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INDIANAPOLIS — No. 2-seed Tennessee basketball will look to punch its first ticket to the Final Four on Sunday afternoon when it plays in the Elite Eight for just the third time in program history.
Tipoff between the Vols (30-7) and Cougars (33-4) is scheduled for 2:20 p.m. ET inside of Lucas Oil Stadium, the home of the Indianapolis Colts. Andrew Catalon (play-by-play), Steve Lappas (analyst) and Evan Washburn (reporter) will have the call on CBS.
UT fans can listen to Bob Kesling (play-by-play) and Bert Bertelkamp (analyst) call the action on the Vol Network (Local: WIVK-FM 107.7/WNML-FM 99.1) over 65 stations across the state of Tennessee and the southeast. Fans can also listen to Westwood One's national broadcast on SiriusXM (Ch. 202 and 209), the SiriusXM app or the Varsity App. A live audio stream of the broadcast will also be available on UTSports.com and the Tennessee Athletics App.
Here are the links you need to have for Friday night's matchup between Tennessee and Houston in the Elite Eight of the NCAA Tournament.
When: Sunday, March 29, 2:20 p.m. ET
Where: Lucas Oil Stadium (35,000); Indianapolis, Ind.
TV: CBS (Click this link to stream online)
Radio: Vol Network (Click here)
NCAA Tournament Bracket: (Click here)
Saturday will be the sixth all-time meeting between Tennessee and Houston. The Vols are 3-2 against the Cougars, having won 79-58 in Knoxville on Dec. 5, 1970; 74-58 in Houston on Dec. 23, 1994; and 64-49 in Knoxville on Dec. 19, 1995. UT lost to Houston 68-65 in Los Angeles on Dec. 29, 1970, and 67-65 in Houston on Dec. 4, 1971.
Tennessee and Houston are two of just three schools in the Sweet Sixteen for the third straight year, along with Alabama. UT is also one of three programs in a second consecutive Elite Eight, joining Alabama and Duke.
Rick Barnes and Kelvin Sampson have coached against each other 20 times during their careers, dating back to when Barnes was at Teas and Sampson was at Houston, from 1998-99 to 2005-06. Barnes went 8-12 against Sampson, but was 6-3 in the last nine meetings.
"I have gotten to know Kelvin, and through the years, we competed, Texas-Oklahoma, everybody knows what that rivalry is about," Barnes told the media on Saturday. "But we've never let any of that get in the way of our friendship. What makes him -- if you knew his pedigree and who he is, he hasn't changed a bit. He's the same guy. Highly competitive. Beautiful family. Yesterday it warmed my heart to see him holding his grandson.
"But he's intense. I think he would tell you at one time when he went to the NBA, I'm not sure if he thought he would ever come back to college. It's been great to have him back in the game. He would tell you he's been extremely blessed. God's shown great favor over him and his family. But I love him. I love Kelvin Sampson, and he and I will be friends until the day we die. We'll probably spend a lot of time together when we're both done with it because of the fact that he's a fun guy to be around."
Houston (105) and Tennessee (79) have the two longest active Associated Press Top-25 streaks in the country. Sunday's matchup will feature three of the four Naismith Defensive Player of the Year finalists in UT's Jahmai Mashack and Zakai Zeigler, and Houston's Joseph Tugler.
"He's one of a kind," Sampson said about Barnes. "I wish we had more like him. He's just a jewel among jewels. He's one of the great ones. I've spent a lot of time with that guy, different places, on the road, recruiting. If we don't win it, I hope he does. That's how much I respect him."