Time, date for first March Madness game

Tennessee basketball will open the NCAA Tournament at 4:25 p.m. ET on TBS on Friday in Philadelphia.

The No. 6 seed Vols (22-11) face the play-in winner of Miami (Ohio) (31-1) and SMU (20-13), which will be the No. 11 seed in the Midwest Region.

No. 3 seed Virginia (29-5) and No. 14 seed Wright State (23-11) are the possible second-round matchups Sunday if the Vols win the first game. The second weekend would be in Chicago if the Vols advance for the fourth straight time. They have reached two straight Elite Eights after going to the Sweet 16 in 2023 season.

The Vols have made a program-record eight straight NCAA Tournament appearances under coach Rick Barnes. The No. 6 seed is the lowest seed the Vols have had in those eight appearances.

Tennessee basketball NCAA Tournament history under Rick Barnes

Tennessee went to the Elite Eight in 2024 and 2025, going as deep in the tournament as only one other team in UT history. It reached the Sweet 16 in 2019 and 2023 for two of the 10 appearances in program history.

The Vols earned a top-5 seed in each of the first seven tournament appearances under Barnes.

They were a No. 2 seed in 2019, 2024 and 2025. They were a No. 3 seed in the 2018 and 2022 tournaments. They lost in the second round in both seasons.

Tennessee reached the Sweet 16 as a No. 4 seed in 2023 before falling to Florida Atlantic. It was a No. 5 seed in 2021 and was upset by Oregon State in the first round.

UT has 28 NCAA Tournament appearances in program history. It has reached three Elite Eights and has never been to a Final Four.