University of Tennessee Athletics
Sunday, March 29
Chicago, IL
2:15 PM ET
University of Tennessee
25-12,11-7SEC
62
vs
95
Michigan
35-3,19-1Big Ten
1st half1
2nd half2
FinalF
Tennessee
26
36
62
Michigan
48
47
95
#23/25 [6] Vols Fall to #3 [1] Michigan in Elite Eight
March 29, 2026 | Men's Basketball
CHICAGO – The sixth-seeded University of Tennessee men's basketball team's stellar 2025-26 season ended Sunday afternoon with a 95-62 setback against top-seeded Michigan in an Elite Eight clash at the United Center.
Making its third straight appearance in the Midwest Regional Final, No. 25/23 Tennessee (25-12, 11-7 SEC) could not overcome a rocky shooting performance against the third-ranked Wolverines. Senior guard Ja'Kobi Gillespie, who broke the program single-season steals record in the defeat, paced the team with 21 points in its 37th and last game of the year.
The first 10-plus minutes were played within a six-point window, as neither team led by greater than three. Trailing by two, Michigan (35-3, 19-1 B1G) then went on a 21-0 run—it included a three-point play, three 3-pointers and six made field goals—in 4:42 to go up by 19, 35-16, with 6:10 left in the session. The Volunteers went 6:11 without a make from the floor, missing 10 in a row.
After Michigan pushed its lead to 21, Tennessee scored the next six points in just 54 seconds. The Wolverines, however, responded with the final seven of the half, capping it with a 3-pointer in the closing seconds, to make it 48-26 at the intermission.
Midway through the second half, the Volunteers made four straight field goals—three were by Gillespie, one of which was a three-point play on a transition dunk—but could not get the necessary stops at the other end to climb back.
The stretch extended to 7-of-9, as Tennessee found its rhythm offensively, but the deficit proved to be too large.
In addition to leading the Volunteers in scoring, Gillespie finished with four rebounds, a team-high four assists and a game-best six steals. The latter mark increased his season total to 79, the most by a Tennessee player in a single campaign.
Gillespie became the 10th player ever to post at least 20 points, six steals, four rebounds and four assists in an NCAA Tournament game, including the first from the SEC. The Greeneville, Tenn., native collected NCAA Midwest Region All-Tournament honors for his play over the past two weeks.
Senior forward Felix Okpara totaled 10 points and a co-game-high seven rebounds, five of which came on the offensive end, for the Volunteers.
Michigan graduate forward Yaxel Lendeborg, the Big Ten Player of the Year and a consensus First Team All-American, led all scorers with 27 points on 10-of-19 shooting. He added seven rebounds, four assists, two blocks and one steal.
Sophomore forward Morez Johnson Jr., who went 8-of-11 at the line, had 12 points and five rebounds. Freshman guard Trey McKenney posted 12 points, while Junior center Aday Mara had 11 points. Additionally, junior guard Elliot Cadeau logged eight points and a game-high 10 assists, the latter the most by a Tennessee foe all year.
Tennessee recorded a 19-8 advantage on the offensive glass, but it led to just a 16-15 margin in second-chance points, as it shot 31.6 percent (24-of-76) overall and allowed a 51.8 percent (29-of-56) mark at the other end. The Wolverines also got to the line 37 times, connecting on 27 shots from the stripe.
The Volunteers' 2025-26 campaign included a fifth straight 25-win record, a fourth consecutive Sweet 16 berth and a third Elite Eight trip in a row.
To keep up with the University of Tennessee men's basketball team on social media, follow @Vol_Hoops on Instagram and X/Twitter, as well as /tennesseebasketball on Facebook.
TENNESSEE VOLUNTEERS POSTGAME NOTES
• Gillespie joined Lendeborg (Most Outstanding Player), Cadeau, Michigan's Roddy Gayle Jr., and Alabama's Labaron Philon Jr., on the NCAA Midwest Region All-Tournament Team.
• The Volunteers are now 34-29 all-time in the NCAA Tournament, including 30-26 in regulation, 0-4 in the Elite Eight, 15-8 under head coach Rick Barnes, 1-3 in Illinois, 1-1 in Chicago and 0-4 against Michigan.
