Purdue Escapes With OT Win After Late-Game Rally by Tennessee in Sweet 16
No. 3-seeded Purdue escaped with a 99–94 overtime win over No. 2 Tennessee to advance to the Elite Eight after the Vols rallied from an 18-point second-half deficit to take the Boilermakers into extra time.
Rick Barnes's squad went into the break trailing by 12 after a sloppy first half. Two-time SEC player of the year Grant Williams led the Vols to a late-game comeback to force overtime.
Tennessee went on a 14–0 run late in the second half, tying the game 65–65 with just under seven minutes remaining in regulation. The Vols took the lead just over a minute later on a three-point jumper by Admiral Schofield.
Purdue's Ryan Cline tied the game again on a trey of his own and the back and forth continued into the final seconds of regulation.
Tied with 10 seconds to play, Williams came in clutch with a put-back dunk to take a two-point lead for Tennessee. Williams chased Purdue's Carsen Edwards across the court on the following possession and blocked an attempted layup by the junior guard.
Trailing by two, Edwards was fouled on an attempted three off the inbound with 1.7 seconds on the clock. He hit two of three free throws to tie the game at 82 and force overtime, where Purdue escaped with the victory.
Edwards followed his 42-point performance against Villanova with a team-high 29-point showing against the Vols to become the first player with four straight 25-point NCAA tournament games since Steph Curry in 2007-08.
Cline went 10-of-13 from the field and 7-of-10 from deep to add another 27 for the Boilermakers. Williams led Tennessee with 21 points, seven boards, four assists and two blocks, while Schofield added another 19 points and nine rebounds.
Purdue will play the winner of No. 1 Virginia vs. No. 12 Oregon on Saturday in the Elite Eight.
