Rick Barnes didn’t need a replay to know he’d gone too far.
Moments after Tennessee wrapped up a gritty 77-69 win over Auburn, the veteran head coach was dissecting his team’s late-game execution - or lack thereof - when he dropped a line that immediately turned heads.
“We’ve got to just get more consistent,” Barnes said. “And we just got to stop doing, at the end of the game, some of the passes that we throw. I mean, I don’t know what to say other than sometimes I wonder if guys are betting on games.”
Barnes caught himself right away. He shook his head, asked for a reset, and quickly walked it back: “I shouldn’t say that. Erase that.”
It was a moment that briefly took the spotlight off what was otherwise a strong night for the Vols, who improved to 15-6 overall and 5-3 in SEC play. Tennessee built a 16-point lead in the first half and looked in control for long stretches. But as has been the case too often this season, the finish was messier than it needed to be.
Auburn, now 14-8 (5-4 SEC), took advantage of Tennessee’s late-game sloppiness. The Vols turned the ball over twice in the final two minutes, allowing the Tigers to claw back within six.
It wasn’t just the giveaways - Tennessee also committed three fouls on Auburn 3-point attempts, two of which turned into four-point plays. That’s not just a momentum swing; that’s a recipe for disaster in March.
Barnes didn’t sugarcoat it. “The fact is, we’ve got to get smarter,” he said. “And they know it.”
That kind of accountability has long been a hallmark of Barnes’ coaching style. He’s not afraid to call out mistakes, but it’s always in service of growth. And right now, Tennessee’s biggest hurdle isn’t talent - it’s closing games with discipline.
One of the more puzzling issues is how Tennessee’s aggressive defensive identity is bleeding into the offensive end, especially late. “We’re not able to gear it down like we need to on offense,” Barnes said. “That’s got to change.”
It’s a fair point. The Vols play with a defensive edge that can rattle opponents, but when it’s time to slow things down and protect a lead, they’ve struggled to shift gears. That’s where veteran teams separate themselves - knowing when to push and when to pull back.
Still, there’s no denying Tennessee has the pieces. They’ve shown they can build leads against quality opponents. Now it’s about protecting those leads with smarter decisions and fewer self-inflicted wounds.
The Vols get a chance to tighten things up when they host Ole Miss on Tuesday night - a game that offers both a chance to build momentum and a test of whether those late-game lessons are starting to stick.
Barnes’ comment may have grabbed headlines, but the real story is the one playing out on the court: Tennessee is good. They could be great. But only if they stop making it harder on themselves when the clock winds down.