Tennessee basketball head coach Rick Barnes addressed the media ahead of the SEC Tournament, discussing his team’s preparation and mindset heading into the postseason. Barnes emphasized the importance of staying focused and taking things one game at a time. “We’ve got to make sure we’re prepared for each game, and we can’t look ahead,” he said.
Barnes also touched on the team’s recent struggles, including a loss to Auburn in the regular season finale. Despite the setback, Barnes expressed confidence in his team’s ability to bounce back. “We’ve had some tough losses, but we’ve also had some great wins,” he said. “We’ve got to learn from those losses and move forward.”
When asked about the team’s seeding in the SEC Tournament, Barnes downplayed the significance of being a higher seed. “Seeds don’t matter at this point,” he said. “What matters is how you play. We’ve got to make sure we’re playing our best basketball, regardless of who we’re playing.”
Barnes also praised the depth and competitiveness of the SEC, noting that any team can beat anyone on a given night. “This league is as tough as any league in the country,” he said. “We’ve got to be prepared for every game, because anyone can beat us.”
The Tennessee coach also provided an update on the team’s injury situation, saying that guard Santiago Vescovi is “day-to-day” with a lingering injury. Barnes expressed hope that Vescovi would be able to return to the lineup soon, but emphasized that the team would not rush him back.
Barnes also discussed the team’s approach to defending against SEC opponents, saying that they would need to be adaptable and prepared to adjust their strategy on the fly. “We’ve got to be able to adjust to different teams and different players,” he said. “We’ve got to be able to make those adjustments quickly.”
Overall, Barnes expressed confidence in his team’s ability to make a deep run in the SEC Tournament, but emphasized that they would need to stay focused and take things one game at a time. “We’ve got to make sure we’re prepared for every game, and we’ve got to be able to adjust to whatever comes our way,” he said.
