The No. 2 seed in the Midwest Region Tennessee Volunteers(30-7) will take on the No. 1 seed Houston Cougars(33-4) in the Elite 8 Sunday afternoon. This game will take place in Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis, Indiana.
The Volunteers advanced by defeating No. 4 seed and in-state rival, Kentucky Wildcats to advance to this round. Houston defeated Purdue in a thrilling finish that will remembered for years to come. Which team will win this game and punch their ticket to the Final 4?
Tennessee Volunteers Tournament Summary
Tennessee has looked as dominant as any team in the NCAA Tournament winning each of their games by at least nine points. In their win against Kentucky, Guard Zakai Zeigler led the way with 18 points even though he did not shoot well. As one of the best distributors in the country, Zeigler had 10 dimes.
Guard Chaz Lanier has been great in the 2025 NCAA Tournament and added 17 points. Tennessee is a perennial basketball power, but they are looking for their first Final 4 berth in program history. This is their third Elite 8 appearance and their second consecutive berth in this round. They lost in last year’s tournament to No. 1 seed Purdue.
Houston Cougars Tournament Summary
The Cougars defeated Purdue in a Sweet 16 game for the ages. Guard Milos Uzan made a layup with .8 seconds left to clinch the victory. Uzan led Houston with 22 points after a middling first two tournament games. As was the case during the season, Houston’s defense has been top-notch. That will be their ticket to defeating the Volunteers and advancing to the Final 4.
Head Coach Kelvin Sampson has been great over the last five seasons as he searches for the first National Championship of his illustrious career. Houston’s program is vying for its seventh Final 4 appearance and first title. In 2022, their last trip to the Elite 8, they lost in a low-scoring game to Villanova.
Final Thoughts
Houston is a slight 2.5-point favorite over Tennessee. This is expected to be a low-scoring game. Each side will be relying on its defense to carry the load. The winner will come down to which offense can execute better down the stretch. Both programs are looking to win the tournament this year, but Tennessee’s journey will end Sunday afternoon. Houston has been a more consistent performer this season. That will allow them to prevail in a great game.
