Tennessee guard Chris Lofton, the SEC player of the year, will stay for his senior season.

Lofton said Tuesday he wasn't projected high enough in the upcoming NBA draft to warrant leaving school early.

"I think I knew all along I was coming back anyway," he said during a news conference with coach Bruce Pearl. "It was just a little part of me in my mind of waiting to see how everything shakes out. I'm not surprised by this."