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Purdue president: Tennessee basketball is 'a wrestling team that fouls 100%'

IMG_3593by:Grant Ramey•11/22/23•

GrantRamey

Tennessee Volunteers Basketball Fast Break Vols Fall To Purdue 71-67

Apparently No. 7 Tennessee is nothing more than a wrestling team that puts opposing players in harm’s way, according to Purdue president Dr. Mung Chiang. 

During No. 2 Purdue’s 71-67 win over the Vols Tuesday in the Maui Invitational, Chiang wrote on social media that the Purdue was “playing against a wrestling team that fouls 100%.”

“Boilermaker student athletes, be safe!” Chiang wrote on Twitter. 

He went back to Twitter after the game.

“These are four of the top six teams in the country on the top bracket of the Maui Invitational,” Chiang wrote. “But you’ve got to watch the tape of this one and make your own assessment. So proud of the (Boilermaker) team that kept their cool and sportsmanship. Oh, and yes, Purdue, won.”

Purdue shot 48 free throws in the win, the most an opponent has shot against Tennessee during the Rick Barnes era. Jonas Aidoo and Tobe Awaka both fouled out for the Vols and Santiago Vescovi missed stretches of the second half with four fouls. 

Tennessee was called for 31 fouls in the loss, including a technical on Barnes in the first half. Purdue was called for 21 fouls. 

“When I got the technical foul,” Barnes told the ESPN broadcast crew, “I know I was right on that call. We got pushed.”

It was the first technical called on Barnes since 2021.

“Well it is a physical game,” Barnes said at halftime, “I just don’t think the officials realize it. The fouls, I mean it is what it is. Like I’ve tried to tell them, we’re trying to get fouled in here, they’re trying to get fouled out there.”

Tennessee athletic director Danny White responded to the Purdue president on Twitter during the game, writing “we must not be watching the same game.”

Dalton Knecht scored 13 of his 16 points in the first half to lead Tennessee and Jordan Gainey scored all 15 of his in the second half.

The Boilermakers got 27 points from Fletcher Loyer and 23 points and 10 rebounds from Zach Edey. Purdue shot 54.2% in the second half after shooting just 20.0% in the first half. The Vols were 9-for-30 from from the floor in the second half. 

“Really hard fought game,” Barnes said during his postgame press conference. “Utmost respect from Matt (Painter) and his team and his program. And we knew it was gonna be a physical basketball game. Both teams weren’t gonna shy away from that, and playing hard and not many things are easy to come by, obviously.”

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