Tennessee, Miami (Ohio) to face off in March Madness Round 1

Vols and Redhawks meet in NCAA Tournament opener on TBS

Mar. 20, 2026 at 7:10am

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The No. 6 seed Tennessee Volunteers will take on the No. 11 seed Miami (Ohio) Redhawks in the first round of the 2026 NCAA Tournament. The game will be broadcast on TBS and is set to tip off at 4:25 p.m. ET on Friday, March 20 from Xfinity Mobile Arena in Philadelphia.

Why it matters

This matchup has the potential to be one of the biggest upsets of the opening round, as the Redhawks secured their spot in the tournament after defeating SMU in the First Four, while the Vols enter as a 6-seed with more points per game and higher-scoring players. However, Miami (Ohio) has passion, motivation and energy that could give them an edge against the more experienced Tennessee squad.

The details

Tennessee and Miami (Ohio) have faced off six times in history, with the Vols holding a 4-2 series lead. Their most recent matchup came in 1999, when Tennessee won at home. The Redhawks will look to pull off the upset and prove they belong in the NCAA Tournament, while the Vols aim to advance in the opening round.

  • The game is set to tip off at 4:25 p.m. ET on Friday, March 20.

The players

Tennessee Volunteers

The No. 6 seed in the 2026 NCAA Tournament, the Tennessee Volunteers have more points per game and higher-scoring players than their first-round opponent.

Miami (Ohio) Redhawks

The No. 11 seed Redhawks secured their spot in the tournament after defeating SMU 89-79 in the First Four. They will look to pull off the upset against Tennessee with their passion, motivation and energy.

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What’s next

The winner of this first-round matchup will advance to face the winner of the game between the No. 3 seed and the No. 14 seed in the next round of the 2026 NCAA Tournament.

The takeaway

This game has the potential to be a thrilling upset, as the underdog Redhawks look to prove they belong in the tournament by taking down the more experienced Vols squad. The outcome could come down to which team can best harness their passion, motivation and energy on the court.