• Tennessee dropped to 6-2 as a No. 6 seed in the NCAA Tournament, as well as to 0-8 against No. 1 seeds, 16-21 versus single-digit seeds and 6-14 against higher seeds.
• Sunday marked the third consecutive NCAA Tournament Elite Eight appearance for Tennessee, which had one prior trip (2010) in program history.
• The Volunteers logged, per Stats Perform, the fifth instance in history of an SEC team reaching three straight Elite Eights, following Florida (four from 2011-14), Kentucky (2010-12), Kentucky (1995-99) and Kentucky (1956-58), the latter of which was with 25 or fewer teams in all three events.
• Barnes' 15 NCAA Tournament wins at Tennessee are still seven more than any other coach in program history, while his eight appearances are two more.
• Barnes fell to 36-30 all-time in NCAA Tournament play as a head coach, still good for the sixth-most victories of any active Division I head coach and the second-most in the SEC.
• The Volunteers are now 2-4 all-time in Illinois, including 1-3 at neutral sites and 1-3 in postseason competition, with all four neutral-site, postseason games coming in the NCAA Tournament.
• Tennessee is now 5-8 in its all-time series with Michigan, including 1-4 on neutral courts and 0-2 under Barnes.
• The last four meetings between the Volunteers and Wolverines are in the NCAA Tournament, as the teams also met in 2011, 2014 and 2022.
• Michigan (0-4) is just the second team Tennessee has played four times in the NCAA Tournament, alongside Virginia (2-2), which the Volunteers defeated seven days ago in the Round of 32.
• The Volunteers are now to 37-46 all-time versus the current Big Ten membership, including 5-10 in the NCAA Tournament.
• Tennessee has now played a Big Ten team in the NCAA Tournament three years in a row (1-2), as it fell to Purdue in the 2024 Elite Eight and beat UCLA in the 2025 Round of 32.
• Barnes fell to 43-42 against current Big Ten programs, including to 10-10 at Tennessee and 1-2 this season.
• The Volunteers finished 4-1 versus AP top-11 teams this season, owning prior wins over third-ranked Houston (Nov. 25 in Las Vegas), No. 11 Louisville (Dec. 16 at home), ninth-ranked Virginia (March 22 in Philadelphia) and sixth-ranked Iowa State (March 27 in Chicago).
• Tennessee fell to 42-34 (.553) in AP top-25 matchups with Barnes at the helm, including to 21-14 (.600) in its last 35 such games, since Dec. 9, 2023.
• The Volunteers are now 50-49 (.505) versus AP top-25 teams in the Barnes era, including 34-22 (.607) in their past 56 such contests, dating to Jan. 22, 2022.
• Tennessee moved to 44-39 (.530) against AP top-20 foes under Barnes, including to 30-16 (.652) in its last 46 such outings, extending to Jan. 22, 2022.
• The Volunteers fell to 33-30 (.524) when playing AP top-15 squads in the Barnes era, including to 26-13 (.667) in their last 39 such outings, since Dec. 22, 2021.
• Tennessee is now 20-18 (.526) versus AP top-10 foes with Barnes as the head coach, including 15-9 (.625) in its last 24 such games, since Dec. 22, 2021.
• The Volunteers moved to 12-12 (.500) against AP top-five teams under Barnes, including to 8-7 (.533) in its last 15 such contests, extending to Feb. 15, 2022.
• Tennessee is now 6-8 (.429) when facing AP top-three foes in the Barnes era, including 2-2 (.500) in its last four such contests, dating to March 15, 2025.
• Of the 14 games versus AP top-three opponents Tennessee has played with Barnes as head coach, Sunday marked just the third (2-1) against anyone other than Auburn (2-1), Houston (1-1), Kansas (1-3) or Purdue (0-2), with the others victories over Alabama and Gonzaga, both of which were ranked first.
• This is the third consecutive season Tennessee's season ended against an AP top-three opponent in the NCAA Tournament Elite Eight, all three of which were seeded first.
• Across the last six seasons (2020-26), the Volunteers have played just 30 games as a lower-ranked team and now own a 17-13 record, including an 8-6 ledger versus non-SEC teams.
