There’s no doubt that one of the reasons Rick Barnes has made Tennessee basketball so successful is the way he’s pushed his team. He’s never satisfied and always finding ways for them to get better.
It showed again after a win over the Arkansas Razorbacks Tuesday night. The No. 3 ranked Vols won 106-87 at home to move to 15-1 and 4-0 in the SEC. But in the midst of a blowout win, Barnes admitted that he told the team they weren’t “totally locked in” and lamented the fact that Arkansas, a fast-paced team of runs, managed to narrow the gap in the second half.