What Rick Barnes, Scott Drew said after Tennessee beat Baylor for Baha Mar title

What head coach Rick Barnes said after No. 11 Tennessee’s 77-62 win over No. 13 Baylor in the Baha Mar Championship title game at the Baha Mar Resort late Friday night in The Bahamas:

Opening Statement

“Defensively, just proud of the effort of our older guys who set such a good tone for us. But it’s been fun coming here in this, one of our favorite places to come because we feel like we get a a really good following with the fanbase and I think they’ve enjoyed it. And just the accommodations have been special.” 

Tennessee facing two quality opponents in the tournament and his takeaway after two the games

“Well, I saw really, I thought, great mental preparation. Getting ready. Like I’m sure Baylor, both of us would like to have a little more time, preparation would probably be a little bit different too, maybe. Maybe, maybe not. I mean, we had Virginia, we knew that coming in, so we were able to get that done really before we got here. And then you don’t know what will be next. 

“But a lot of credit to our coaching staff. Those guys are doing an incredible job digging deep, going back, not just games this year, but last year. We’re really trying to give our players the best cheat sheet they can to get ready. And we’ve got so much respect for the game and for the our opponents and trying to give them (the players) as much without overloading them. And I’m really proud of their staff for the job that they did and really proud of the players for being able to absorb the different things we threw at them.”

Getting out to such a big lead early in the game 

“And in the game, we got we got a flow going early. And when you get a lead like that, it’s really hard to play because you want to continue to be aggressive, but you don’t want to get sloppy. And at times we did. But then defensively, trying to stay with that against the team that puts you in a lot of tough situations like Baylor can do. And, overall, learn that we can continue to get better. We have a chance to have a really good basketball team. 

“It’s a long way to go. It’s a long way to go. We’re still early into the season. We’ve had some good wins over some good basketball teams, but I will tell you, I told our team that it’s good. The winning’s good. It feels good. But if you ever think you’ve arrived this time of year, we’ll find out real quick. We’ll get slapped in the face a few times. And I hope we don’t have to do that to keep understanding how much better we can become as a team.”

Tennessee’s trip to The Bahamas, the Vols being 6-1 in their last seven tournament games there

“We’re staying over tomorrow for a little bit. They’ll have tomorrow with their families here, and I think we leave for the airport around 3 o’clock. But we ask them to come down and stay focused in. And I tell you what, I am glad that we’re not playing in a three-day tournament. Last year you remember in Hawaii, you’re getting up every morning at 6:30, and this year is the opposite. Everything at 9:30 (at night), late.” 

“But I do like the two-team tournament. I do. I think it’s really good. It’s really interesting that St. John’s is staying over here tomorrow, going to play Georgia on Sunday, and Marquette’s coming down to play, I think, Georgia … that wouldn’t be a bad trip, to be honest with you. Take a day off and then play another game, something like that. But I do like the two games here. And this place lived up to billing. It was what everybody told me it’s nicer. And I just thought it was awesome. 

Opposing teams having to face Zakai Zeigler and Jahmai Mashack, Tennessee’s younger players behind them

“Well, we’ve built in those guys, oh boy, I’m sitting here thinking about those two guys. And we’re hoping, honestly, we talk about it all the time, that who who are they going hand the baton off to? And we want it to be Bishop Boswell. 

We Bishop is a defensive, hard-nosed guy. Cade Phillips. Both of those guys are former football players and we think they they both bring that kind of competitive toughness, but we want them to do it now, right now. We don’t want to wait until the offseason to do that. So the more minutes we can get those guys on the floor, it’s going to be good for us.

“Really felt like Cam Carr was really heading in the right direction and then he got hurt. And this next four weeks for him is going to be really important because with his hand in the cast, we had gone to doing a lot of just defensive daily vitamins with him. We’re going to do that. Because this team has a chance to be really a special, elite-type defense. But I think our post defense has got to get better. Obviously, tonight, we missed a guy like JP Estrella. His size in there would have bothered (Norchad) Omier. Omier is such a terrific player. He reminds me so much of Grant Williams. And he’s just a load to guard in there.

Tennessee’s win over Baylor

“Just a good night for everybody. And really proud of our guys. Happy for them, because I know they wanted to come win this tournament. And I’m glad for them and happy because I know how hard they work and it’s good that they were rewarded.” 

The program they have built at Tennessee

“I’ve had the best coaches since I’ve been here. And guys that were focused. And we appreciate the fact and we’re grateful that the good Lord has given us a chance to have this opportunity. And I’m thankful every day that God’s given us a blessing to be at Tennessee. And it’s been ten great years and (I) want to do so much more to get more done. But right now, it’s about this team, just focus. And I told him, I said, hey, I love the way you played the first half (against Baylor), but I still I’m one of those guys that I’ve never seen a perfect game. I want to believe in one, but I want to strive to it so we can do that someday. 

“But just love this group of guys and how hard they work. And I love the leadership with Zakai. And Jordan Gainey’s become one of those guys too along with Jahmai. Those guys know. But just again, you think about it, Igor (Milicic had a) good week here. D-Stone (Darlinstone Dubar), I’m proud of that kid for what what he’s been through to come in and do this. And Chaz, those three portal guys. But what we’ve talked about before is how much better can Cade Phillips, can Cam Carr, and JP Estrella get. And that was our biggest thought process in the offseason. Those guys are the guys. Again, you’re thinking about handing the torch off, and we were really excited to have Bishop (Boswell) come with us because he think we think, we often say, he’s one of us. And he knows what we’re about, we know what he’s about, and it’s just a matter to continue to build and grow this thing.” 

Baylor coach Scott Drew

Opening Statement

“First want to congratulate Tennessee. They’re really good team. Coach (Rick) Barnes is an unbelievable coach and an even better person. Mad respect for him. Love playing against him because if you have a weakness, they’ll expose it, and their toughness showed first half. Two assists, nine turnovers by us, and then we didn’t do a good job on the glass. The one guy we said, ‘don’t give him an open three,’ had 15 points in the first four minutes. 

“So with that all being said, I was proud of second half. We competed, we got better, and look forward to seeing just how much we can improve the rest of the year.”

Playing tough games like Tennessee this early in the season

“Well, I think right away, what you risk is confidence. You can lose confidence if you lose some games, but if you stay together, you really gain a great team, because diamonds are formed under pressure. We need to know what we’re gonna get and what to expect from guys in these situations, because this is what the Big 12 conference is about. We got a lot of new guys, and a lot of guys, we’re coaching for the first time, so just trying to figure out pieces, rotations, what we do defensively, offensively. So we’re making strides.”