Rick Barnes: Vols will bounce back from recent losses because 'I know how much it hurt them'

Rick Barnes described No. 8 Tennessee’s defensive effort as “really disappointing” in the 78-73 loss to No. 12 Kentucky Tuesday night at Food City Center.

Take the first possession, for example. Chaz Lanier tripped on defense and Kentucky’s Koby Brea was left open for a 3-pointer just 42 seconds into the game. 

“And normally somebody’s flying there to help,” Barnes said, “but didn’t get that, broke down just communication wise.”

It was the start of a 7-for-16 first half for Kentucky at the 3-point line and a 12-for-24 night. Barnes said defensive lapses early in the game helped the Wildcats relax on the road and they took advantage. 

That it happened just days removed from the 53-51 loss at No. 1 Auburn Saturday night, the best defensive performance of the season, was all the more frustrating. 

“After the effort we put in (at Auburn),” Barnes said, “not to come with the same focus and especially playing at home coming off a loss is tough.”

Tennessee’s offense was even tougher. The Vols shot just 34.7% from the field and were a staggering 11-for-45 from the 3-point line. 

Tennessee won the rebounding battle. The Vols had 18 offensive boards to Kentucky’s eight, and 20 second-chance points to Kentucky’s eight. 

Tennessee committed fewer turnovers, scored more points off turnovers, had more bench points, more points in the paint, more fast break points and had more blocks and more steals. 

But the Vols couldn’t buy a bucket when they needed it the most, rallying to cut the deficit to three points with 4:10 left, only to miss nine straight shots, going 1-for-11 from the field, all from the 3-point line, to close the game.

Rick Barnes: ‘We’ve lost four games. So we’re not that bad, okay?’

Still, even after that kind of loss, and after three losses in the last four games, Barnes wasn’t ready to concede anything Tuesday night.

“Well, one, we’ve lost four games,” Barnes said. “So we’re not that bad, okay? We’re not doing that bad. We’re in the best league in the country, against a team that has had big wins. 

“There’s no given that we’re going to win every game, even if we play well. We want to win every game, but that team we’re playing, they want to win, too.” 

After the 14-0 start to the season and spending five weeks ranked No. 1, Tennessee was pummeled 73-43 at Florida on January 7, then lost 76-75 at Vanderbilt 11 days later, then 53-51 at Auburn before falling flat Tuesday against Kentucky. 

Barnes described it as a fine line between win and losses in the SEC. And said his team can get back on the right side of the line. 

“Possessions matter,” he said. “Coaches always talk about there are ten four-minute games, you got to win them. Well there’s been teams, what, a week and a half ago, a week ago, that won nine of those and lost the last one, and lost the game.”

Up Next: No. 8 Tennessee vs. No. 5 Florida, Saturday

Barnes was referencing last week, when Florida won 70-69 at South Carolina, Texas A&M won 63-62 at Ole Miss and Arkansas won 68-65 at home against Georgia.

All three wins featured late rallies to take the lead in the final minutes — or closing seconds — after the other team had led most of the night.

“So to me it’s more about winning possessions,” Barnes said, “and you’ve got to win enough possessions. We didn’t win enough possessions.”

The possession-by-possession pressure picks up when Tennessee (17-4, 4-4 SEC) hosts No. 5 Florida (18-2, 5-2) on Saturday (Noon Eastern Time, ESPN). No. 20 Missouri comes to Knoxville on Wednesday, before the Vols go back on the road for four of their next five. 

“It won’t get any easier,” Barnes said. “I know our guys are disappointed. I know how much they care, I know how much they all work. 

“… We can get better and we’ve got to get better. And knowing what I know about these guys, I think we will get better because if it didn’t hurt them, I’d be concerned, but I know how much it hurt them.”