Tennessee men’s basketball coach Rick Barnes expressed significant frustration following his team’s 83-78 victory over Tennessee State on Nov. 13.
Although the No. 9 Volunteers improved to 3-0, “Barnes saw one common denominator: Sub-par effort,” according to Yahoo Sports.
The coach highlighted poor execution, noting that players ignored set plays during the game.
“We didn’t execute the very first play of the game tonight,” Barnes said.
The Volunteers struggled with 17 turnovers and surrendered 24 offensive rebounds to the Tigers, as reported by local outlets.
Barnes specifically criticized his guards for failing to rebound and his frontcourt for committing unnecessary fouls.
The coach emphasized that the team currently lacks the necessary on-court guidance to maintain focus throughout the contest.
“We’ve got to get some leadership,” Barnes stated.
“We haven’t gotten that yet the way we need it,” the coach added.
Despite the win, the team has allowed opponents to grab 50 offensive rebounds and create 43 turnovers through the first three games of the 2026-27 season.
Barnes noted that while he has witnessed better performance during practice sessions, those habits have not translated to game day.
He warned that the team must improve before facing tougher competition, such as the upcoming matchup against No. 5 Michigan State.
“If we get a group of guys that will listen, then we’ll be OK,” Barnes concluded.
The coach remains hopeful that his roster will adopt the proper mindset for the remainder of the regular season.