The tipoff time and broadcast details are set for Tennessee basketball’s Round of 32 matchup against UCLA in the NCAA Tournament.
Tennessee and UCLA will tip off at 9:40 p.m. ET on Saturday night at Rupp Arena in Lexington. TBS and TruTv are both broadcasting the game. It’s the second of two games in Lexington on Saturday. Top-seeded Auburn takes on nine-seed Creighton at 7:10 p.m. ET in the first game of the doubleheader.
Rick Barnes’ 10th Tennessee team is the two-seed in the Midwest Region after earning a 27-7 (12-6 SEC) record entering the NCAA Tournament. It’s the seventh straight season that Tennessee has been in the NCAA Tournament and the second straight year that they’re the two-seed in the Midwest Region.
The Vols advanced to the Round of 32 for the fourth straight season after knocking off Wofford 77-62 on Thursday night. Chaz Lanier was fantastic in his first ever NCAA Tournament game, scoring 29 points on six-of-13 shooting from three-point range.
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Zakai Zeigler was fantastic running the show for Tennessee, totaling a 12-point, 12-assist double-double without turning the ball over. Zeigler became the programs all-time assist leader in the win.
UCLA earned a seven-seed in the NCAA Tournament after posting a 22-10 (13-7 Big 10) over the course of the season. The Bruins finished the regular season strong, winning nine of their final 13 games.
The Bruins routed 10-seed Utah State 72-47 in their opening round game. Skyy Clark and Eric Dailey led UCLA with 14 points while its defense held Utah State to a dreadful four-of-31 shooting from three-point range.
With a win over UCLA/Utah State, the Vols advance to the Sweet 16 for the third straight season and the fourth time in Barnes’ tenure. Tennessee fell to FAU in the Sweet 16 two seasons ago before falling to one-seed Purdue in the Elite Eight last season.
Tennessee is searching for its second Final Four in program history, first they’ll have to knock off the Bruins/Aggies in Saturday’s Round of 32 matchup.
