The Official #8 Tennessee vs. #12 Kentucky Game Thread, 7:00 PM ET, ESPN

[Majors]

How many times can ones heart break?

End of Fulmer era to the Pruitt era made me numb to losing.

 

[The Tall Gguy]

Whoever the coach is next year will be starting from scratch. You could see it in Barnes eyes that this is it...he is over it.

 

[volfever007]

TN had 22 more shots in total. Abysmal offense.

100%

 

[MoCo_Vol]

What if Kim Caldwell and Barnes trade places for a month? Caldwell can coach offense for the men’s team and Barnes can coach defense for the Lady Vols.

You haven’t watched many lady Vols games have you?

They lead the country in 3 point attempts.

 

[Just a VolinTears]

Look, Pope coached a really good game. I mean Tennessee missed a ton of threes and you won't win many games that way. I feel like if we played them again here, we'd win. Igor got some confidence so hopefully that's good.

 

[The Tall Gguy]

44 3s attempted. I can hear the clank of the rim 30 minutes later.

Butch Jones basketball. Brick by Brick

 

[Volhoops]

What if Kim Caldwell and Barnes trade places for a month? Caldwell can coach offense for the men’s team and Barnes can coach defense for the Lady Vols.

Neither one have enough talent on their teams to win.

 

[OrangeInKy]

The real shame for Kentucky comes in March, where that style of basketball will not win you anything. They can beat anyone and lose to anyone.

Losing this game sucks, but it doesn't change anything about what I think.this team is capable of during March. This team can win shooting poorly. They always have a chance. Butbif we catch fire and start hitting we are unstoppable.

Well I feel all better now. Im not sure what you’ve seen recently to inspire such confidence. A mediocre team with no point guard just walked in here beating our team when they couldn’t defend or rebound , so Im not sure why they should feel shame. Im the one embarrassed.

 

[BreatheUT]

I love Barnes but the criticism is earned right now. No one can suggest the decision to not fill out the roster with the remaining scholarship spots was a good one. The lack of adapting on the offensive end, late game management. There’s valid reasons for criticism right now.

I have to say that I agree with this assessment after seeing what were seeing from this team. Just a lack of weapons and quality depth. We don't have enough players to play multiple styles.

Just a tough loss at home.

 

[LegionnaireOfTheMiserable]

It’s worked ok I would say.

Yeah I said for the most part it has worked pretty well

 

[Namorto1]

What if Kim Caldwell and Barnes trade places for a month? Caldwell can coach offense for the men’s team and Barnes can coach defense for the Lady Vols.

Like Caldwell, but have you seen their offense? They have a playground ball in halfcourt offense. They score when they get turnovers and score in transition to be sure. But many of the Lady Vols don't know what a "good shot" even means.

 

[MoCo_Vol]

3 of our 4 losses were on the road

2 of them are in the top 5 & top 3 teams in SEC

We are in the toughest part of the schedule right now.

 

[hUTch2002]

It’s worked ok I would say.

It has. The lack of offense leads to some maddening losses and ugly ball at times but I do agree with what one poster said. On a neutral court there won’t be a team in the tournament that wants to see us.

 

[volfaninbuckeyeland]

Can't see this team going .500 in conference play. As much of a meat grinder as this league is, I see 2-8, maybe 3-7 finish. So much talent in the SEC, but I don't know that I have watched another team that is as challenged from the 3 as TN, unless maybe Ark. Uros could be leading scorer on this team.

 

[walkenvol]

Why did they keep shooting them when it was evident they were not hitting them? Does this team even have an inside game? Just not a very good team.

No, we do not have an active competent post scorer. JP was going to be that guy.

 

[m_scott]

The threw enough bricks tonight to finish construction on The Smokies new stadium

 

[BreatheUT]

Well I feel all better now. Im not sure what you’ve seen recently to inspire such confidence. A mediocre team with no point guard just walked in here beating our team when they couldn’t defend or rebound , so Im not sure why they should feel shame. Im the one embarrassed.

It's unimaginable how people spin L's.

 

[Vols till I fall]

Whoever the coach is next year will be starting from scratch. You could see it in Barnes eyes that this is it...he is over it.

I have a feeling he's going tk retire, but if ZZ gets another year, I think Barnes is going to stay 1 more year.

Even though we are going through a rough stretch, seriously, cherish these days. We are 17-4 and have been spoiled rotten with Coach Barnes. I hope we can find someone remotely as good.

 

[LegionnaireOfTheMiserable]

I'm not surprised you actually believe you know what Barnes thinks. In addition, many offensive minded players have come to play here to learn defense. I'll take our ceiling here while Barnes is HC

Yeah it’s not like Barnes has stressed the importance of defense and his desire to have a defensive identity for the entire time he has been here. How could any presume to know anything he thinks when all you have are 10 years of consistent messaging from the man?

 

[Volizona]

You haven’t watched many lady Vols games have you?

They lead the country in 3 point attempts.

Well, they seem to be scoring a lot of points from what I’ve seen? I’m guessing they have a better 3 pt % than the men.

 

[Go47]

9-9 or 10-8 is likely. I don’t see this team winning at UK or beating Bama - that’s 6 likely losses.

Florida / Mizzou / Vanderbilt / Texas AM - Ole Miss - likely 2-3 losses out of that group.

 

[hUTch2002]

When you hit 4 of them, nah. Igor was the only thing keeping us in this one.

I give him credit for a good offensive game tonight. We very much need that from him moving forward.

 

[GBO18]

I think people are overlooking how much the Auburn game took out of us. Really wish this game would have been on Wednesday. Call it making excuses but that was an intense and physical game against Auburn. If we don’t shoot better against Florida then it will be very worrisome.

 

[BernardKingGOAT]

3 of our 4 losses were on the road

2 of them are in the top 5 & top 3 teams in SEC

We are in the toughest part of the schedule right now.

Shouldn't you have followed this up with a "never mind"

 

[Vols till I fall]

How many times can ones heart break?

My heart first broke back in 2010 against LSU.

It can't be broken anymore

I actually enjoy the pain now