After picking up a double-digit win over LSU, Tennessee basketball head coach Rick Barnes picked up win number 250 at Tennessee. It was a major milestone for Barnes, as he is just the ninth coach in NCAA history to have 250 wins at two different schools.
When Rick Barnes got to Tennessee, not many believed in him, and they figured it would just be a retirement gig for the standout head coach.
"Again, I thank God for the opportunity. I do. And when I got here, I think people told me everybody thought I was coming here to retire, which I want to coach basketball," said Barnes. "I love coaching. I've got a great staff. I love what we have going here. We can get so much better. We're excited about our young guys. We hope, obviously, to keep them all."
When Barnes got to Knoxville, he wasn't sure what to expect, but the fans' loyalty was made known fast.
"And what I didn't know growing up three hours from here is the love for Tennessee basketball. I'd had people tell me through the years. I had a friend that's been a friend for 11 years, Kevin Feltner, who was coaching an AAU team here at one time. He was one of the first guys I met, and he came in and welcomed me to East Tennessee, and he said, 'I want to tell you, what you're going to be most surprised about is how loyal and how rabid your fan base is.' He said, 'They love basketball here.' And that's true," said Barnes.
Tennessee fans have made a very good impression on Barnes, making him very thankful for what he has in Knoxville.
"And I think we've got as loyal a basketball fan base. Obviously, we know Vol Nation is special. But basketball-wise, it's been unbelievable. But I'm blessed. I mean, I really believe God brought me here for a reason, and I'm thankful for it. I'm thankful for the players that we coach."
What's next for Rick Barnes?
Well, in the short term, Tennessee has a huge week of basketball ahead of it. Tennessee takes on a sneaky Oklahoma team and rival Vanderbilt on the road. In the long term, Barnes has made it pretty clear he doesn't want to give up coaching just yet. Obviously, he won't coach forever, but it doesn't sound like retirement is imminent anytime soon.
The quote, "We're excited about our young guys. We hope, obviously, to keep them all," suggests that Barnes is here for a little while longer, as he is interested in developing the young roster Tennessee has.
It’s clear Barnes feels lucky to coach the players he has at Tennessee, and just as clear that he loves this fanbase. His time in Knoxville has been very successful, and hopefully, he can build on that with a Final Four.