GREENSBORO, N.C. -- Neither Tennessee's Andre Patterson nor Major Wingate was optimistic about Chris Lofton's game-winning shot Thursday afternoon.

Patterson was on the inside, positioning himself for a last-second tip-in. Wingate was on the perimeter, still confused by coach Bruce Pearl's strategy.

Patterson thought "long" as he angled for a possible tip on the backside. Wingate thought "short" and envisioned an overtime in the first-round NCAA tournament game at Greensboro Coliseum.

But Lofton's last-second shot landed smack dab in the middle of his teammates' estimates and gave the favored Vols a 63-61 victory over upstart Winthrop.

"I didn't know what was going on," Wingate said of UT's last possession. "Coach Pearl drew up three different diagrams and told me to go some place.

"I'm pretty sure I didn't set the right pick. But it worked, so let's run with it."

So the Vols are off and running to the second round of the NCAA tournament against Wichita State on Saturday. But don't let Lofton's clutch shot from the corner obscure the real reasons for UT's advancement.

The Vols only had that shot because of Patterson's and Wingate's game-long work.

UT's full-court pressure defense that thwarted so many opponents during the regular season didn't faze the Eagles. And UT's bread-and-butter 3-point attack produced only five baskets in 21 attempts.

The Vols didn't win this game outside. They won it inside, where the 6-foot-7 Patterson and 6-10 Wingate took turns carrying UT past a 15th-seeded opponent that looked every bit as talented as the second-seeded Vols.

Patterson had 10 of his 12 points and seven of his 11 rebounds in the first half. Wingate had 13 of his game-high 15 points and four of his six rebounds in the second half.

"Major Wingate might have had the best game of his career," Pearl said. "He played great defense."

He also dramatically picked up his offense in the second half. Credit his buddy, Patterson, with a second-half assist.

"I told 'Gate' if he didn't start playing, I was going to slap him," Patterson said.

Wingate found other motivation as well in the second half.

After UT point guard C.J. Watson drew his fourth foul with 16:05 left in the game, Wingate realized he had to expand his role, which had consisted mainly of defending Winthrop's Craig Bradshaw in the first half.

"When C.J. got in foul trouble, I tried to put the team on my back and carry us as far as I could."

He helped carry the Vols to the last second. Lofton took it from there.

Moments before Lofton's decisive shot, Wingate delivered a couple of big baskets of his own.

He tied the game at 58-all on a rare outside shot with 6:25 to play. He then gave UT a 60-58 lead with a follow-up dunk after Dane Bradshaw's missed layup.

"Major played amazing inside," UT backup point guard Jordan Howell said. "He was attacking."

He also was chatting, usually with Bradshaw, Winthrop's talented 6-10 center, who averages 12.9 points and makes 37.3 percent of his 3s.

Bradshaw had 12 points but only made five of 17 field-goal tries and just one of eight 3-pointers.

"I was just trying to not let him make any (3s), Wingate said. "I saw he made three or four against Memphis."

The competition was only half the fun for Wingate.

"Me and Bradshaw were talking the whole time," Wingate said. "We were talking about everything. He's a good person and a great player."

Patterson, who also likes a chatty opponent, said Wingate is often motivated by on-the-court chitchat. But he reminded Wingate at one point, "If you're gonna talk, you've got to produce. You can't talk and get killed."

Wingate took the hint, and became a second-half conversation piece.