Rick Barnes calls Julian Phillips, Tyreke Key 'game-time decisions'

Although No. 12 Tennessee has been healthier as of late, the Volunteers have still been dealing with nagging injuries. Now, ahead of their second-to-last game against Arkansas, Rick Barnes has shared the latest on the remaining two injured players on his roster.

Barnes kept it brief in media today when sharing the statuses of Julian Phillips and Tyreke Key. He said that, by his estimation, both will be game-time calls for the Vols on Tuesday night.

“I think, again, they’ll both be game-time decisions…But they’re doing everything they can on their part,” Barnes said.

Barnes then went more in-depth on Key considering he was a late scratch from Saturday’s win over South Carolina. He said it could have been a past issue that flared up on the grad student. Considering Key’s attitude, though, not even he really knows what caused his ankle to swell.

“(Tyreke’s) had some issues from the past. Tyreke’s a very tough-minded person. He’s a guy who, if he’s hurt, he’ll pretty much keep it to himself,” said Barnes. “But when he left? He’ll tell you he has no idea what made it swell up on him the way it did when he walked in here on Saturday.”

Phillips has missed the last four games for Tennessee with a hip flexor injury. In his 25 appearances as a freshman, he has averaged nine points and nearly five rebounds in 25 minutes. As for Key, he’s averaging 8.1 points for the Volunteers in 24 minutes per game but will have to improve his percentages upon his return as he has shot 2-21 over his last three appearances.

Key will hopefully be back ahead of his ceremony on Senior Night for Tennessee this week. However, Barnes will want both he and Phillips back in the lineup as soon as possible to improve his team’s depth and continuity ahead of the postseason starting next week.