Tennessee head coach Rick Barnes was pleased with his team’s performance as they defeated Syracuse 96-70 in the SEC-ACC Challenge. Barnes praised his team’s focus on paint touches and offensive rebounds, key areas they worked on in practice. He highlighted the importance of getting those paint touches and the contributions of players like Cade Phillips and Felix Okpara.
Barnes also commended Cade Phillips and Jordan Gainey for their productivity off the bench, emphasizing the value of having a deep bench rotation. He discussed Tennessee’s shooting struggles from the 3-point line in the first half and the adjustments they made in the second half to improve their efficiency.
Regarding Phillips, Barnes emphasized the importance of consistency and hard work, praising the player’s competitive spirit and development over the offseason. Barnes also shared his thoughts on Syracuse head coach Adrian Autry, acknowledging the improvements in their defensive game and praising Autry’s coaching abilities.
Overall, Barnes expressed confidence in his team’s ability to continue improving and praised their efforts on both ends of the court. With strong performances from key players like Phillips and a deep bench rotation, Tennessee looks poised for success as they head into conference play.
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