Ja'Kobi Gillespie scored 29 points and hit six 3-pointers as Tennessee crushed Miami (Ohio) 78-56 in the NCAA tournament first round. The sixth-seeded Vols (23-11) overcame a late-season slump to advance to the Midwest Region, where they'll face third-seeded Virginia on Sunday. Gillespie's five first-half 3s helped Tennessee build a 20-point lead and end Miami's remarkable 31-2 season.

Tennessee shot 12-of-19 to start the game and dominated inside with 20 quick paint points. Ethan Burg's buzzer-beater 3-pointer gave the Vols a 19-point halftime lead at 51-32. Gillespie could have reached 30 points but instead passed to Felix Okpara for a late dunk, showing unselfish play. J.P. Estrella added 14 points and 10 rebounds for Tennessee.

Miami (Ohio) entered the tournament on a high after winning its First Four game for its first NCAA victory in 27 years. The RedHawks went 31-0 during the regular season, the only Division I team to finish unbeaten in 2025-26. Peter Suder led Miami with 27 points, but the MAC champions couldn't overcome Tennessee's balanced attack. The loss ended a magical season for the 11th-seeded RedHawks, who had to sweat out Selection Sunday despite their dazzling record.