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The final game of the Sweet Sixteen figures to be a defensive grinder as Rick Barnes' Tennessee Volunteers take on T.J. Otzelberger's Iowa State Cyclones. It is unknown whether Iowa State will be without star forward Joshua Jefferson, who is going to be a game-time decision. Make the jump to read some connections, memories, and a final prediction for Tennessee versus Iowa State.
Game #56: (6) Tennessee vs. (2) Iowa State, 9:10 p.m. (CT)/TBS
How Tennessee and Iowa State Arrived at the Sweet Sixteen
#6 Tennessee suffocated First-Four darling #11 Miami (OH) in the first round before "upsetting" #3 Virginia in the second round. Iowa State cruised past #15 Tennessee State, despite losing Jefferson right away, during its first-round victory. After a slow offensive start, Iowa State turned up the defensive intensity against #7 Kentucky, blowing out a tight game in the second half.
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Tennessee's Ideal Path to the Final Four
- Grind past Iowa State.
- Avoid Michigan.
- D up Alabama.
Iowa State's Ideal Path to the Final Four
- Blitz Tennessee.
- Avoid Michigan.
- Swarm Alabama with its defensive energy.
NCAA Tournament Memories of Tennessee versus Iowa State
Tennessee and Iowa State have never met in the NCAA Tournament. Honestly, I am struggling to make any connections between the two programs, though I will amend the post if something comes to me. According to a quick AI search, this will only be the fourth meeting between the schools. They last played in the 2017-18 season, with Tennessee winning 68-45 in Ames, Iowa. Iowa State was coached by Steve Prohm, whom Otzelberger replaced in 2021. Here are some highlights from that game.
Memorable Tennessee Sweet Sixteen Game: Vols Upset OSU
Barnes has Tennessee in its fourth-straight Sweet Sixteen. When I think of Tennessee in the Sweet Sixteen, I go back to a 2010 upset of #2 Ohio State against an Evan Turner-led Buckeyes' squad. That #6 Tennessee team would follow up its upset victory by losing to #5 Michigan State by one point in the Elite Eight.
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Memorable Iowa State Sweet 16 Game: Fizer Runs Over UCLA
Otzelberger has Iowa State in its third Sweet Sixteen during his tenure. The Cyclones lost in this round to Miami (FL) in 2022 and Illinois in 2024. When I think of Iowa State in the Sweet Sixteen, I return to that memorable 2000 team led by Marcus Fizer, Jamaal Tinsley and others. The Cyclones took care of UCLA in the Sweet Sixteen before losing a memorable Elite Eight game against Michigan State. Some have argued that this Elite Eight game between Iowa State and MSU was really the national championship game of the atrocious 2000 NCAA Tournament.
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Prediction: Iowa State Advances to the Elite Eight
Tennessee's defense travels throughout the NCAA Tournament, though Iowa State's blitzing and trapping will overwhelm the Volunteers tonight. Even if Jefferson doesn't play, Iowa State seems collectively committed to the defensive cause, which will spark its offense and propel the Cyclones forward against a Michigan team that will be too big to handle on Sunday.
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