Kentucky vs Iowa State in March Madness Round 2

Wildcats and Cyclones battle for Sweet 16 berth

Mar. 22, 2026 at 2:36pm

Got story updates? Submit your updates here. ›

No. 2 seed Iowa State takes on No. 7 seed Kentucky in the second round of the NCAA Tournament. The Cyclones are coming off a dominant first-round win over Tennessee State, but may be without star forward Joshua Jefferson, who suffered an ankle injury. Kentucky survived an overtime thriller against Santa Clara in the opening round. The winner will advance to the Sweet 16 next week.

Why it matters

This matchup features two teams with high-powered offenses and talented rosters looking to punch their ticket to the Sweet 16. The status of Iowa State's Joshua Jefferson will be a key factor, as he is one of the best players in the country. Kentucky is seeking to make a deep tournament run under second-year head coach Mark Pope.

The details

Iowa State cruised to a 25-point win over Tennessee State in the first round, but the Cyclones may have to play without All-American forward Joshua Jefferson, who suffered an ankle injury early in that game. Jefferson is listed as questionable. Kentucky needed overtime to survive against Santa Clara, with Otega Oweh's buzzer-beater 3-pointer saving the Wildcats' season. Kentucky is also dealing with injuries, as starting point guard Jaland Lowe has been out since January and forward Jayden Quaintance is unlikely to play.

  • The game tips off on Sunday, March 22, 2026 at 2:40 PM Central Time.
  • Iowa State and Kentucky met earlier this season, with the Cyclones winning 71-68 on December 4, 2025.

The players

Joshua Jefferson

An All-American forward for Iowa State who suffered an ankle injury in the first round and is listed as questionable for Sunday's game.

Otega Oweh

The Kentucky guard whose buzzer-beating 3-pointer in overtime saved the Wildcats' season in the first round.

Mark Pope

The second-year head coach of the Kentucky Wildcats, looking to lead his team to the Sweet 16.

T.J. Otzelberger

The head coach of the Iowa State Cyclones, whose team is seeking a spot in the Sweet 16.

Got photos? Submit your photos here. ›

What they’re saying

“Right now, we're continuing to evaluate. It appears unlikely, but you never want to rule anything out, so we'll just continue to do what we can in his best interest and we'll be prepared to go either way.”

— T.J. Otzelberger, Iowa State Head Coach

“I need to feel like myself. What you guys have seen all season from me, being able to be versatile on the floor and make the moves I've been making all year.”

— Joshua Jefferson

What’s next

The winner of this game will advance to the Sweet 16 next week, where they will face the winner of the Virginia/Tennessee matchup in Chicago.

The takeaway

This second-round clash features two teams with high-powered offenses and talented rosters, with the status of Iowa State's Joshua Jefferson being a key factor. The winner will punch their ticket to the Sweet 16, where they will face a tough test against either Virginia or Tennessee.