DeWayne Brown II throws down a nasty poster for Tennessee (0:16)DeWayne Brown II doesn’t hold back as he throws down a nasty poster for the Volunteers. (0:16)
ESPN News ServicesMultiple AuthorsMar 20, 2026, 06:52 PM ET
Ja’Kobi Gillespie confessed, yes, he was trying to reach 30 points when he attacked the lane late in Tennessee’s March Madness rout, only for somebody to smack his arm.
Gillespie’s wayward shot attempt turned into a lob and a basket for a teammate in a game where even little slipups resulted in points for the Volunteers.
Gillespie hit six 3-pointers and scored 29 points as sixth-seeded Tennessee ended a fabulous season for Miami (Ohio) with a 78-56 win Friday in the first round of the NCAA tournament.
The Volunteers (23-11) shook off a rough end to the season — losing four of six games — and advanced to play third-seeded Virginia on Sunday in the Midwest Region.
Gillespie hit five 3s in the first half to help the Volunteers push ahead by 20 and squash any chance the 11th-seeded RedHawks (32-2) could carry over from their First Four win and pull off a signature victory.
Just to add one more gut punch to Miami, Ethan Burg hit a 3 at the first-half buzzer for a 51-32 lead.
Estrella had 14 points and 10 rebounds for the Volunteers. Peter Suder was the lone Miami player in double digits with 27 points.
Gillespie, who was 11-of-21 from the floor and 6-of-11 on 3s, is just one of many standouts enjoying March success in a new uniform thanks to the transfer portal. He started 36 games last season and averaged 14.7 points, shooting 40.7% from 3-point range, to help Maryland reach the Sweet 16.
Had Gillespie peeked at the scoreboard, he could have caught a Villanova update. Kevin Willard, last season’s Maryland coach, had the Wildcats in the tournament.
What has remained a constant in March is Tennessee winning. The Volunteers have been a top-six seed in all eight of their NCAA tournament appearances under Barnes. They are 8-3 overall in the past three tournaments.
The Volunteers are trying to break through and reach the Final Four after the past two tournaments ended with losses in the Elite Eight. Virginia is 8-6 in the series, with the last win coming in 2024.
Miami had a March highlight when it beat SMU in the First Four for its first NCAA tournament victory in 27 years. It went 31-0 during a captivating regular season — the only Division I team to go unbeaten in 2025-26 and the eighth in the past 50 years.
The RedHawks lost their MAC tournament opener and had to wait and see if their dazzling record was enough to get in the field because of a schedule that ranked 339th in overall strength and featured no Quadrant 1 games.
Liam Quigley was the lone member of the Miami swim team who drove to Philadelphia to watch the game. The swimmers created some excitement late in the season when they started rooting on the basketball team in nothing but their Speedos, goggles and swim caps.
Their popularity exploded when they seized the stands behind the basket in the First Four and waved their arms to provide a nearly nude distraction on SMU’s free throw attempts.
Quigley, in red and white overalls, traveled from the First Four site in Dayton, Ohio, and had a seat near a nonswimmer RedHawks fan who painted his face and chest red.
DeWayne Brown II throws down a nasty poster for Tennessee (0:16)DeWayne Brown II doesn’t hold back as he throws down a nasty poster for the Volunteers. (0:16)
“It took maybe our best half of the year to beat them today,” Tennessee coach Rick Barnes said.
“I was trying to dunk it,” Gillespie said with a laugh.
“He thought he was going to dunk it? He can’t dunk in traffic,” Barnes quipped.
“This loss doesn’t take away what we have done all year,” Suder said.
DeWayne Brown II doesn’t hold back as he throws down a nasty poster for the Volunteers. (0:16)