• The 36 performances with double-figure offensive rebounds this season by Tennessee marked, per Stats Perform, the co-sixth-most by a Division I team in the last 30 years (1996-2026), including the second-most by an SEC school, trailing only Kentucky in 1996-97 with 39.
• Tennessee logged double-digit offensive rebounds in 36 of 37 games this year, with 15-plus in 23 outings, 17-plus 14 times and 20-plus on seven occasions, with a high of 26.
• The Volunteers grabbed at least 35 total boards in 33 of 37 contests, with 40-plus in 23, 42-plus in 20, 45-plus in 15 and 50-plus in six, with a top tally of 60.
• Through 37 outings, Tennessee amassed 13-plus assists on 31 occasions, with 17-plus in 21 games, 20-plus in 10 and 23-plus in four.
• Across its 37 games this season, Tennessee played just five (3-2) that did not feature a double-digit lead for either side.
• Seven of the Volunteers' 12 setbacks this season came by fewer than six points, with four decided by one possession.
• Both teams were called for six fouls in the opening 9:40 of the contest, but Tennessee committed the next five, sending Michigan into the bonus with 10:13 on the clock and the double-bonus with 5:02 on the timer, while the Volunteers did not enter the bonus until 3:08 remaining in the stanza.
• After grabbing seven offensive rebounds in the first five minutes of the game, the Volunteers had just four the rest of the opening half.
• Tennessee's 22-point halftime deficit marked its largest of the season, as the prior mark was 13 in a Jan. 10 contest at Florida.
• Michigan shot 51.7 percent (15-of-29), including 41.7 percent (5-of-12) beyond the arc, in the opening 20 minutes, while the Volunteers had a 23.7 percent (9-of-38) ledger that featured a 23.1 percent (3-of-13) mark from deep.
• Cadeau's 10 assists marked the most by a Tennessee opponent this year, surpassing the nine by Texas A&M's Jacari Lane in a Jan. 13 double-overtime game.
• Per Stats Perform, Gillespie is now the only Division I player in the last 30 seasons (1996-2026) with double-digit points in the first 25 neutral-site games of his career, two above the prior record-holder, Ethan Happ of Wisconsin.
• Prior to Gillespie doing so Sunday, only nine other players—none are from the SEC—have amassed 20-plus points, six-plus steals, four-plus rebounds and four-plus assists in an NCAA Tournament affair: West Virginia's Jevon Carter (March 16, 2018, versus Murray State), Oklahoma State's Marcus Smart (March 21, 2014, versus Gonzaga), North Carolina's Ty Lawson (April 4, 2009, versus Michigan State), East Tennessee State's Zakee Wadood (March 21, 2003, versus Wake Forest), UNLV's Anderson Hunt (March 25, 1990, versus Loyola Marymount), VCU's Rolando Lamb (March 15, 1985, versus Marshall), UNLV's Glen Gondrezick (March 12, 1977, versus San Francisco), Rutgers' Mike Dabney (March 29, 1976, versus UCLA) and Rutgers' Eddie Jordan (March 20, 1977, versus VMI).
• Gillespie became the 10th player in program history to start at least 37 games in a season, moving into a seven-way tie for fourth place.
• Gillespie's third assist of the day, which came 72 seconds in to the second half, made him the fourth Volunteer—fifth instance—with 200 in a season, joining Zakai Zeigler (twice), Johnny Darden (1976-77) and Rodney Woods (1974-75).
• With 38 minutes of action Sunday, Gillespie finished with 1286 on the year, passing Zakai Zeigler (1,266 in 2024-25) for third place on the program's single-season list.
• Gillespie's sixth steal of the contest, which came at the 9:44 mark of the second half, gave him the Tennessee single-season record.
• Gillespie's six steals upped his 2025-26 total to 79, passing JaJuan Smith (73 in 2006-07), Kennedy Chandler (74 in 2021-22) and LaMarcus Golden (78 in 1993-94) to break the record.
• Gillespie logged a steal for the 17th game in a row, good for the second-longest streak by a Volunteer in the last 30 seasons (1996-2026), per Stats Perform, behind only the 19 from Vincent Yarbrough from March 9, 2001, to Nov. 16, 2001.
