Rick Barnes provides brief response to free-throw woes during Vols’ loss to Kentucky
By Paul Harvey
Published:
Rick Barnes watched Tennessee drop another game Saturday afternoon. This time, it was a 66-54 defeat at the hands of Kentucky.
The Vols have now lost 3 of the past 4 games and are 2-4 in the past 6 games played. The two wins have come over Auburn and No. 1 Alabama, but Tennessee has been unable to string success together lately.
In the latest loss, free throw shooting proved to be an Achilles heel for the Vols. Instead of being a benefit for the team, the charity stripe doomed Tennessee as the team shot just 4-for-14 on free throws in the game.
By contrast, Kentucky shot 23-of-35 on free throws in the win. Oscar Tshiebwe alone went 10-for-11 from the stripe.
Barnes was asked about that performance from the free throw line after the game, and he was understandably at a loss for words.
Barnes on if he can explain missing that many free throws: “I can’t.”
— Rocky Top Insider (@rockytopinsider) February 18, 2023
Jahmai Mashack finished the game with 16 points for the VOls but went just 1-for-5 on free throws. Uros Plavsic also went 0-for-3 from the stripe with a trio of others missing free throws in the loss.
We’ll see if Tennessee can start to get things turned around with the regular season winding down and postseason play right around the corner.
Paul Harvey lives in Atlanta and covers SEC football.
