NCAA Tournament: Purdue outlasts Tennessee 99-94 in OT

Purdue built an 18-point lead over Tennessee in the second half, but needed overtime to beat the Volunteers 99-94.

The No. 3 seeded Boilermakers looked in control before the Vols came storming back to tie the game at 82 at the end of regulation.

Purdue star guard Carson Edwards had the chance to win it at the line. With 1.7 seconds left and Purdue trailing by 2, Edwards was fouled on a three-point attempt. He missed the first but made the final 2 to send the game to OT.

The Boilermakers took charge from there to advance to the Elite Eight for the first time since 2000. Purdue (26-9) will meet the winner of No. 1 seed Virginia and No. 12 seed Oregon in the South Regional final on Saturday. Purdue has not been to the Final Four since 1980.

Edwards led Purdue with 29 points, while Tennessee was led by Admiral Schofield and Grant Williams, who both finished with 21 points.

Tennessee (31-6) tied for second in the SEC and was once ranked as high as No. 1 in the nation.

After taking care of No. 15 Colgate 77-70 in the first round, the Volunteers faced their second straight Big Ten team, having beat No. 10 Iowa 83-77 in overtime in the second round.

Schofield led Tennessee in the tournament, scoring 19 points in each of the first two victories, with SEC player of the year Williams helping out with 19 points of his own against Iowa to go with seven rebounds, five assists, three blocks and four steals.

Williams especially came through in overtime to help the Volunteers avoid the upset after coughing up a 25-point lead in regulation.

Tennessee played in the Sweet 16 for the eighth time in program history, but has advanced to the Elite Eight only once in 2010. Last year, the Volunteers lost to No. 11 Loyola-Chicago in the second round by one point.

Purdue reached the Elite Eight for the first time under head coach Matt Painter. The Boilermakers have made it to the Sweet 16 four times in Painter’s 14 seasons, but have yet to advance any further in that time.

The team has made the Elite Eight four times in program history, with the most recent coming in 2000.

The Boilermakers beat No. 14 Old Dominion 61-48 to open tournament play and then knocked off defending champion Villanova 87-61 in the second round.