Rick Barnes considers why Tennessee struggled from the free throw line vs. Kentucky

It’s safe to say that Tennessee’s offensive performance in Lexington wasn’t their best. However, what frustrated many Volunteer faithful, as well as Rick Barnes, was how many they left out on the charity stripe.

Barnes spoke about his team shooting 4-14 from the free-throw line after Saturday’s 66-54 loss at Kentucky. He said he practically had to beg legends from the stands to come out and help them because, in all seriousness, he said their mental toughness at the line wasn’t where it needed to be.

“It’s funny. During the game, I turned around and saw Kyle Macy there. And I said, ‘Want to go shoot these?’,” joked Barnes.

“They missed some too. But I think free-throw shooting can be a lot like putting in golf,” Barnes continued. “I think you’ve got to have your routine. I think you’ve got to go up there confident. And know that, if you put your stroke on, it’s going to go in. That’s the key to it. If not, guys can get in their head and it can be torture for them mentally.”

The Volunteers were brutal on the offensive end, specifically in the first half. They shot 25.9% from the field and 7.7% from three over the first 20 minutes and only brought that up to 37.3% and 22.2% respectively for the game. However, as they improved in the second half, their performance at the foul line plummeted by missing all six attempts.

Road games in conference play can sometimes solely come down to free-throw shooting. Considering their offensive woes in other areas, a 28.6% mark from the line wasn’t gonna cut it for Tennessee this weekend. Now, after they stumbled on that end again, Barnes and Vols have a lot to sort out over the last two weeks of the season.