Tennessee basketball coach Rick Barnes may not have the record he’d like in March. However, he certainly has plenty of respect from his peers and the basketball media that have covered him during the Vols’ SEC championship run.
Barnes and the Vols secured a regular season championship on Wednesday with a 63-59 win over South Carolina with another game still on the docket, a home game against Kentucky on Saturday.
Here is what was trending on social media after the Vols took home the regularnseason crown.
Tennessee head football coach Josh Heupel was one of the first to pass along the kudos.
Congrats to Coach Barnes and the Vols! More work to be done this March! #GBO 🍊 https://t.co/NeVbqd3902
— Josh Heupel (@coachjoshheupel) March 7, 2024
ESPN analyst Jimmy Dykes was quick to pile on the praise:
Congratulations to @Vol_Hoops on SEC regular season title. Vols are old, together, talented, and deep. Rick Barnes is still on top of his game. Tennesse is a legit Final 4/ National Title contender
— Jimmy Dykes (@CoachJimmyDykes) March 7, 2024
Fellow ESPN analyst Fran Frashcilla offered some insight into Barnes’ most recent accomplishment:
When Rick Barnes was unceremoniously dumped by @TexasLonghorns, he was immediately offered & accepted @Vol_Hoops job. Before it was announced, he had a final farewell press conference in Austin. A writer asked him “Will you coach again?” Rick responded with a smile, “Sooner than…
— Fran Fraschilla (@franfraschilla) March 7, 2024
Sports Animal talk-show host and Off The Hook write Josh Ward laid out what all the season has meant for Barnes:
Tennessee’s win at South Carolina gives the Vols:
— Josh Ward (@Josh_Ward) March 7, 2024
• their first outright SEC championship since 2008
• just their second outright SEC title since 1967
• a legit shot at the school’s first ever No. 1 seed in the NCAA Tournament
What a run by Tennessee. pic.twitter.com/nZIwDlAOaU
Former Vol center Steve Hamer didn’t hold back on his praise:
CONGRATULATIONS! @Vol_Hoops
— Stevie Hamer (@Stevie_Hamer) March 7, 2024
The toughness, tenacity, and grit of this team is simply unmatched!
Lastly, Barnes offered his locker-room response to the Vols’ monumental win:
a few words from 3x SEC champion Rick Barnes pic.twitter.com/wdusGTiGzk
— Tennessee Basketball (@Vol_Hoops) March 7, 2024
Tennessee closes the regular season with a home game against Kentucky at 4 p.m. on Saturday.
One Response
Great article