The Official #6 Tennessee @ #9 Arizona Game Thread, 10:30 PM ET, ESPN2

[GBO18]

That is all I saw.

Blame ESPN.

 

[RAVOL]

We definitely missed JJJ tonight. Phillips just not there physically yet. ZZ starting to turn it up ON played well tonight. Needed few more buckets from Santi and Key. Oh well. All is good. In CHRIST Alone.

 

[kell7517]

Once the Vols were up 27-20 in the first half and the refs whistled 8 fouls on them in a row. It wasn’t meant to be. Had a chance. Slim one, but one.

 

[volfan__18]

I also have never saw a team as classless as arizona. A bunch of cocky players on their team. Acted as if they have never won a game before.

 

[SonOfGodVolforlife]

It is exhausting. It is every year in college sports that the officials continue to be bad at their job yet never face any accountability. Literally every other profession has accountability except for one of the most lucrative ones out there.

Why don’t refs have to answer questions after a game?? I think it’s bs that they do not have to be accountable for their horrible games. If 18 year old kids can face the press after a game , then you can’t tell me the refs shouldn’t have to!!

 

[The Tall Gguy]

Then you don't know what conversations Barnes had with the officials.

Fair enough, but I didn't see him talking to the refs until 30 sec left in game.

 

[TheMookieMonster]

Snap and clear. Time to move on. It was always going to be a neigh impossible task to win that game. I’m just worried about JJJ at this point. Feels concerning he essentially hasn’t played this year.

 

[KB5252]

Barnes talked to the refs and argued points all night. He’s a pretty thoughtful guy. I’m sure he has a strategy based on the data, not based on our WWF fans. Watch him in the Clemson era and the early Texas era too. He had quite a temper. If he thinks not getting technical fouls on the road is the right way to go, I trust he’s thought it through.

You have to pick your spots for sure. I'm sure his age has something to do with his softening as far as getting after refs though.

 

[SonOfGodVolforlife]

How in the hell is that a confusing question? You claimed Barnes waited until the end to "work the refs" and I'm asking how the hell you know.

How do you know he was? Sure looked like he wasn’t to me? Did you see something?

 

[The Dog]

Like I said, no big deal, probably helps our resume. Vols can beat any team in the nation, but we can lose to any P-5 team, also. Because our offense is wildly inconsistent. It's time to end this ZZZ off the bench , imo. If this team is going to be the best team they can be, ZZZ has to take the reins, play 30+ minutes a game and run the show

 

[VolsSportsFan]

I think people are just frustrated with the game and the way it played out. And rightfully so.

And to be fair, everyone here is an armchair coach.

That's fine, but the whole "coach has to get a T/work the refs" has been a silly argument for years. And it boils down to fans are usually so simplistic that they only seem think the coach is "working" the refs when they are red faced and screaming and get T'd up.

And that's just really, really stupid.

 

[vol_smoothie]

27 - 10 difference in free throws and two blatant ignored fouls at the end is not something to be dismissed with dumbass comments like, "tough road game" and "we should have shot better" or "complaining to the refs doesn't help". We got screwed, plain and simple. Vescovi knocked on his ass right in front of the ref, then they call a touch foul on the other end.

What game were some of you watching ???

 

[DooleyOrangePants]

I also have never saw a team as classless as arizona. A bunch of cocky players on their team. Acted as if they have never won a game before.

They were just as bad last year in TBA. Mathurin was doing similar antics on the sideline and post game.

Just speaks to a win at all costs program that they’ve built out there. Doesn’t matter how low they go to get there.

 

[LieutenantNeyland]

Yes, Refs sucked and Barnes may have been more vocal, but when we can not knock down wide open shots when it counts, that could be what did us in too. Sometimes this **** just happens. Long season ahead and we will see how we progress

Quality take, it just wasn’t our night. Wish we could’ve had three times the foul shots they did.

 

[JoAllan]

I think people are just frustrated with the game and the way it played out. And rightfully so.

And to be fair, everyone here is an armchair coach.

What are you talking about?

I’m a Lazyboy coach.

 

[GBO18]

Our defensive numbers shouldn’t take that big of a hit.

 

[C-south]

UT made make shots from the field than Arizona also.

Those stats are awful for both teams. We shouldn’t have been less awful.

 

[KB5252]

He clearly went after the refs in the first half and got a 3 second call and one or two others. Just couldn’t override the majority of the game flow. It’s CBB, happens all the time. Uros probably didn’t help us with his big man skit early in the game to draw the tech either tbh

Uros is needed defensively, but he's limited offensively. I like his physicality but he let's it get away from him sometimes.

 

[VolsSportsFan]

How do you know he was? Sure looked like he wasn’t to me? Did you see something?

God in Heaven can the point fly over your head any higher? Did YOU see Barnes the entire game to know what he was doing? Or are you basing it on the small, small bit of it you saw on TV to make the wild jump to "Barnes only did it at the end"?

 

[Lukusw]

I came into this game feeling like it was house money. JJJ out. Santi & maybe Aidoo not 100%. On the road against a Final Four caliber team. A team that is a difficult matchup (we match better against teams whose strength is wings--see Kansas).

We saw peak ZZ for the first time. I felt like this was the first game ORN was focused and he played well. We competed the entire game in a hostile environment. Our #1 defense showed up against the team that is far and away the best offense in the country (for defense numbers there's always that question if they will hold against a top tier offense).

Yeah, I wish we had won. I don't need to mention foul calling (or lack there of). Yeah, there are alot of things this game showed in the negative: Philips is a freshman. Key has a ceiling when it comes to ball handling. Aidoo can be pushed around. But don't forget we were right there to the final minute against a possible top 5 team. Definitely not a "bad" loss.

There's a lot to unpack from this one.

Bonus: they shot 88.9% from FT. They average 72% on the year. That's an extra 4 points right there.

 

[The Tall Gguy]

Then you don't know what conversations Barnes had with the officials.

I saw the Vols get a real screw job and a coach that got zero warning or technicals for defending his team.
I saw him chew the ass off the only big man he has playing...all game.

If I missed him letting the refs know they were performing poorly, I apologize...I simply did not see it.

 

[vanillagorilla]

For anyone that couldn't watch the game this pretty much sums it up.

 

[C-south]

Then you don't know what conversations Barnes had with the officials.

Can we at least get a Bobby Knight chair throw or two? Is that too much to ask?

 

[Putbacks]

Bruce Pearl gets EVERY call for this reason.

Pearl cried and reddened like a tomato the last 4 minutes against Memphis and still lost.

 

[SonOfGodVolforlife]

God in Heaven can the point fly over your head any higher? Did YOU see Barnes the entire game to know what he was doing? Or are you basing it on the small, small bit of it you saw on TV to make the wild jump to "Barnes only did it at the end"?

You’re funny guy!