From Maine to the Madness: J.P. Estrella Helps Tennessee to Elite Eight

And then there were eight.

The madness of March continues this weekend, and it continues to have a wonderful Maine connection after another victory for J.P. Estrella and the Tennessee Volunteers last night.

Maine Native J.P. Estrella and Tennessee are in the Elite Eight

After wins over Miami (OH) and Virginia, Estrella, the Scarborough/South Portland native, helped his Vols secure a huge 76–62 win over Iowa State last night, advancing to the Elite Eight.

Estrella finished the game with 6 points, including a crucial late bucket to help Tennessee pull away. The redshirt sophomore also contributed 4 rebounds and 2 assists.

This breakout season for Estrella just continues to roll on. The 6'11" forward is averaging 10.1 points and 5.2 rebounds per game. His play has been so strong lately that he worked his way into the starting lineup three weeks ago—and he hasn’t looked back. He might also be leading the tournament in huge slam dunks—not bad for a kid from Maine.

Who Does Tennessee Play in the Elite Eight?

The win over Iowa State sets up a huge matchup against the No. 1 seed in the Midwest Region, the Michigan Wolverines. Michigan defeated Alabama 90–77 to reach the Elite Eight. The game is scheduled for a 2:15 p.m. tip on Sunday, March 28, on CBS.

This is the third year in a row that Tennessee has reached the Elite Eight, which is a fantastic accomplishment. However, the goal is a national championship, and I’m sure Estrella and his teammates are strongly focused on that.

READ MORE: Maine’s Own Cooper Flagg Breaks LeBron James’ Record With Historic 42-Point Night

Best of luck to J.P. and the Vols on Sunday afternoon. It’s exciting to think another Mainer is just one win away from a trip to the Final Four, after Cooper Flagg made it there last year with Duke.

Let’s go, Vols.