• That 17-game streak by Gillespie marks the longest single-season figure by a Tennessee player across those 30 years (1996-2026), eclipsing the 16 by J.P. Prince from Feb. 6, 2010, to March 28, 2010.
• Gillespie finished his career with six-plus steals in six contests, four of which came this season as a Volunteer.
• By hitting four 3-pointers Sunday, Gillespie capped the year with 103, passing Santiago Vescovi (102 in 2021-22) for fifth place on the program's single-season list.
• Gillespie's first 3-pointer of the day, with 11:54 remaining in the first half, made him the fourth Volunteer—sixth instance—with 100 in a season, joining Chris Lofton (thrice), Chaz Lanier (2024-25) and Santiago Vescovi (2021-22).
• Gillespie became the sixth player in Tennessee history with at least three 20-point outings in NCAA Tournament play, alongside Chris Lofton (four), Dale Ellis, Reggie Johnson, Dalton Knecht, Chaz Lanier and Jordan McRae.
• The only four Volunteers to score 20-plus points thrice in a single NCAA Tournament are Gillespie, Knecht (2024), Lofton (2007) and McRae (2014).
• According to Stats Perform, Gillespie's 87 points in the 2026 NCAA Tournament marked the second-most in a single event by a Volunteer, four ahead of Chaz Lanier in 2025 and 17 shy of Dalton Knecht in 2024, as the top three marks are all in the last three years.
• Additionally, Gillespie is the first Tennessee player with at least 60 points and 20 assists in a single NCAA Tournament, per Stats Perform.
• The 21 points for Gillespie gave him 681 on the year, good for No. 11 on the program's single-season leaderboard and just two shy of Ernie Grunfeld (683 in 1975-76) for a top-10 spot.
• Gillespie finished his career with 30 20-point showings, 16 of which came during the 2025-26 season at Tennessee.
• Senior guard Amaree Abram registered the 100th appearance of his collegiate career.
Making its third straight appearance in the Midwest Regional Final, No. 25/23 Tennessee (25-12, 11-7 SEC) could not overcome a rocky shooting performance against the third-ranked Wolverines. Senior guard Ja'Kobi Gillespie, who broke the program single-season steals record in the defeat, paced the team with 21 points in its 37th and last game of the year.
The first 10-plus minutes were played within a six-point window, as neither team led by greater than three. Trailing by two, Michigan (35-3, 19-1 B1G) then went on a 21-0 run—it included a three-point play, three 3-pointers and six made field goals—in 4:42 to go up by 19, 35-16, with 6:10 left in the session. The Volunteers went 6:11 without a make from the floor, missing 10 in a row.
After Michigan pushed its lead to 21, Tennessee scored the next six points in just 54 seconds. The Wolverines, however, responded with the final seven of the half, capping it with a 3-pointer in the closing seconds, to make it 48-26 at the intermission.
Midway through the second half, the Volunteers made four straight field goals—three were by Gillespie, one of which was a three-point play on a transition dunk—but could not get the necessary stops at the other end to climb back.
The stretch extended to 7-of-9, as Tennessee found its rhythm offensively, but the deficit proved to be too large.
In addition to leading the Volunteers in scoring, Gillespie finished with four rebounds, a team-high four assists and a game-best six steals. The latter mark increased his season total to 79, the most by a Tennessee player in a single campaign.
Gillespie became the 10th player ever to post at least 20 points, six steals, four rebounds and four assists in an NCAA Tournament game, including the first from the SEC. The Greeneville, Tenn., native collected NCAA Midwest Region All-Tournament honors for his play over the past two weeks.
Senior forward Felix Okpara totaled 10 points and a co-game-high seven rebounds, five of which came on the offensive end, for the Volunteers.
Michigan graduate forward Yaxel Lendeborg, the Big Ten Player of the Year and a consensus First Team All-American, led all scorers with 27 points on 10-of-19 shooting. He added seven rebounds, four assists, two blocks and one steal.
Sophomore forward Morez Johnson Jr., who went 8-of-11 at the line, had 12 points and five rebounds. Freshman guard Trey McKenney posted 12 points, while Junior center Aday Mara had 11 points. Additionally, junior guard Elliot Cadeau logged eight points and a game-high 10 assists, the latter the most by a Tennessee foe all year.
