Rick Barnes praises Brandon Huntley-Hatfield's effort vs. Missouri

He may not be Tennessee‘s top player, but freshman forward Brandon Huntley-Hatfield is known to make big plays for the Volunteers – and when they’re needed most. Although he averages just 3.3 points and 2.6 rebounds per game, Huntley-Hatfield played an important role in Tennessee’s 80-61 win at Missouri on Tuesday night.

Finishing with six points and six rebounds, Huntley-Hatfield helped the Volunteers record their near-20-point victory over Mizzou – which gave Tennessee its sixth win in its last seven games. Following the win, Vols’ head coach Rick Barnes met with media and praised Huntley-Hatfield’s production.

“Well, I think what Brandon’s doing – I thought tonight he was a force,” Barnes said of Hutley-Hatfield. “I thought his strength – and we’ve said all along that he’s athletic, he’s got terrific hands, feet, he knows how to move and play in tight spaces. I just thought he was really doing a good job to get himself into a position to impact the game in a lot of different ways – not just thinking, ‘I’ve gotta have the ball to do something.’

“We’re just really proud of his effort and the fact that he was locked in. He gave us a good game.”

With six wins in its last seven outings, Tennessee – which is ranked No. 17 in the latest Associated Press Top 25 poll with a 20-7 overall record and 11-4 mark in SEC play – returns to action Saturday at home against No. 3 Auburn. Tipoff is scheduled for 4 p.m. ET at Thompson-Boling Arena in Knoxville.

Barnes gives heartfelt statement on Victor Bailey Jr.’s improvement

Although his production has significantly dropped off from the 10.9 points per game he averaged last season, Victor Bailey Jr. is still an important part of Tennessee’s team – and head coach Rick Barnes will be the first to say that. Following Tuesday’s win at Mizzou, Barnes met with the media for his postgame press conference and had plenty of good to say about his player.

“I think that when you work, and I think that what he’s done – and what he’s done in practice – just simplified,” Barnes said of Bailey Jr. “I really think that some of it is getting back to what he’s good at. He’s a really good mid-range player, he’s good around the rim. When he keeps his game compact and tight – I thought his three that he shot tonight was just the kind of rhythm you’d want him to shoot it with. It just came to him in the flow of the game and he shot it the way he practices.

“I’ve said it before that I think that anybody close to our program would tell you how much respect they have for him and how hard he’s continued to work. Just a great example for everybody that you just don’t ever let go of that rope and only just hold on and keep working and keep climbing. He earned it. He’s stayed with it and deserves good things to happen.”