Ja’coby gillespie Admitted, yes, he was trying to reach 30 points when he attacked the lane late TennesseeMarch Madness defeat, only for someone to slap him on the arm.
Gillespie’s wayward shot attempt turned into a lob and a basket for a teammate in a game where even the slightest miss cost the Volunteers points.
Gillespie hit six 3-pointers and scored 29 points, capping a stellar season for sixth-seeded Tennessee Miami (Ohio) with win 78-56 Friday in the first round of the NCAA Tournament.
“Once he starts shooting, he can’t be stopped to save him,” adds the volunteer. JP Estrella Said. “Once we get him into a flow, teams can’t really do anything about him.”
The Volunteers (23–11) overcame a difficult end to the season – losing four of six games – and advanced to play as the third seed. Virginia Sunday in the Midwest.
Gillespie hit five 3s in the first half, helping the Volunteers lead by 20 and give the 11th-seeded RedHawks (32-2) any chance to extend their First Four win and get a signature win.
The Volunteers did almost everything right and showed again why – no matter the seed – they are a perennial threat to go deep into March. Led by Gillespie, the Volunteers made 12 of 19 shots to start the game, including long 3s in the paint and 20 quick points.
To add another punch to Miami, ethan berg Hit a 3 at the buzzer of the first half to take a 51-32 lead.
“It probably took us the best half of the year to beat them today,” Tennessee coach Rick Barnes said.
The only thing Gillespie didn’t do was score 30, which only two other Volunteers have done in the NCAA Tournament. His misfire dunk turned into a lob. felix okpara.
“I was trying to dunk it,” Gillespie said, laughing.
Barnes quipped, “He thought he was going to dunk it? He can’t dunk in traffic.”
Estrella had 14 points and 10 rebounds for the Volunteers. Peter Suder Was Miami’s only player in double figures with 27 points.
“This loss won’t undo what we’ve done all year,” Suder said.
Gillespie, who was 11 of 21 from the floor and 6 of 11 from 3, is one of several standout players enjoying March success in a new uniform thanks to the transfer portal. He started 36 games last season to help and average 14.7 points while shooting 40.7% from 3-point range. maryland Reach the Sweet 16.
Had Gillespie looked at the scoreboard he could have taken a catch villanova update. Last season, Maryland coach Kevin Willard had the Wildcats in the tournament.
The one thing that has remained constant in March is Tennessee’s wins. 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 last three tournaments.
The Volunteers are trying to try and reach the Final Four after the last two tournaments ended with losses in the Elite Eight. Virginia leads the series 8–6, with the last win coming in 2024.
The highlight of March in Miami was when he beat smu In the First Four for their first NCAA Tournament win in 27 years. It went 31-0 during a captivating regular season – the only Division I team to go undefeated in 2025-26 and the eighth in the last 50 years.
“When he starts making shots, he can’t be stopped to make saves. Once we get him into a flow, teams can’t really do anything about him.”
JP Estrella on Vols teammate Ja’Coby Gillespie
The RedHawks lost their MAC Tournament opener and had to wait and see if their shining record was enough to get into the field, as the schedule ranked 339th in overall strength and did not include any Quadrant 1 games.
“Our team has had an incredible journey,” coach Travis Steele said. “The quality of humans in our locker room, in my opinion, embodies everything that is right about college athletics.”
Liam Quigley was the only member of the Miami swim team to go to Philadelphia to watch the game. swimmers create some excitement It wasn’t until the end of the season that they started insisting on the basketball team wearing nothing but Speedo, goggles, and swim caps.
His popularity peaked when he seized the stands behind the basket in the first four and waved his arms to provide a nearly naked 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 non-swimmer RedHawks fan who had his face and chest painted red.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