Tennessee recorded a 19-8 advantage on the offensive glass, but it led to just a 16-15 margin in second-chance points, as it shot 31.6 percent (24-of-76) overall and allowed a 51.8 percent (29-of-56) mark at the other end. The Wolverines also got to the line 37 times, connecting on 27 shots from the stripe.
The Volunteers' 2025-26 campaign included a fifth straight 25-win record, a fourth consecutive Sweet 16 berth and a third Elite Eight trip in a row.
To keep up with the University of Tennessee men's basketball team on social media, follow @Vol_Hoops on Instagram and X/Twitter, as well as /tennesseebasketball on Facebook.
TENNESSEE VOLUNTEERS POSTGAME NOTES
• Gillespie joined Lendeborg (Most Outstanding Player), Cadeau, Michigan's Roddy Gayle Jr., and Alabama's Labaron Philon Jr., on the NCAA Midwest Region All-Tournament Team.
• The Volunteers are now 34-29 all-time in the NCAA Tournament, including 30-26 in regulation, 0-4 in the Elite Eight, 15-8 under head coach Rick Barnes, 1-3 in Illinois, 1-1 in Chicago and 0-4 against Michigan.
• Tennessee dropped to 6-2 as a No. 6 seed in the NCAA Tournament, as well as to 0-8 against No. 1 seeds, 16-21 versus single-digit seeds and 6-14 against higher seeds.
• Sunday marked the third consecutive NCAA Tournament Elite Eight appearance for Tennessee, which had one prior trip (2010) in program history.
• The Volunteers logged, per Stats Perform, the fifth instance in history of an SEC team reaching three straight Elite Eights, following Florida (four from 2011-14), Kentucky (2010-12), Kentucky (1995-99) and Kentucky (1956-58), the latter of which was with 25 or fewer teams in all three events.
• Barnes' 15 NCAA Tournament wins at Tennessee are still seven more than any other coach in program history, while his eight appearances are two more.
• Barnes fell to 36-30 all-time in NCAA Tournament play as a head coach, still good for the sixth-most victories of any active Division I head coach and the second-most in the SEC.
• The Volunteers are now 2-4 all-time in Illinois, including 1-3 at neutral sites and 1-3 in postseason competition, with all four neutral-site, postseason games coming in the NCAA Tournament.
• Tennessee is now 5-8 in its all-time series with Michigan, including 1-4 on neutral courts and 0-2 under Barnes.
• The last four meetings between the Volunteers and Wolverines are in the NCAA Tournament, as the teams also met in 2011, 2014 and 2022.
• Michigan (0-4) is just the second team Tennessee has played four times in the NCAA Tournament, alongside Virginia (2-2), which the Volunteers defeated seven days ago in the Round of 32.
• The Volunteers are now to 37-46 all-time versus the current Big Ten membership, including 5-10 in the NCAA Tournament.
• Tennessee has now played a Big Ten team in the NCAA Tournament three years in a row (1-2), as it fell to Purdue in the 2024 Elite Eight and beat UCLA in the 2025 Round of 32.
• Barnes fell to 43-42 against current Big Ten programs, including to 10-10 at Tennessee and 1-2 this season.
• The Volunteers finished 4-1 versus AP top-11 teams this season, owning prior wins over third-ranked Houston (Nov. 25 in Las Vegas), No. 11 Louisville (Dec. 16 at home), ninth-ranked Virginia (March 22 in Philadelphia) and sixth-ranked Iowa State (March 27 in Chicago).
• Tennessee fell to 42-34 (.553) in AP top-25 matchups with Barnes at the helm, including to 21-14 (.600) in its last 35 such games, since Dec. 9, 2023.
• The Volunteers are now 50-49 (.505) versus AP top-25 teams in the Barnes era, including 34-22 (.607) in their past 56 such contests, dating to Jan. 22, 2022.
• Tennessee moved to 44-39 (.530) against AP top-20 foes under Barnes, including to 30-16 (.652) in its last 46 such outings, extending to Jan. 22, 2022.
• The Volunteers fell to 33-30 (.524) when playing AP top-15 squads in the Barnes era, including to 26-13 (.667) in their last 39 such outings, since Dec. 22, 2021.
