What Wofford basketball coach Dwight Perry said after loss to Tennessee, playing at Rupp
Even in a loss, there can still be wins.
No. 15-seed Wofford basketball fell 77-62 to No. 2 seed Tennessee (28-7) in the first round of the NCAA tournament on Thursday at Rupp Arena in Lexington, Kentucky.
But for third-year Terriers coach Dwight Perry, it was his first taste of March Madness. And he did it in a place he can easily can call home
"More than anything, I'm really proud of these guys," Perry said. There are only six teams in Wofford basketball history that can say they've been able to play on this stage. And for this group to be able to etch their names in history is something nobody can take away."
Perry is pretty familiar with Rupp Arena. He played for Kentucky for three seasons before graduating in 2010.
Quite the full-circle moment.
"To be able to experience this in a place that is as special as Rupp Arena is something I don't take for granted," Perry said. "This is the place where I was able to mature from a young man into a man. I'm really appreciative and have a higher level of gratitude to experience such a special event, at a special place."
Before joining Wofford, Perry spent five seasons as an assistant at rival Furman. He joined the Terriers in 2019 and was the associate head coach before taking over in 2023.
Wofford finished the season at 19-16 with a Southern Conference championship and a trip to March Madness for the first time since 2019. But next season, the Terriers are aiming even higher.
"We have a great group of guys, and obviously a lot of rich tradition," Perry said. "For a lot of teams, just getting to the NCAA tournament is enough. And to be honest, just making it here is not enough for us. Our goal is to be Sweet 16 team. And a lot of guys might think that's delusional, but none of our guys think that. It's going to take hard work in the off-season, but we have the ability to do it."
Kamryn Jackson covers high school and college sports for the Spartanburg Herald-Journal, Greenville News, Anderson Independent Mail, and the USA TODAY Network. Please email her at KEJackson@gannett.com and follow her on X, formerly known as Twitter, @KamxJack.
This article originally appeared on Herald-Journal: What Wofford basketball coach Dwight Perry said after loss to Tennessee
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