Feb 10, 2021; Knoxville, Tennessee, USA; Tennessee Volunteers head coach Rick Barnes points from the sidelines during the first half against the Georgia Bulldogs at Thompson-Boling Arena. Mandatory Credit: Randy Sartin-USA TODAY Sports
When Tennessee basketball hired Rick Barnes, they didn’t hire an unknown commodity. Barnes had just been fired by the Texas Longhorns after an underachieving season that involved a first-round NCAA Tournament exit despite returning every starter from the previous year’s NCAA Tournament team and adding a five-star, Myles Turner in that case.
At that time, Barnes had not made it past the first weekend of the NCAA Tournament in seven years.