• Tennessee is now 20-18 (.526) versus AP top-10 foes with Barnes as the head coach, including 15-9 (.625) in its last 24 such games, since Dec. 22, 2021.
• The Volunteers moved to 12-12 (.500) against AP top-five teams under Barnes, including to 8-7 (.533) in its last 15 such contests, extending to Feb. 15, 2022.
• Tennessee is now 6-8 (.429) when facing AP top-three foes in the Barnes era, including 2-2 (.500) in its last four such contests, dating to March 15, 2025.
• Of the 14 games versus AP top-three opponents Tennessee has played with Barnes as head coach, Sunday marked just the third (2-1) against anyone other than Auburn (2-1), Houston (1-1), Kansas (1-3) or Purdue (0-2), with the others victories over Alabama and Gonzaga, both of which were ranked first.
• This is the third consecutive season Tennessee's season ended against an AP top-three opponent in the NCAA Tournament Elite Eight, all three of which were seeded first.
• Across the last six seasons (2020-26), the Volunteers have played just 30 games as a lower-ranked team and now own a 17-13 record, including an 8-6 ledger versus non-SEC teams.
• The 36 performances with double-figure offensive rebounds this season by Tennessee marked, per Stats Perform, the co-sixth-most by a Division I team in the last 30 years (1996-2026), including the second-most by an SEC school, trailing only Kentucky in 1996-97 with 39.
• Tennessee logged double-digit offensive rebounds in 36 of 37 games this year, with 15-plus in 23 outings, 17-plus 14 times and 20-plus on seven occasions, with a high of 26.
• The Volunteers grabbed at least 35 total boards in 33 of 37 contests, with 40-plus in 23, 42-plus in 20, 45-plus in 15 and 50-plus in six, with a top tally of 60.
• Through 37 outings, Tennessee amassed 13-plus assists on 31 occasions, with 17-plus in 21 games, 20-plus in 10 and 23-plus in four.
• Across its 37 games this season, Tennessee played just five (3-2) that did not feature a double-digit lead for either side.
• Seven of the Volunteers' 12 setbacks this season came by fewer than six points, with four decided by one possession.
• Both teams were called for six fouls in the opening 9:40 of the contest, but Tennessee committed the next five, sending Michigan into the bonus with 10:13 on the clock and the double-bonus with 5:02 on the timer, while the Volunteers did not enter the bonus until 3:08 remaining in the stanza.
• After grabbing seven offensive rebounds in the first five minutes of the game, the Volunteers had just four the rest of the opening half.
• Tennessee's 22-point halftime deficit marked its largest of the season, as the prior mark was 13 in a Jan. 10 contest at Florida.
• Michigan shot 51.7 percent (15-of-29), including 41.7 percent (5-of-12) beyond the arc, in the opening 20 minutes, while the Volunteers had a 23.7 percent (9-of-38) ledger that featured a 23.1 percent (3-of-13) mark from deep.
• Cadeau's 10 assists marked the most by a Tennessee opponent this year, surpassing the nine by Texas A&M's Jacari Lane in a Jan. 13 double-overtime game.
• Per Stats Perform, Gillespie is now the only Division I player in the last 30 seasons (1996-2026) with double-digit points in the first 25 neutral-site games of his career, two above the prior record-holder, Ethan Happ of Wisconsin.
• Prior to Gillespie doing so Sunday, only nine other players—none are from the SEC—have amassed 20-plus points, six-plus steals, four-plus rebounds and four-plus assists in an NCAA Tournament affair: West Virginia's Jevon Carter (March 16, 2018, versus Murray State), Oklahoma State's Marcus Smart (March 21, 2014, versus Gonzaga), North Carolina's Ty Lawson (April 4, 2009, versus Michigan State), East Tennessee State's Zakee Wadood (March 21, 2003, versus Wake Forest), UNLV's Anderson Hunt (March 25, 1990, versus Loyola Marymount), VCU's Rolando Lamb (March 15, 1985, versus Marshall), UNLV's Glen Gondrezick (March 12, 1977, versus San Francisco), Rutgers' Mike Dabney (March 29, 1976, versus UCLA) and Rutgers' Eddie Jordan (March 20, 1977, versus VMI).
