The Official #5 Tennessee vs. Kentucky Game Thread, 12:00 PM ET, ESPN

[TheMookieMonster]

At some point I hope Phillips turns the corner. He’s supposed to be a top 15 player.

I forgot he was on our team today. I don’t think I heard his name called one time.

 

[VolFreakJosh]

Another reason losing this game hurts is because this is probably the first Tennessee game the media watched all year long because Kentucky was in the game, and now we’re going to have to listen to this garbage from our own fans and media for 6 more weeks.

I don’t give two sh*ts what the media says anymore.

They’ve dogged us in football too.

 

[Chris4Vols22]

I've been critical of Barnes when I thought he deserved it.... But that team out there didn't execute, they played lazy, weak offense. That's on the players, not Barnes.

So you're saying Barnes has trouble getting the team motivated.

 

[Vols till I fall]

Damn I miss Jordan Bone, Grant Williams and Schofield

 

[walkenvol]

Barnes teams are always weak minded and fragile under pressure, confidence disappears when it doesn't go our way out of the gate... we choke a couple of times a year because the other team is dialed in mentally and has the mental toughness to push through. I hate Calipari, but he was on his team from start to finish, unlike Barnes sitting in his chair watching the game like a fan... How do you go from the last 6-7 games we've played to performing like this at HOME? It's 100% mental and emotional... And Barnes absolutely cannot, and has not, ever coached that aspect up... it is what it is... that is why we won't ever get far in the tourney.

Don’t recall ever seeing Barnes more animated than today’s game - funny you saw the exact opposite?

 

[southgatevol]

I've been critical of Barnes when I thought he deserved it.... But that team out there didn't execute, they played lazy, weak offense. That's on the players, not Barnes.

He loves to yap it up after a loss. Just who he is, can't help himself...

 

[VolFreakJosh]

Even if Barnes is fired, Tennessee historically isn’t a good NCAA Tournament team.

I’m not sure if there’s any other coach out there that could magically get us our first Final Four.

 

[Jdw2920]

All I can say is hopefully this embarrasses the team enough on a national level to get better

Saw where Tennessee is the nation's pick to be upset early in the tourney

Can’t blame them. I’ve been saying it for a while. Big games the offense just seems to crumble.

 

[VolsSportsFan]

So you're saying Barnes has trouble getting the team motivated.

I don't know if that's what happened today, but we looked tight against Vandy and I chalked it up to we were due a bad game/looking ahead to UK.

But then we played even worse. So something was really off today.

 

[Vtonerider]

Overwhelming odds for a Tennessee win, egregiously bad refs, several missed open layups by Tennessee. Hummmm

 

[Butch s]

A loss....followed by the predictable griping about the officials and the announcers.

STFU

 

[mr.checkerboards]

I've been critical of Barnes when I thought he deserved it.... But that team out there didn't execute, they played lazy, weak offense. That's on the players, not Barnes.

Who coaches and teaches them that stuff?
We have nobody that can create, ZZ is too small. Barnes has to get the ball in Phillips hands more and he needs to go to the rim. Teams that win when it really matters put the ball in their playmakers hands and tell them to go make a play. Barnes just runs his system and his teams dont know what to do when it doesnt work.

 

[Volnbeers]

All I can say is hopefully this embarrasses the team enough on a national level to get better

Saw where Tennessee is the nation's pick to be upset early in the tourney

They really went out on a limb there. I’d be more surprised if they made it past the 1st round

 

[KB5252]

So you're saying Barnes has trouble getting the team motivated.

Is that what I said or is that the narrative you're pushing?

 

[Volinnooga]

Fahr Deacon Barnes

 

[Vols till I fall]

This is Barnes's job until he retires

We aren't getting a better coach than him.

Yeah, I'm really upset about this game, but to start talking about Barnes's job status over one game is too emotional.

He has a winning record against Cal.

Just won the SEC tourney last year, etc

His biggest flaws are not being able to get a dominant consistent big man and a reliable scorer. That reliable scorer was Vescovi last year. Also, getting bounced in the ncaa tourney early

Next season's class will be something that we haven't seen before. Scoring threats

 

[MoCo_Vol]

We’re a good team, just gotta get better from this loss.

14-3 (4-1) is ahead of preseason projections. And Colorado is the only bad loss despite how Kentucky looked before the season, Cal has 13 4 & 5 stars, 6 top 100 players. Every year they start slow, every year they show up late in the season when they build chemistry.

 

[KB5252]

Who coaches and teaches them that stuff?
We have nobody that can create, ZZ is too small. Barnes has to get the ball in Phillips hands more and he needs to go to the rim. Teams that win when it really matters put the ball in their playmakers hands and tell them to go make a play. Barnes just runs his system and his teams dont know what to do when it doesnt work.

So you're saying when our best players don't have success we struggle? Is that on the coach or the players every time, some times? How do you determine when the players versus Barnes is to blame.

 

[mr.checkerboards]

So you're saying when our best players don't have success we struggle? Is that on the coach or the players every time, some times? How do you determine when the players versus Barnes is to blame.

No, im saying the coach should call plays that put the ball in the right hands, and teach them what to do with it.

 

[ndubvols]

So you're saying when our best players don't have success we struggle? Is that on the coach or the players every time, some times? How do you determine when the players versus Barnes is to blame.

Idk who your responding to so not sure which side your arguing, but the amount of missed layups this game was the difference. That’s on players.


2-3 of those led directly to fouls on the rebound and points for Kentucky. This one was on the players 100%

 

[VolsSportsFan]

No, im saying the coach should call plays that put the ball in the right hands, and teach them what to do with it.

He isn't teaching major college basketball players how to layup (though ironically they did show him having layup drills). If they can't hit layups, that's on them.

 

[CAVPUT]

BVS
It never fails. Never

Yep. You eventually learn to read the signs. They were all there screaming at anyone who cared to take off the orange glasses and look.

 

[VolsRule]

The team was flat--expecting an easy win over a mediocre Kentucky team that is going nowhere.

 

[mr.checkerboards]

 

[Volnut]

Didn’t.Age.Well