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Rick Barnes expresses his hurt for Santiago Vescovi following Tennessee's buzzer-beater loss to Missouri

20200517_134556by: Justin Rudolph02/12/23
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INDIANAPOLIS, INDIANA - MARCH 19: Head coach Rick Barnes of the Tennessee Volunteers looks on during the game against the Michigan Wolverines during the second round of the 2022 NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament at Gainbridge Fieldhouse on March 19, 2022 in Indianapolis, Indiana. (Photo by Dylan Buell/Getty Images)

The Tennessee Volunteers lost a stunner at home to the Missouri Tigers. Tennesse fell victim to another game-winning basket falling by a score of 86-85. After the game, head coach Rick Barnes expressed sympathy for guard Santiago Vescovi after he failed to ice the game late.

“We all hurt for Santi; I mean, he’s hurting. And really, I hurt form because he knows he had a chance, two games in a row, to put the game on ice. But he’s won a lot of games for us, and I hate it for him, I really do. Because where we are today, where we’ve been, he’s had a lot to do with it,” said Barnes.

In the closing moments of the game, Vescovi couldn’t convert from the charity stripe. That left the door open for a last-second shot for Missouri. The Tigers DeAndre Gholston was able to hit a desperation heave as time expired for the win. Still, despite the loss, Barnes is happy with the amount of fight his Volunteers displayed in the second half.

“I’m really, honestly, I’m really proud of that fight those guys put up in the second half. Missouri played terrific in the first half… They shot the ball well. But the way we fought back with that group in the second half, I love it.”

Tennessee falls to second-straight game-winning three, loses to Missouri

For the second game in a row, the Volunteers fell to a game-winning three-point shot as Missouri won 86-85. An incredible second-half rally by Tennessee to take the lead proved to be not enough after a blown pair of free throws gave Missouri time to shoot for the win.

DeAndre Gholston drove just past half court before heaving the shot, knocking it down in front of the stunned Knoxville crowd. The game marks the third-straight game for the Volunteers that ended with drama in the final seconds — with two of them going against Tennessee.

Missouri profited from the three-point heroics while Tennessee suffered, winning five of their last six games now to stay red hot. Adding to the drama between the teams in the SEC rivalry, the road team has now won the last five games in the series with the Tigers winning on Saturday.

Over the past week, Tennessee has felt the pain of SEC play more than any team in the nation possibly has this season — beginning with a tough 46-43 win over Auburn at home. The game ended with its share of controversy after a shot attempt by Wendell Green Jr. was not called a foul despite the protests of Auburn and Bruce Pearl.