Seriously, how in the world is this even possible? On Thursday, the Tennessee Vols were able to pull away late and post a 77-62 win over Wofford. With UCLA taking down Utah State shortly after too, it has set up an intriguing Saturday night matchup with the Bruins.
However, one of the main talking points leading up to the action is not the brilliant play of Chaz Lanier and Zakai Zeigler against the Terriers. Instead, it's people voicing their displeasure with the tip-off time. In case you missed it, things are set to get started at 9:40 p.m. ET in Lexington. Is this some sort of a joke?
No. 2 Tennessee and No. 7 UCLA will tip off at 9:40 p.m. ET on Saturday night. Will be on TBS and TruTV.
— Ben McKee (@benmckee14) March 21, 2025
Tennessee vs. UCLA in second round absurdly has a 9:40 p.m. tip-off time
Don't be surprised if that tip ends up coming closer to 10 p.m. So, regardless, things are going to end around midnight. How is this fair to either team? Poor Rick Barnes and his players having to stay up so late as well? It seems like Tennessee always ends up with bad luck when it comes to scheduling.
There will be no excuses for this team against UCLA, however. Tennessee is the No. 2 seed in the Midwest Region, while UCLA was given the No. 7 spot. This is not going to be an easy test for UT. Leading up to March Madness, the one and only Andy Katz projected that these two teams would meet, with UCLA stunning the Vols.
On paper, Tennessee 100 percent has what it takes to go on a deep run and reach the Final Four for the first time ever. Some people are thinking about a potential date with Houston in the Elite Eight. The Vols need to take things one game at a time, as the Bruins are going to be a tough matchup. With that said, a 9:40 start is a total joke, especially for a No. 2 seed. What in the world did the Vols do to deserve this?