The No. 2 seed in the Midwest Region Tennessee Volunteers(28-7) will take on No. 7 seed UCLA Bruins(23-10) in the 2nd Round of the 2025 NCAA Tournament. This game will take place in Lexington, Kentucky at the historic Rupp Arena on Saturday night.
Tennessee advanced following a dominant win over Wofford. The Bruins blew out the Utah State Aggies to keep their dancing shoes on. These teams last faced off in 1977. UCLA won 103-89. Who will win this marquee matchup and punch their ticket to the Sweet Sixteen?
Tennessee Starts Tournament With a Solid Performance
The Volunteers played a good game against Wofford in the Round of 64. They won 77-62 to set up a game with the Bruins. The Vols had a strong day on offense. They shot 48.1% from the field and 35.7% from three-point range. It was not all smooth sailing for the No. 2 seed as they struggled to defend the three. The Terriers knocked down 11 three-pointers in the loss. That is something Tennessee must shore up heading into Saturday’s game.
Tennessee’s offense was led by Guard Shaz Lanier. He tied his season high with 29 points in the victory. Guard Zakai Zeigler, one of the nation’s best distributors, added 12 assists. Both of these key players must continue playing well for the team to reach its full potential.
UCLA Dominates In Opening Round
The Bruins dispatched Utah State with ease 72-47. The blowout victory allowed UCLA to rest their key players heading into Saturday night’s showdown. UCLA shot 48.1% from the floor and 41.7% from three-point range in the victory.
The team used a committee-like approach to advance. They had three players score in double figures. UCLA’s leading scorer, Tyler Bilodeau, was limited to 9 points on 4-of-9 shooting from the field. He has struggled as of late. Bilodeau must break out of his slump for the Bruins to defeat the Volunteers.
Final Thoughts
Tennessee is a 4.5-point favorite in this game. That signifies this 2nd Round game could go either way. Both teams had strong offensive performances to begin the NCAA Tournament. They are looking for a repeat of that performance Saturday night. The Volunteers have been the more consistent team this season. That should help them prevail in a close game.
