Time, date vs Virginia in March Madness

Tennessee basketball will play Virginia at 6:10 p.m. ET on TNT on Sunday in Philadelphia for a spot in the Sweet 16.

The No. 6 seed Vols (23-11) face the No. 3 seed Cavaliers (30-5) in a second-round game at Xfinity Mobile Arena.

Tennessee beat No. 11 seed Miami (Ohio) 78-56 in its opener Friday, ending the Redhawks season with a 32-2 record. Virginia beat No. 14 seed Wright State 82-73 in the first game Friday.

Ja’Kobi Gillespie had 29 points in Tennessee’s win, including hitting six 3-pointers. J.P. Estrella had a 14-point, 10-rebound double-double.

Cavaliers guard Jacari White had 26 points with six 3-pointers in Virginia’s win.

The Vols have a 6-8 record in their history against Virginia. They won the lone meeting under Vols coach Rick Barnes, a 64-42 win in the Baha Mar Championship in the 2024-25 season.

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.