Ja’Kobi Gillespie confessed, sure, he was making an attempt to succeed in 30 factors when he attacked the lane late in Tennessee‘s March Madness rout, just for any individual to smack his arm.
Gillespie’s wayward shot try became a lob and a basket for a teammate in a sport the place even little slipups resulted in factors for the Volunteers.
Gillespie hit six 3-pointers and scored 29 factors as sixth-seeded Tennessee ended a superb season for Miami (Ohio) with a 78-56 win Friday within the first spherical of the NCAA match.
“When he starts making shots, he’s unstoppable to guard him,” Volunteers ahead J.P. Estrella mentioned. “When we get him in a flow, there’s nothing teams can really do about him.”
The Volunteers (23-11) shook off a tough end to the season — shedding 4 of six video games — and superior to play third-seeded Virginia on Sunday within the Midwest Region.
Gillespie hit 5 3s within the first half to assist the Volunteers push forward by 20 and squash any likelihood the Eleventh-seeded RedHawks (32-2) may carry over from their First Four win and pull off a signature victory.
The Volunteers did nearly all the things proper and confirmed once more why — regardless of the seed — they’re a perennial risk to go deep in March. Led by Gillespie, the Volunteers made 12 of 19 pictures to begin the sport, together with lengthy 3s and 20 fast factors within the paint.
Just so as to add yet one more intestine punch to Miami, Ethan Burg hit a 3 on the first-half buzzer for a 51-32 lead.
“It took maybe our best half of the year to beat them today,” Tennessee coach Rick Barnes mentioned.
About the one factor Gillespie did not do was rating 30, which solely two different Volunteers have carried out within the NCAA match. His misfired dunk became a lob to Felix Okpara.
“I was trying to dunk it,” Gillespie mentioned with fun.
“He thought he was going to dunk it? He can’t dunk in traffic,” Barnes quipped.
Estrella had 14 factors and 10 rebounds for the Volunteers. Peter Suder was the lone Miami participant in double digits with 27 factors.
“This loss doesn’t take away what we have done all year,” Suder mentioned.
Gillespie, who was 11-of-21 from the ground and 6-of-11 on 3s, is only one of many standouts having fun with March success in a brand new uniform because of the switch portal. He began 36 video games final season and averaged 14.7 factors, taking pictures 40.7% from 3-point vary, to assist Maryland attain the Sweet 16.
Had Gillespie peeked on the scoreboard, he may have caught a Villanova update. Kevin Willard, final season’s Maryland coach, had the Wildcats within the match.
What has remained a continuing in March is Tennessee successful. The Volunteers have been a top-six seed in all eight of their NCAA match appearances underneath Barnes. They are 8-3 general previously three tournaments.
The Volunteers are attempting to interrupt by and attain the Final Four after the previous two tournaments ended with losses within the Elite Eight. Virginia is 8-6 within the sequence, with the final win coming in 2024.
Miami had a March spotlight when it beat SMU within the First Four for its first NCAA match victory in 27 years. It went 31-0 throughout a captivating common season — the one Division I crew to go unbeaten in 2025-26 and the eighth previously 50 years.
“When he starts making shots, he’s unstoppable to guard him. When we get him in a flow, there’s nothing teams can really do about him.”
J.P. Estrella on Vols teammate Ja’Kobi Gillespie
The RedHawks misplaced their MAC match opener and needed to wait and see if their dazzling report was sufficient to get within the subject due to a schedule that ranked 339th in general power and featured no Quadrant 1 video games.
“Our team has had a heck of a journey,” coach Travis Steele mentioned. “The quality of human beings that we have in our locker room, man, we’re everything that’s right about college athletics, in my opinion.”
Liam Quigley was the lone member of the Miami swim crew who drove to Philadelphia to look at the sport. The swimmers created some excitement late within the season once they began rooting on the basketball crew in nothing however their Speedos, goggles and swim caps.
Their recognition exploded once they seized the stands behind the basket within the First Four and waved their arms to supply an almost nude distraction on SMU’s free throw makes an attempt.
Quigley, in purple and white overalls, traveled from the First Four web site in Dayton, Ohio, and had a seat close to a nonswimmer RedHawks fan who painted his face and chest purple.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
