University of Tennessee Athletics
Postgame Quotes: Vols 90, Missouri 70
February 18, 2017 | Men's Basketball
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Tennessee head coach Rick Barnes
(On the play of guard Robert Hubbs III)
"It was great. It started yesterday. We have been fighting a bit of a flu bug and we know he has been going through some injuries that he has had to deal with. He hasn't practiced at all since the Kentucky game here. He came out yesterday and was terrific. We did not go on for a while yesterday, probably just an hour and 15 minutes because of guys under the weather. He came out in practice yesterday and was terrific. He played 33 minutes and we probably shouldn't have put him out there that long. I just don't want him to lose his conditioning, but he was really really good today."
(On playing well today)
"We wanted our guards to get more involved today. We thought (Missouri) did exactly what we thought in terms of man defense and in zone they were back in there. We felt early that our guards weren't looking to shoot the ball and we want to play inside-out. We got in there and got to the free throw line and took care of the ball. A couple of times our perimeter guys weren't looking to shoot it. Shembari Phillips can shoot the ball and we are baffled at times that he doesn't look to shoot the ball more. The second half we were better. We got on a run, but we didn't push the ball like we wanted to. Defensively, in the first half I thought we were good, in a minute and a half they scored 11 points and that started with Robert (Hubbs) fouling Jordan Barnett. Then he got another three and an offensive stick-back and another basket. If you take that out of the first half then overall defensively we were pretty good."
(On Grant Williams' play in the second half)
"He has to rebound the ball better. We want him to score, but when he is playing his best is when he is rebounding it. He plays better when he is not trying to make tough passes or do too much. When he tries to do too much he gets himself in trouble. He has to still understand angles, but he is so good with either hand and he can shoot the ball and he has a great touch. What he is doing rebounding wise is not good enough. It has to get better. Why he is better in the second half I don't know. We are conscious of not wanting him and Admiral (Schofield) to get to many fouls early. In the second half when he doesn't have to worry about that he is more effective."
(On playing better with the lead)
"That was a big swing and a big play when they got it down to seven. Lamonte Turner hit a three and they got called for a block-out foul so it was a five-point possession so that helps you. But I thought that his three was important. That is why we put Brad (Woodson) in the first half. We wanted someone who would be ready to shoot the ball. Defensively, we keep talking about that. Jordan Bone and Grant (Williams) have to learn that even when you have a lead, you can't turn the ball over and just let the guy take the ball. Plays like that you can't have. Missouri coming into this game where two out of their last four were wins and we were one of three. We played better today than we did in Lexington. They saw we let too many outside things get in the way there and they understand how hard these guys play. We have used Missouri as an example all year to our players. They are a team that showed great perseverance and they keep playing hard. And over the last couple of weeks they got some wins because they will battle you. We told our guys that we have to have that resolve. They have lost conference games, but they never stopped playing hard."
(On Shembari Phillips playing time)
"Obviously Jordan Bowden being out had something to do with it. Shembari is a guy that we want to get going. He baffles us, I will be honest with you. We don't understand why he does not see himself the way we see him. We need him. We think he should be as effective as a Jordan Bowden. The difference is Jordan has to take his role off of him to keep going. Shembari holds it in. I don't think I have coached a guy like Shembari where we beg him to almost shoot the ball and he still won't do it. His idea of playing is like, 'dribble, dribble, dribble' and hoping that something opens up where he can be a great catch and shoot guy, great two dribble pull-up guy, two dribble get to the rim. What we want from him right now is for him to be Kyle Alexander on the perimeter with his defense. That is what we want from him. Today he did not do it as well as he can. He needs to be bringing energy and stop saying, 'my bad.' That is what he has got to get out of his system. Good players don't keep doing that. They are going to play hard and compete. None of them are going to play perfect. Everyone knows whose bad it is. It is not that hard to figure out. That is an insecurity blanket, but he can be a terrific player. We think that he could be an All-SEC defensive player if he wanted to do it. He just has to start seeing himself that way to."
(On if there is any significance in matching last year's win total)
"No. When I think about 15 wins in the last year I think it would have been different if Kevin Punter wouldn't have gotten hurt. I do think that. With this group, we have set our goal to be a team that is in the hunt every year. We set our goals to be in the NCAA Tournament. We are in position, but we are going to have to earn it. I think if we were more concerned about wins I don't think we would have scheduled the way we did. I do know that we are a better basketball team right now than we were a year ago. At the end of the year I will say the same thing. I like to think that we will win some more games but we are going to have to work hard to do it. We know where we want this program to be and we have to finish strong every year. There are so many teams in the league that have four or five games left and are in a position to do some things and we are one of them. So we are going to see what we can do with it."
Tennessee forward Grant Williams
(On breaking a two-game losing streak, along with scoring 25 points)
"My mindset was actually on defense. I think the points just came with really playing hard. I've got to do a better job rebounding the ball, on the defensive end and also attacking the glass hard on offense. Overall, I think I played pretty well, but there are a lot of things you see on film that you might not see after a game."
