For the fourth time in the last four years, Tennessee Basketball is officially heading to the Sweet 16. The Volunteers advanced to the second weekend of the NCAA Tournament on Sunday night with a 79-72 win over 3-seed Virginia in Philadelphia, PA. Tennessee finishes its first weekend with a blowout win over Miami (OH) on Friday and a solid victory over Virginia on Sunday.
Tennessee guard Ja’Kobi Gillespie scored 21 points on Sunday to bring his NCAA Tournament total up to 50 points through two games. The Vols had multiple other double-digit scorers, including Nate Ament with 16 points, Bishop Boswell with 13 points, Jaylen Carey with 10 points, and JP Estrella with 10 points.
More From RTI: Three Quick Takeaways As Tennessee Basketball Outlasts Virginia In NCAA Tournament Thriller
Social media users were fired up after Tennessee’s win on Sunday. Check out some of the best reactions on social media below:
Let’s go Vols! @Vol_Hoops pic.twitter.com/2jAseEX5mB
— Jon Gruden (@BarstoolGruden) March 23, 2026
Four straight Sweet 16 appearances for Rick Barnes at Tennessee.
As underappreciated of a head coach as we have in college basketball.
Vols will get Iowa State next week in Chicago.
— Jon Rothstein (@JonRothstein) March 23, 2026
Rick Barnes just keeps churning out Sweet 16 berths in Knoxville. Make it 4 in a row for Tennessee, who outlasts Virginia behind a combined 34 points and 15 assists from Ja’Kobi Gillespie and Bishop Boswell.
AdvertisementVols entered the dance having lost 4 of 6. Forget about it tonight!
— John Fanta (@John_Fanta) March 23, 2026
Crazy stat: Rick Barnes has now won 14 NCAA Tournament games at Tennessee.
Vanderbilt has won 11 NCAA Tournament games in their entire history.
— Chad Withrow (@TheChadWithrow) March 23, 2026
S/O the Vols… headed back to the Sweet 16. RB, one of the best to do it
— Rod Clark (@CoachRodC_IU) March 23, 2026
Couldn’t be my team from the state of Tennessee not making it to the Sweet 16 🍊 pic.twitter.com/uQKae4EGXO
— Ramon Foster (@RamonFoster) March 23, 2026
GOOOOOOD OOOOOOLLLL ROCKY TOP!!! WHOOOOOOO ROCKY TOP TENNESSEE !!! @Vol_Hoops
— Donté L. Stallworth (@DonteStallworth) March 23, 2026
#Vols Weekend Update pic.twitter.com/EPQXA0IH5n
— Jeff Cate (@TheJeffCate) March 23, 2026
CHICAGO we on the way!!!! How Sweet it is!!!! Set it out for .@Vol_Hoops
And give us all the wind in the windy city!!! THAT’S ALL WE KNOW!!! #GoVols #ThatsAllWeKnow pic.twitter.com/XBrvDHtR18Advertisement— Ron Slay (@TheRonSlay) March 23, 2026
Tennessee in the Sweet 16 trying to find Vandy and Kentucky pic.twitter.com/8CNiOE73ky
— Patrick Brown (@pbrown247) March 23, 2026
I’m not okay pic.twitter.com/EMGv8jjWS1
— Barstool UVA (@BarstoolUVA) March 23, 2026
Who had Tennessee going to the round of 16?
— Fanatics Sportsbook (@FanaticsBook) March 23, 2026
Many people think that Tennessee is going to beat Virginia today but they won’t. They’re a #6 seed. Virginia is a #3 seed. Virginia is a much better team and will win BIG!
— Paul Harrison (@PaulieTakes) March 22, 2026
— DRVawl (@DRVawl) March 22, 2026
Before Rick Barnes, the Vols had 7 Sweet Sixteen appearances in 47 years from 1967-2014.
Tennessee has 5 Sweet Sixteen appearances in the last 7 NCAA Tournaments under Barnes, including 4 straight
— Nathanael Rutherford (@Mr_Rutherford) March 23, 2026
Rick Barnes. Four straight Sweet 16s. Looking for a third straight Elite 8.
— Joe Rexrode (@joerexrode) March 23, 2026
4 straight sweet 16s. That makes me smile
— RJ Choppy (@rjchoppy) March 23, 2026
