No. 6 Tennessee Faces No. 3 Virginia in March Madness Showdown

Vols look to advance to Sweet 16 for fourth straight time against tough Cavaliers squad.

Mar. 22, 2026 at 10:00am

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Tennessee basketball is back in the second round of the NCAA Tournament and looking to advance to the Sweet 16 for the fourth straight time when the Vols face Virginia on Sunday at Xfinity Mobile Arena. Tipoff is scheduled for 6:10 p.m. Eastern Time on TNT.

Why it matters

This matchup features two highly ranked teams with strong defensive and offensive capabilities. Tennessee is seeking to continue its recent March Madness success, while Virginia is looking to make a deep tournament run in its first year under new head coach Ryan Odom.

The details

Tennessee (23-11), the No. 6 seed in the Midwest Region, beat No. 11 Miami (Ohio) 78-56 on Friday. Virginia (30-5), the No. 3 seed, pulled away late to beat No. 14 Wright State 82-73 in the first round. Tennessee is No. 12 in KenPom defense, giving up 94.5 points per 100 possessions, and No. 33 on offense, at 121.1 points per 100 possessions. Virginia is No. 17 overall in KenPom, No. 16 in adjusted defensive efficiency, and No. 28 on offense.

  • Tipoff is scheduled for 6:10 p.m. Eastern Time on Sunday, March 24, 2026.
  • Tennessee beat UCLA 67-58 in the second round last season and Texas 62-58 in 2024 on their way to the Elite Eight.

The players

Thijs De Ridder

Leads Virginia in scoring at 15.4 points per game and rebounding at 6.2 per game.

Malik Thomas

Virginia guard averaging 12.4 points per game.

Sam Lewis

Virginia guard averaging 10.8 points per game.

Rick Barnes

Tennessee's head coach, leading the Vols to their seventh second-round appearance in eight March Madness trips.

Ryan Odom

In his first year as Virginia's head coach after the Cavaliers finished second in the ACC.

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What they’re saying

“Tennessee is back in the second round of the NCAA Tournament and looking to advance to the Sweet 16 for the fourth straight time.”

— Grant Ramey, Author

What’s next

The winner of the Tennessee-Virginia matchup will advance to the Sweet 16 of the NCAA Tournament.

The takeaway

This second-round clash between two highly ranked teams will be a tough test for both squads as they look to extend their tournament runs. Tennessee's recent March Madness success and Virginia's stifling defense should make for an exciting and competitive game.