ACC/SEC Challenge clash another full circle moment for Rick Barnes

Rick Barnes sat alongside Hubert Davis on the steps outside of George Mason's gymnasium in the late 1980s.

Barnes, then a first-time head coach, was recruiting Davis, a 6-foot-5 guard from nearby Lake Braddock Secondary School in Burke, Virginia. Davis was the first player that Barnes recruited and though he hadn't fielded a lot of offers, the opportunity to play for the North Carolina Tar Heels where he had a family connection was too much to compete with.

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Davis signed with North Carolina and went on to become the school's holder for highest three-point shooting percentage. Now, he's the program's head coach in his third year, preparing to face Barnes' Tennessee team in the ACC/SEC Challenge on Wednesday at the Dean Smith Center in Chapel Hill (7:15 p.m. ET, ESPN).

"(Davis) high school was literally a quarter of a mile from George Mason," Barnes said. "He would come over and shoot at George Mason. I can remember sitting on the bricks in front of the gym and I can remember talking to him. He wasn't being highly recruited. He grew up wanting to go to North Carolina...

"He grew up a Carolina fan. He basically just said, 'Hey, give me a chance.' And he went there and made the most of it."

WATCH ON VOLREPORT: Tennessee head coach Rick Barnes previews UNC

Barnes has faced North Carolina numerous times throughout his 46-year coaching career, including at Clemson where he served as head coach from 1994-98 and three times at Tennessee, but his familiarity with the storied program goes back even further.

A Hickory, North Carolina native that played his college ball at Lenoir-Rhyne, Barnes understands the reverence of North Carolina basketball and earlier in his career, there was added motivation when playing against the Tar Heels.

That has left him in recent years.

"You know, maybe years ago, but not now," Barnes said. "First of all, I've got great respect for the University of North Carolina. It's a storied tradition and everyone from North Carolina knows about it, knows what it's about."

North Carolina is the last of a daunting three-game stretch against ranked teams for Tennessee that began last week with match ups vs. No. 2 Purdue and No. 1 Kansas in back-to-back games at the Maui Invitational.

It is also the first ACC/SEC Challenge that the Vols are participating in, replacing the Big 12/SEC Challenge after 10 seasons. Given his deep roots in both leagues, Barnes prefers the new format.

"I mean, I’ve watched all those (coaches) that seem like grow up through the years," Barnes said. "But the fact is that I’ve always thought these are the two leagues that should be playing in a challenge, being as close as we are, border up against each other. And I think it’s gonna be good for both leagues.”

WATCH ON VOLREPORT: Dalton Knecht previews trip to UNC

Tennessee (4-2) will have not played in a week by the time it tips off against the Tar Heels—much-needed rest after going up against as tough of a tournament field as a team can during the regular season.

Transfer guard Dalton Knecht, who leads the Vols in scoring with 17.5 points per game, averaged 15.3 points over three games at the Maui Invitational while guard Santiago Vescovi seemingly found a rhythm for the first time in six games with a season-high 21 points in Tennessee's 69-60 loss to Kansas.

"We played some really good teams," Knecht said. "We've got a lot of learning to do. The (No.) 1 and 2 teams in back-to-back games, so there's going to be a lot of film for us to find out where we can get better."

Defensively, North Carolina offers up another test for the Vols in the paint. After facing 7-foot-4 center and defending Naismith Player of the Year Zach Edey and Hunter Dickinson in consecutive games, Tennessee now has to go up against 6-foot-11 forward Armando Bacot, who averages 11.7 rebounds per game for the Tar Heels.

Having already played true road games at Michigan State in the preseason and Wisconsin three weeks ago, the Vols are eager for the challenge.

"I think the whole team is excited to go somewhere like Chapel Hill," Knecht said. "I mean, who doesn't want to play there? I think we're all just excited to go over there and play a top-ranked team and go prove ourselves again."

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