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Tennessee basketball: Rick Barnes crumbles in another big game this season

By Billy Williford

COLUMBUS, OHIO - MARCH 24: Head coach Rick Barnes of the Tennessee Volunteers reacts to a play against the Iowa Hawkeyes during their game in the Second Round of the NCAA Basketball Tournament at Nationwide Arena on March 24, 2019 in Columbus, Ohio. (Photo by Elsa/Getty Images)
COLUMBUS, OHIO - MARCH 24: Head coach Rick Barnes of the Tennessee Volunteers reacts to a play against the Iowa Hawkeyes during their game in the Second Round of the NCAA Basketball Tournament at Nationwide Arena on March 24, 2019 in Columbus, Ohio. (Photo by Elsa/Getty Images) /
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LOUISVILLE, KENTUCKY – MARCH 28: Head coach Rick Barnes of the Tennessee Volunteers reacts against the Purdue Boilermakers during the second half of the 2019 NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament South Regional at the KFC YUM! Center on March 28, 2019, in Louisville, Kentucky. (Photo by Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images)
LOUISVILLE, KENTUCKY – MARCH 28: Head coach Rick Barnes of the Tennessee Volunteers reacts against the Purdue Boilermakers during the second half of the 2019 NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament South Regional at the KFC YUM! Center on March 28, 2019, in Louisville, Kentucky. (Photo by Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images) /

Bad X’s and O’s

Barnes isn’t a big X’s and O’s coach; he’s never been. Go back and watch games from this season, the offense never runs offensive sets to get open shots. The most they do is run motion and wait for the opposing team to get caught behind screen run-offs or bad help defense.

More from All for Tennessee

Speaking of running plays, Matt Painter painted a beautiful picture of how important coaches are to the college game. Of course, you need talent, but coaches are important, and Painter showed that more than ever.

Go back years of the NCAA Tournament, and it’s clear great coaches win in the biggest moments. Just in the past ten years guys like Jay Wright, Roy Williams, Mike Krzyzewski, John Calipari, and Jim Calhoun have all won titles.

Sure, they all had fantastic talent, but they know how to coach when the game is on the line.

Watch Kentucky; they run offensive sets to get P.J. Washington the ball every time they need an easy bucket. Find the replay from the game in Rupp between Tennessee and Kentucky.

John Calipari was masterful at creating set plays to get Tyler Herro wide open looks at the mid-range jumper.

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