Bruce Pearl Quotes

"We're tied with LSU. You just don't know when you'll get this close again, and you want to take advantage of it."

"At this time, we are dealing with discipline internally."

"We desperately want to win. We've tasted enough failure at Tennessee."

"That's when we can separate and get on a run. Chris Lofton is a great example. I can't believe how open he got. I can't believe he made those shots. Had I called timeout, I couldn't have given him a better look."

"Lofton was the man. He had that look in him that the whole country saw who were watching on television. Everybody saw it."

"If there was an award for Player of the Week in the country, I can't imagine a player getting it over Chris."

"In the second half, Arkansas clearly was fresher. We did not have the energy to speed things up. We did not turn Arkansas over a lot. It takes energy to create offense or defense, and we needed more energy."

"In the second half, Arkansas clearly was fresher. We did not have the energy to speed things up. Their size and athleticism made a difference. We struggled with our interior defense, and got dominated under the boards. It is hard to win when the numbers come out this way."

"We played with great passion and great energy in the second half."

"He was extremely distraught after the game. I worried about him. So much emotion. So much going into that one shot. But I understand. I'm numb sitting here myself."

"I was worried about him - so much emotion and so much going into one shot. If they would have won the game, it would have gotten them a little more recognition and they'd be happier, but it doesn't take away from what a great team, what a great program and what a coach he is. But I understand. I'm numb sitting here myself."

"I'm not at all unhappy with our fans or upset with the students. I shared their enthusiasm. OK, but we did it this one time. Let's not do it again."

"I think a lot of times, you find your (conference) tournament champion being somebody that underachieved."

"Fatigue may be a factor, but I don't want to make excuses. We're capable of defending better."

"It's the greatest sound in college basketball. The crowd makes this noise, like ' oh no ' when a guy who's hot gets the ball and has an open look. Even before he shoots, before he makes it, the crowd reacts. It's so cool, and it's a testament to how smart these fans are. And it's fun for the shooters, too."

"He does more in the game of basketball than make baskets, but certainly we don't win without him making baskets. You can get other guys to rebound. You can get other guys to steal the ball. You can't get other guys to make the shots he's making."

"We'll be back. This Tennessee basketball team will go down as one of the all-time best, and this was the group that got it started."

"It's incredible. To be seeded higher than any team in the history of Tennessee basketball, goes a long way. I'm happy with where we're at. Now we have to take advantage of this opportunity."

"This is a real good night for Southeastern Conference basketball. ... When a team like Tennessee can do something to create better balance in the league, we all benefit."

"At the National Association of Basketball Coaches Meeting a few years ago, they explained how pods and seeding worked. One thing was clear. If a team is a three seed, it could easily be a two or a four. A lot of it has to do with travel, match-ups and how long it's been since a team has been in the tournament."