(On guard Shembari Phillips' effort)
"I feel like he did a good job tonight. He hustled, and he played hard. He's being him right now. So he's just got to bring more on the defensive end and keep it going because that's the kind of player he is. He's a long, athletic guard. He can really play, so he's got to keep going."
(On going up against Vanderbilt on Wednesday)
"(We have to) just work with angles, work with space. (Luke) Kornet's huge. He's a big player, but he doesn't jump as high as he uses his length more to get rebounds. So (it's about) just positioning myself to take away his ability to get close to the ball. (I have to) just try to overpower guys and use my strength. That's a big step to rebounding."
Tennessee guard Robert Hubbs III
(On being able to tap into his ability to play well)
"I think so. Once I go into a game, I know how my body is feeling and the rhythm of the game, just getting in the flow of the game. Doing what I do, which is be aggressive and communicating with my teammates."
(On practice coming off the Kentucky loss, prior to the Missouri game)
"We had a really good practice yesterday. It was really short, sweet and everyone was on the edge and focused. That's how we need to be every practice. I did a really good job of getting our guys to really lock-in, and at walk-through this morning. Like yesterday's practice, it really paid off tonight."
(On guard Shembari Phillips' potential as a player)
"Of course (I see potential). He just has to realize that (he has to be) confident in his game. He could be one of the best two-way players in the league if he really wants to. He's getting there, though. We've been really encouraging him. He had a really good practice, and today, he did some really good things. Just like me, he can own that midrange shot. He's got a good, high-release shot. He practices it all the time, so I think as time goes, he's really going to develop and figure it out."
Tennessee guard Shembari Phillips
(On his relationship with Coach Rick Barnes)
"He wants me to be more aggressive and I definitely have got to continue to be more aggressive. I thought today I was pretty aggressive, more aggressive than I've usually been. That's what he needs out of me to better the team. I've got to continue to get better. With that offensive mindset, and really a defensive mindset, everything else will come. But (I need to keep) just staying aggressive and knock down my open shots and not force anything."
(On playing a lot of minutes against Missouri)
"I did it last year. It's nothing new. Definitely, guys have to step up, and we've got some guys that are hurt or down. Everybody chipped in today to make up for his (Jordan Bowden) absence."
(On playing well off the Kentucky loss)
"After the loss against Georgia, we went into Kentucky with the wrong attitude. You would've thought we would come in with some fire. We were playing a really good team that day, but it just didn't happen. We came out flat. Once we got down, it was like we didn't fight to get back up into the game. So today we came out with a mindset of, 'We have to play for 40 minutes.' (Missouri is) a tough group of guys. They were good and they are talented. So we just came to play and we've got to keep rolling now."
Missouri head coach Kim Anderson
(Opening statement)
"First of all, we talked with our guys to prepare for this game about how Tennessee plays. The impressive thing about them is how hard they play. It's not that they're particularly big, but they play really hard. I thought we didn't match that intensity level at the beginning of the game. Consequently, when that happens you tend to foul a lot. We fouled a lot, especially in the first half, put them on the line and they made free throws. We got in foul trouble so that changed the way we play a little bit. I thought we had some careless turnovers. We had about six travel calls. That's really not excusable in February. There are certainly some things we have to work on. You have to give them credit. Tennessee came out and played. We had a chance to get it down to single digits maybe once or twice, but then they always answered. Disappointing loss for us, I think. Not so much that we lost. We knew that Tennessee was a good team and they're playing for a lot, in a manner of which we aren't. It was disappointing, but having said that we go get on the plane and get ready to play Tuesday. We play Kentucky at home so we need to bounce back quick."
(On most disappointing losses of the season)
"I would put it top five. It was disappointing just from a standpoint of us not answering the bell early. The way Tennessee plays is just so hard. Very impressively, by the way. Very impressive. I just didn't think we answered it early."
(On Missouri's previous stretch of games entering Saturday)
"Against Florida it was one of those deals that didn't matter what you did. They were operating on all cylinders. Now I think Tennessee was operating pretty efficiently. I felt that if we could match their level of intensity as the half went on we could get back in the game. We were in the game at half, but we didn't come out in the second half and answer the bell."
(On Tennessee's 11-0 run early in the game)
"It was killer. We fouled them and they got their free-throws. I felt good being able to get down under double digits and maybe make a little bit of a run. They answered it. Certainly, that was a huge sequence, I think."
(On Tennessee forward Grant Williams)
"I thought he was a matchup problem three days ago when we started preparing. I think he really takes advantage. He does a great job with his body and he's got a nice touch. He gets to the line. I do think he's a matchup problem and you think he's 6-5 or 6-6, but we had 6-10 guy on him and he shot over him. So, impressive player. First time I have seen him in person."