• Gillespie became the 10th player in program history to start at least 37 games in a season, moving into a seven-way tie for fourth place.
• Gillespie's third assist of the day, which came 72 seconds in to the second half, made him the fourth Volunteer—fifth instance—with 200 in a season, joining Zakai Zeigler (twice), Johnny Darden (1976-77) and Rodney Woods (1974-75).
• With 38 minutes of action Sunday, Gillespie finished with 1286 on the year, passing Zakai Zeigler (1,266 in 2024-25) for third place on the program's single-season list.
• Gillespie's sixth steal of the contest, which came at the 9:44 mark of the second half, gave him the Tennessee single-season record.
• Gillespie's six steals upped his 2025-26 total to 79, passing JaJuan Smith (73 in 2006-07), Kennedy Chandler (74 in 2021-22) and LaMarcus Golden (78 in 1993-94) to break the record.
• Gillespie logged a steal for the 17th game in a row, good for the second-longest streak by a Volunteer in the last 30 seasons (1996-2026), per Stats Perform, behind only the 19 from Vincent Yarbrough from March 9, 2001, to Nov. 16, 2001.
• That 17-game streak by Gillespie marks the longest single-season figure by a Tennessee player across those 30 years (1996-2026), eclipsing the 16 by J.P. Prince from Feb. 6, 2010, to March 28, 2010.
• Gillespie finished his career with six-plus steals in six contests, four of which came this season as a Volunteer.
• By hitting four 3-pointers Sunday, Gillespie capped the year with 103, passing Santiago Vescovi (102 in 2021-22) for fifth place on the program's single-season list.
• Gillespie's first 3-pointer of the day, with 11:54 remaining in the first half, made him the fourth Volunteer—sixth instance—with 100 in a season, joining Chris Lofton (thrice), Chaz Lanier (2024-25) and Santiago Vescovi (2021-22).
• Gillespie became the sixth player in Tennessee history with at least three 20-point outings in NCAA Tournament play, alongside Chris Lofton (four), Dale Ellis, Reggie Johnson, Dalton Knecht, Chaz Lanier and Jordan McRae.
• The only four Volunteers to score 20-plus points thrice in a single NCAA Tournament are Gillespie, Knecht (2024), Lofton (2007) and McRae (2014).
• According to Stats Perform, Gillespie's 87 points in the 2026 NCAA Tournament marked the second-most in a single event by a Volunteer, four ahead of Chaz Lanier in 2025 and 17 shy of Dalton Knecht in 2024, as the top three marks are all in the last three years.
• Additionally, Gillespie is the first Tennessee player with at least 60 points and 20 assists in a single NCAA Tournament, per Stats Perform.
• The 21 points for Gillespie gave him 681 on the year, good for No. 11 on the program's single-season leaderboard and just two shy of Ernie Grunfeld (683 in 1975-76) for a top-10 spot.
• Gillespie finished his career with 30 20-point showings, 16 of which came during the 2025-26 season at Tennessee.
• Senior guard Amaree Abram registered the 100th appearance of his collegiate career.
Team Stats
UT
Mich
FG%
.316
.518
3FG%
.192
.370
FT%
.529
.730
RB
42
42
TO
9
11
STL
8
6
Game Leaders
Pts
21
FGM
8
3FGM
4
FTM
1
Pts
10
FGM
4
3FGM
0
FTM
2
Pts
8
FGM
3
3FGM
0
FTM
2
Pts
7
FGM
2
3FGM
0
FTM
3
Players Mentioned
G
/ Men's BasketballG
/ Men's Basketball
G
/ Men's BasketballF
/ Men's Basketball
G
/ Men's BasketballMBB | Rick Barnes, Ja'Kobi Gillespie, Grant Hurst & Felix Okpara Postgame vs. Michigan (3.29.26)
Sunday, March 29
MBB | Rick Barnes, Nate Ament, Bishop Boswell & Ethan Burg Media Availability (3.28.26)
Saturday, March 28
MBB | Rick Barnes, Jaylen Carey, Ja'Kobi Gillespie & Felix Okpara Postgame vs. Iowa State (3.27.26)
Saturday, March 28
MBB | Rick Barnes Media Availability (3.26.26)
Thursday, March 26
