray State, 64-53, on 11/30/05 in Nashville.
• UCLA, making its fourth NCAA Round of 32 appearance in the last five years, tied for fourth in its first season in the Big Ten.
• Junior forward Tyler Bilodeau, a Third Team All-Big Ten choice, paces the Bruins with 13.5 ppg.

 

[YankeeVol]

NEWS & NOTES

• Jahmai Mashack is from Fontana, Calif., just 66 miles east of UCLA. This is his second time facing a home-state school while at UT. The Volunteers defeated USC, 73- 66 (OT), in the Battle 4 Atlantis semifinals on 11/24/22 in Paradise Island, Bahamas, en route to winning the title.
• In the victory over Wofford, Zakai Zeigler became, per Elias Sports Bureau, the sixth player in the last 50 years (1975-2025) with 12 points, 12 assists and no turnovers in NCAA Tournament play, joining Colorado's McKinley Wright IV (2021), UCLA's Earl Watson (2000), Bradley's Jim Les (1986), Indiana's Isiah Thomas (1981) and Missouri's Larry Drew (1980).
• Chaz Lanier scored 29 points in his NCAA Tournament debut, good for the third-most ever by a Volunteer in the event and the most in a win. His six 3-pointers tied UT's single-game record in NCAA Tournament action.
• Lanier (116) is now just two made 3-pointers shy of the Tennessee single-season record of 118, set in 2007-08 by Chris Lofton.
• The Vols are 29-27 all-time in NCAA Tournament play, including 10-6 under Rick Barnes, who has the most such wins in program history. More on Pages 10-11.
• Tennessee is looking to reach the NCAA Sweet 16 for the third straight year. It would be the first such instance in program history.
• With 834 wins, Rick Barnes is tied with John Calipari for ninth all- time (min. 10 years in DI) and for the most among active coaches.
• Zakai Zeigler's 254 assists, a UT single-season best, are six shy of the SEC record (260 by Sean Tuohy 1979-80). His 726 career assists are a program record and the third-most in SEC history.
• Tennessee's 199 wins over the last eight seasons (2017-25) rank co-sixth in DI, alongside Auburn, Liberty and Saint Mary's. Only Gonzaga (239), Houston (239), Duke (216), Kansas (212) and Purdue (205) own more.
• The Vols, who reached 25 regular season victories for the third time, are in seeking their third 29-win campaign. They went 31-6 in 2018- 19 and 31-5 in 2007-08.

 

[YankeeVol]

QUITE THE CAMPAIGN

• Tennessee's nine AP top-25 wins this season are its most ever, eclipsing the seven it had in both 2023- 24 and 2021-22. It has tallied at least seven in three of the last four years after never before doing so.
• UT has seven AP top-15 wins this year, passing 2021- 22 (six) for the most in school history. The Vols had five in 2022-23, giving them five-plus in three of the last four years after never before hitting that mark.
• This is the third time in program history, including the second in Rick Barnes' tenure, the Vols have logged four AP top-seven (or even AP top-10) victories in a single season, joining 2021-22 and 1976-77.
• Tennessee has 25-plus wins in a season for the ninth time, including the sixth under Rick Barnes (all in the last eight years) and the fourth in a row. It reached 25 victories in the regular season for the third time, joining 2018-19 (27-4) and 2007-08 (28-3).
• The Volunteers own 28-plus wins for the fourth time (second under Barnes). They went 31-6 in 2018-19, 28-9 in 2009-10 and 31-5 in 2007-08.

 

[volz2wallz]

GBO!!

 

[ttocswob]

VolNation is BACK!!!

Just hang on thru tonight, and more March Mashackness!!!

 

[posivol]

GBO

 

[Chris4Vols22]

I'm a little nervous about this one, but I think we win by 7-10 points if we are focused.

 

[camp_steveo]

Go Vols!

 

[Shrimp&Grits&Vols]

Feeling a Gainey game tonight

 

[ABtheVolsfan92]

If we lose tonight I get the sense Barnes may mull over retiring. I have heard he only will if we go deep but I would think the opposite if he's not getting any closer to a title and losing 5 core players

 

[DirtyDawg]

Good stuff @YankeeVol you have given me some insight into tonight’s game, and while I’m not a Vol and certainly won’t be sporting an orange jersey, I’m pulling for you! As I’ve stated before, I love me some ZZ! That little guy can ball!!! I wish you guys the best of luck, I’ll be watching and rooting for you!

 

[CornbreadVol]

Good stuff @YankeeVol you have given me some insight into tonight’s game, and while I’m not a Vol and certainly won’t be sporting an orange jersey, I’m pulling for you! As I’ve stated before, I love me some ZZ! That little guy can ball!!! I wish you guys the best of luck, I’ll be watching and rooting for you!

Never thought I could like a UGA fan…first time for everything

 

[General Jack]

Our tourney starts in earnest tonight.

 

[DonDiego]

Feeling a Gainey game tonight

Nice avatar...double diamonds.

 

[brubaker]

Igor needs to really step up tonight. He's been off for about a month....

 

[knoxvol52]

Just win and advance. By 1 point or by 20 points, it's all a win.

 

[Berry4Heisman14]

So if we win it’ll be Kentucky or Illinois? Although we beat Illinois once, that’s a brutal sweet sixteen option. 2 good teams

 

[JohnWardForever]

The only prior matchup came on 1/30/77, when #8 UCLA defeated #7 Tennessee, 103-89, in Atlanta. Remember it well. Ucla shot like 60% in the first half.. Huge game buildup and Tenn got smoked. Excruciating.

 

[JohnWardForever]

So if we win it’ll be Kentucky or Illinois? Although we beat Illinois once, that’s a brutal sweet sixteen option. 2 good teams

Kentucky will beat Illinois.

 

[Unconditional Surrender]

I actually think we are going ot get one of the easiest Sweet 16 opponents in the field.

 

[HeuperDrive]

So if we win it’ll be Kentucky or Illinois? Although we beat Illinois once, that’s a brutal sweet sixteen option. 2 good teams

I really hate the idea of playing either one again. Illinois gave us hell and Kentucky has already beaten us twice.

I liked this bracket when it was announced, but it’s honestly turning out to be one of the hardest. People on here are trying to discount UCLA, but tonight’s gonna be a tough one too. I think we can handle it, obviously, but it’s not as easy of a path as we initially thought

 

[JohnWardForever]

What are your thoughts Vol Fans? Nobody really giving predictions. Vols are -5 . Vols by 10? 7-5-3-2? Or do we lose this thing?

 

[Caz]

What are your thoughts Vol Fans? Nobody really giving predictions. Vols are -5 . Vols by 10? 7-5-3-2? Or do we lose this thing?

I’m not gonna lie, this matchup scares me because of the size of UCLA and the fact they’ve played well down the stretch and have proven they can make shots. I feel we eke out a victory 72-68 and I’ll be nervous all might

 

[Unconditional Surrender]

If we lose it will be because we got beat on the boards.