The Sweet 16 round of March Madness continues Friday, and one of the games will be the No. 2 Iowa State Cyclones taking on the No. 6 Tennessee Volunteers. The Vols had one of the most shocking upsets this tournament, though not as shocking as Iowa over Florida, but they will be facing a stronger opponent in the Cyclones.
A lot will be on the line as it will determine which team moves on to the Elite Eight. Iowa State dominated its two previous opponents in Tennessee State and Kentucky, but Tennessee has shown a lot of grit and determination in its wins over Miami (Ohio) and Virginia. The road to the national title continues in this Sweet 16 showdown.
However, both teams are coming in a little shorthanded, as one team might not even have a complete rotation due to injuries. Here are the players expected not to play or may possibly not play during this Sweet 16 game:
Iowa State vs. Tennessee Injury Report
Iowa State Cyclones
- Mason Williams: Out, hip
- Joshua Jefferson: Doubtful, ankle
- Xzavion Mitchell: Questionable, undisclosed
Tennessee Volunteers
- Cade Phillips: Out, shoulder
While Tennessee suffered a few injuries down the stretch, including to star freshman Nate Ament, the Vols mostly have all their players back, with only forward Cade Philips still dealing with a shoulder injury. He had been out since December, with the Vols playing well without him, showing they could still play well despite his absence.
However, over at Iowa State, Mason Williams is expected to not play, and there is a big chance that Joshua Jefferson will remain in the injury report. The Cyclones have a bit of hope with Mitchell, however, as he was listed as questionable.
Jefferson was injured during the Cyclones’ 82-63 win over Kentucky in the second round, while the other two were sidelined much earlier this season.
Iowa State vs. Tennessee Prediction
While the Vols have shown a lot of grit, Iowa State has been very good all year and is a No. 2 seed in their region for a reason. The Cyclones are coming in as the clear favorite and they should move on to the Elite Eight.
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