South Carolina coach Frank Martin breaks down after Final Four loss to Gonzaga

Published Apr. 1, 2017 10:36 p.m. ET

Lindsey Foltin

South Carolina put up an impressive performance in its first trip to the Final Four, but it wasn't enough to outlast Gonzaga, which defeated the Gamecocks 77-73 in the national semifinal on Saturday.

The Gamecocks' incredible tournament run is one that won't be forgotten anytime soon, especially by South Carolina head coach Frank Martin.

During his postgame press conference, Martin fought through tears as he tried to sum up his feelings about his team's remarkable journey.

“There's something powerful when you impact others,” Martin said. “And what these kids have done is pretty special. When you get people to travel across the country by the masses because they believe in what you do, it's powerful stuff.

“And they've impacted our community in an unbelievable way, which is worth so much more than the score of a game. It's what it's all about. These kids are great role models. There's a lot of young kids that want to be the next Sindarius Thornwell, Justin McKie, and I don't get to coach them anymore, but they're part of my life forever.”

It's easy to see why Martin is able to get so much out of his players and why the Gamecocks were able to create such memories.