DETROIT — Tennessee men's basketball fell short in a 72-66 loss to Purdue in the Elite 8 on Sunday inside Little Caesars Arena in Detroit. It was just the second-ever Elite 8 appearance for Tennessee, and the team felt pride in its run despite the disappointment that it ended.
"That's the tough part of where we are right now," head coach Rick Barnes said. "They'll look back and know that they went after it. They should have no regrets."
Fresh off the loss to the Boilermakers, the Vols said they still recognized the run the team went on in the NCAA Tournament, and what it means to the history of the program.
"I think we're all proud of each other," Dalton Knecht said. "I just love these guys and I loved being coached by all these coaches and being a part of Vol Nation."
Fellow fifth-year seniors Josiah-Jordan James and Santiago Vescovi took the time to try and reflect on their long careers at Tennessee coming to an end.
"It's hard to put into words the pain I feel right now, but it's even harder to put into words the joy I've gotten from being around this team and this university for the past five years," James said. "These guys mean so much to me and I can't really describe it, but I love them so much."
"We were handed Tennessee basketball in a great place, and it's all about leaving it better than you got it," Vescovi said. "In the future, we're going to look back and probably be grateful that we got this chance and made it all the way to where we made it."
Younger players on the Vols who got to be a part of the run said this year's experience makes them excited to be a part of the future of the team, and grateful for the veterans that helped them this season.
"It's meant a lot," Tobe Awaka said. "Just the bond and the brotherhood that we've created here."
"Our seniors have done a great job of teaching me and the rest of the freshmen," JP Estrella said. "We're just going to grow from this."
