Tennessee basketball has held its final practice in Knoxville before hitting the road to Indianapolis for the Sweet 16.

Before the Vols play Kentucky, head coach Rick Barnes met with the media.

Here's everything he said before heading to play the Wildcats.

TALK ABOUT IT IN THE ROCKY TOP FORUM

With having how many teams in our league having this type of year, I always just thought about it as just the next game. It's been a month or so since we last played Kentucky. I think it'd be different if it was a week ago, maybe in the tournament, a week and a half ago. It is what it is. This time of the year, it doesn't matter. If you're playing right now, you're on a pretty good roll. I'm sure guys are excited, confident. Whether it's Kentucky or whoever, we've just got to be ready to play.

It doesn't matter to me. It doesn't matter. I just knew how hard we knew we had to get ready to play Wofford then the winner of the UCLA and Utah State game. It's not different this week. It's the next game up on your schedule and you've got to be ready to go.

He's a terrific player. I love the way he plays. He's obviously been there before. He knows what it's like this time of year to play basketball. He brings a really good defensive element to them and he knows what he's doing on the offensive end. Physicality. He brings physicality.

I thought Igor played well and I thought he played well the other night. He got back, he had seven rebounds and did a lot of good things with the ball. Right now, whether it's Igor or whoever, they've got to be ready to play. We talk about this time of year, what it's all about. Igor did play well I thought both times and we need him to do that and more.

I think you give them credit. They made the shots. They're a team that's capable of making tough shots. We did have some breakdowns that let them get going. I think a team like that that can shoot it, you give them just a little bit of space and let them get their rhythm, it doesn't take much for them to have a great night against you.

We play our best basketball when we get a complete effort, not only from our guards, but with our frontline. This time of the year, if you want to win and move, you've got to have everybody. It can't be one-sided from your own attack. We just need that consistency from here on out.

Huge. That was a major emphasis going in. You go back, when we've been pounded on the boards, it's really hurt us. It'd hurt anybody. We talk about it all the time, the game going on within the game. Trying to get some of your misses. You can't be a good defensive team if you don't finish it and rebound the ball and let your offense get out and maybe get some easy baskets.

It is what it is. That's the rules they put in play. It is what it is. We have to live within it and do what we do. I'm thankful we have a coaching staff that's been on top of it. It's different because we're still in the tournament but still recruiting as if we weren't. I don't think we're any different that any of the other teams that are still playing.

It's awesome. She, from the time that she's walked on campus, she's made a tremendous impact. I go back to a year ago when we started with the Big Orange Caravans, you knew she was confident in what she was doing and her style. You knew she believed in that. I really admire Danny White and his staff for making the hire. People probably said, 'Who, what?' She got that quiet real quick. If you knew how hard our women's team, and I watched it all throughout the summer and fall, I'm not the least bit surprised. What she's got going, she's only going to build on it. And I hope this team continues to go because, again, we watched them personal and up-close and how hard they work every day and it's really neat watching their success.

If I had a vote, I'd vote for both of them. Because they both go about it a different way. You have one guy that is having to match up every night against normally the other team's bst player. Then you have a guy like Zakai who is playing 94 feet and is getting ball screened every time he turns around. It's two different ways that you look at it. It's really a compliment to both of them and the fact is, I'd vote for both of them. I guess on the national level, they both get to have a vote. I think they're both more than deserving of it.

I think he's continued to get better and you'd expect that. If you know him and how he goes about his business, he went through a learning year in what was arguably the greatest college basketball league ever. Went against physical guys, terrific coaches, players who know how to guard people and change things up. He had to learn it on the run and he's done that and he's just gotten so much better. I think that he is just in terms of his own future career just getting started to what he's going to be.

I think he said it best the other day. He's grounded. Every time you hear him talk, he gives glory to God. He said that's my foundation, that's my rock. I think that's true. I think he realizes that God has put him here at this time to glorify God. And that means to do everything he possibly can to prepare himself mentally and emotionally to do everything that he can possibly do to go out and play the best basketball he can. I don't think he's laying around and worrying about 'Am I going to make a shot?' I think he's just worrying about his preparation and what he needs to do. And that's not just offensively. He's gotten so much better on the defensive end. He's just improved in every facet of his game. His personality, he hasn't changed. He came in here very unselfish, wanted to be a part of the team, wanted to be a part of the program. He's done more than his part to come in and not just help us but make our program better.

I think that’s important. You know, I do, I think it’s important. Obviously, Zakai (Zeigler), and Jahmai (Mashack) and Jordan (Gainey), you know, Cade (Phillips) got a taste of it last year, and JP (Estrella) a little bit, even though he is not playing. I think it’s so important and I think the carryover going forward is so important for those guys, because those guys are going into a new role. But I don’t think there’s any question you want guys that have been there and understand what you have to do mentally to focus on getting ready to do your job.

I think it is. I mean you talk about it and almost have half of ’em, half our league is there. I think it speaks volumes of the kind of year that we’ve had. Obviously when you have more teams in, you’re going to have a chance to lose more games. I’m sure people early (during the first round) were probably taking shots at the league, I would assume. I don’t read it, but I would assume that’s what was being said. But the fact is, we’ve got seven in and again, I look at our league and appreciate it ’cause I know we all would say we know what we had to go through all year to get to this point. But again, I’m proud of it ’cause I know where we were 10 years ago. I mean, I was in that room and you know, the commissioner made the comment, he wanted to see basketball become, like, I think he said women’s softball at the time. I think we had a bunch that year in softball. And he said he’d like to see a day when we got double digits (in the men’s basketball tournament) ’cause I think we were coming off where there was maybe, what? Two or three teams that were in the tournament? To get where we are today, it’s taken a while to get here, but it’s been good.

I talked to him obviously before he had heard, and you know, he was hoping to have a chance to talk about it with (Texas Athletic Director) Chris Del Conte and see if there was a way moving forward. But after it happened, I talked to him the day before, I called him back after I’d gotten the news and before I could even say anything, he said, ‘Coach, I’m good.’ He said, ‘I know God’s got a plan for me.’ He said, ‘(God) brought me here, he’s got something planned.’ And I think he’s just in a good place as a person, but you know, Rodney was a part of that program as an assistant, head coach for 11 or 12 years, and obviously was there when we had some good runs. Rodney’s a good man. I thought the staff did a good job with their team. He’ll be fine. Whatever he decides to do. I think he’s already had opportunities that maybe he passed on. But I love Rodney. It warmed my heart when I heard him say that God had a plan for him because I believe that. I think he’s got a plan for all of us. I think he’s sovereign. I don’t think his sovereignty has ever lost. So he’ll put him where he wants him to be.

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