It happened again. Tennessee’s basketball team let the second half slip away against Kentucky, and the loss hurt like last time. But if there’s one thing Rick Barnes made crystal clear in his postgame comments, it’s that the Vols aren’t falling apart.
Barnes understandably was frustrated and upset, but he was proud of how the Vols had guts for all 40 minutes, something they didn't do in the first meeting.
"We didn't compete the second half in Knoxville. I mean, they out-competed us. You know, tonight I thought our guys competed for forty minutes, but the last twenty minutes at Knoxville, we did not compete. So to me, the two games are two totally different games."
This game unfolded as Tennessee expected, even in defeat.
"This one I can take," Barnes said. "The one in Knoxville took me two days to get over because of the way we gift-wrapped it. This game played out how we expected — even when we were up, we knew it would come down to a last-minute play. We’ve just got to get a better shot there at the end."
The good news is Barnes hasn't lost faith in his team.
"These guys will bounce back. They’ve got too much pride and work too hard," said Barnes. "We haven’t reached the ceiling with this team yet, and that’s a good thing because we can keep growing."
Tennessee basketball will bounce back
Another positive takeaway is that Tennessee flipped a switch last time this happened and won four straight games. They were on their way to winning a fifth, but obviously, the collapse happened. The morale victory we can take from this is that at least it wasn't from a lack of effort. If just a couple of the bunny's Tennessee shots at the basket fell in the second half, Rocky Top probably is blaring on the bus ride home.
Plus, it’s hard to ignore that Nate Ament looks like a top-five pick right now. He has undoubtedly improved his draft stock over the last month, and he looks like one of the best freshmen in the nation in a stacked class. He’s carried this team on his back during the win streak, and having one of the nation’s best players in the lineup will be huge for Tennessee when March rolls around.
I know it hurts, but last time this happened, Tennessee came back stronger, and Rick Barnes hasn't lost hope, so neither should you.