NCAA Sweet 16: Tennessee vs Iowa State Preview, Odds, Predictions (March 27)

• The Volunteers sent home Virginia in the second round.
• The Cyclones eliminated Kentucky in the Round of 32.
• This marks the fourth all-time matchup between the two squads.

The Sweet 16 of the 2026 NCAA Tournament comes to a close on the March 27 schedule as the Tennessee Volunteers take on the Iowa State Cyclones. The latter comes out as the slight favorite, paving the way for a great showdown to see who gets to advance to the Elite Eight.

How to Watch

• When: Friday, March 27, 10:10 pm ET
• Where: United Center, Chicago, Illinois
• How to Watch: TBS/truTV

NCAA Matchup Odds & Lines

Game Preview

The Volunteers (24-11) make their way to the Sweet 16 of March Madness, blowing out Miami (OH) in the first round and eliminating Virginia in the second round. Ja’Kobi Gillespie finished with 21 points on 6-of-14 shooting from the field, including 3-of-5 beyond the arc, and a perfect 6-of-6 at the line. Nate Ament totaled 16 points, 13 of which came in the second half, and went 7-of-8 at the line. Boswell finished with a co-career-high 13 points and a career-best nine assists.

The Cyclones (29-7) cruised to their victory in the first round, lighting up Tennessee State in blowout fashion before taking down Kentucky in the Round of 32. Tamin Lipsey stepped up and posted a career day, producing a double-double of 26 points and 10 assists throughout the game. Meanwhile, Milan Momcilovic, finished with 20 points and connected on four 3-pointers. Nate Heise had 12 points and Killyan Toure added 10 in the victory.

Tennessee vs Iowa State Head-to-Head

The two programs have had three meetings in their history, and the result is 2-1 for the Volunteers. The last matchup was in January 2018 when Tennessee won 68-45 on the road.

Tennessee vs Iowa State Predictions

The winner of this matchup will take on the victors between Michigan and Alabama in the Elite Eight. This game rightfully stands out as a tossup as a spot in the next round is on the line. Tennessee will need more big nights from Ja’Kobi Gillespie and Nate Ament while Iowa State requires Milan Momcilovic to assert himself throughout the night. The matchup will go down to the wire as the Cyclones might have the edge in making more clutch plays in the final minutes. Our betting pick here is the Cyclones to defend a 4-point spread.

• Free NCAAB pick: Iowa State Cyclones -4