Tennessee Volunteers vs Iowa State Cyclones – Sweet Sixteen Preview – Mar 26, 2026
The Tennessee Volunteers, seeded sixth, are set to compete against the second-seeded Iowa State Cyclones in the Sweet 16 of the NCAA Men’s Division I Basketball Tournament. The game will take place at Hilton Coliseum in Ames, IA, on Thursday, March 26, 2026, at 12:00 PM ET. This postseason game is part of the Midwest Region’s intense college basketball action.
The Tennessee Volunteers are ranked 23rd in the AP poll and come from the Southeastern Conference. Their regular season record stands at 22 wins and 11 losses, with a conference record of 12-8. Meanwhile, the Iowa State Cyclones hold the 6th spot in the AP rankings and play in the Big 12 Conference. They finished the regular season with a strong 27-7 overall record and a conference record of 14-7.
Tennessee Volunteers Team Preview
The Tennessee Volunteers have an overall record of 22-11 in the 2026 regular season. They have a conference record of 12-8 in the Southeastern Conference. Tennessee ranks #23 in the AP poll, showing they are among the stronger teams.
The team scores an average of 79.5 points per game. Their field goal percentage is 46.3%, while they make 16.4 free throws per game. On defense, Tennessee allows 11.4 turnovers per game.
During the postseason, Tennessee’s field goal percentage improved to 52.5%. They also increased their three-point percentage to 45.0%. Nate Ament and Ja’Kobi Gillespie are key players, averaging 17.5 and 18.0 points per game, respectively.
Iowa State Cyclones Team Preview
Iowa State Cyclones ended the regular season with a strong 27-7 overall record. Their conference record stood at 14-7, showing solid performance in the Big 12. In the 2025 postseason, Iowa State made it past the first round but fell in the second round to Ole Miss.
Offensively, the Cyclones averaged 81.8 points per game in the 2026 regular season. They had a field goal percentage of 49.0, ranking them 24th. Their three-point shooting was also notable, with a 38.6% success rate placing them 30th.
On the defensive side, Iowa State recorded 9.0 steals per game. However, they committed 16.0 fouls per game, ranking 371st. In the postseason, they improved their scoring to 95.0 points per game, showing their ability to perform under pressure.
Betting Prediction
Tennessee has shown solid performance, especially in postseason play. They score 78 points per game with a high shooting percentage of 52.5. This indicates they can keep up with Iowa State’s pace and potentially stay within the spread.
Iowa State’s offense is strong, with 81.8 points per game in the regular season. Their defense, however, might struggle against Tennessee’s efficient shooting. If Tennessee capitalizes on their scoring ability, they have a chance to cover the +4.5 spread.
Looking at the betting trends, Tennessee has a strong record as an underdog against the spread. They are 4-2 ATS as underdogs, which suggests they perform well in this scenario. Given their recent postseason stats, Tennessee might cover the spread against Iowa State.
