Tennessee’s defense got absolutely torched by Xavier last week, giving up a ridiculous 70.4% from the field and 57.1% from three in the second half of an 86-70 exhibition loss on October 15. And you know what? Head coach Rick Barnes isn’t just okay with it, he’s straight-up *happy* about it.
Getting “Exposed” Is the Point Right Now
Talk about a gut check, right? Barnes, always the straight shooter, laid it all out on October 19. He wishes the Vols could play five of these preseason games because they rip the band-aid off and teach teams a ton about themselves. “I’d rather get exposed more than winning a basketball game right now,” he said, flat out. He knows this kind of beatdown is exactly what it takes to “really grab their attention” when they’re not listening. Against Xavier, the Vols just weren’t communicating on defense, totally whiffed on key parts of the game plan, and their fundamentals? Non-existent. It got so bad their inability to guard bled right into their offense. Oof.
The Fixes Are Obvious (But Urgent!)
But here’s the kicker: Barnes says the fixes are totally obvious. We’re talking about a squad with 13 new players, so getting everyone on the same page is huge. He’s talking about subtle things, like guys being in a “deny stance when they should be in a gap stance,” which are “certain things that we’ve got to do to make our defense work.” It’s all about those small details making a massive impact, and he’s got little concern they’ll get corrected. They *have* to, because the regular season kicks off November 3 against Wofford, and they need to improve *now*.
Shorthanded for Duke, Still Grinding
And just to make things spicier, the No. 9 Vols are gonna be shorthanded for their final exhibition game. Tyler Lundblade, the transfer guard from Belmont who’s supposed to be their best three-point shooter, is out against No. 2 Duke. He had back surgery in August and while he’s practicing without limitations, he’s still gotta get back into game shape. “He’s on a timetable where the doctors want to make sure he’s slowly building back into it,” Barnes explained. Then there’s Jalen Washington, the 6-foot-10 transfer from Vanderbilt. His eligibility lawsuit hit another roadblock on October 16 when the Davidson County Chancery Court denied his request for a review of a stay on a temporary injunction. So he’s sidelined for Duke, too, needing to win his lawsuit to play. Barnes is still optimistic Washington will be eligible later in the season, and he’s practicing to stay ready.
So, Tennessee rolls into Cameron Indoor Stadium on October 20 at 7 p.m. ET (ACC Network) to face No. 2 Duke, missing a couple of key guys and with a whole lot to prove on the defensive end. Can they show some growth from getting absolutely picked apart? Barnes says “we’ll see if our guys can grow from these games.” It’s time to put that “exposure” to work, big time.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Yahoo Sports.
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