Tennessee basketball coach Rick Barnes says the quiet part loud when asked why he benched player
In the aftermath of a close victory over a conference rival, University of Tennessee men’s basketball coach Rick Barnes revealed that he purposely benched a player who blocked a shot.
Tennessee is currently the No. 1 ranked team in the country with an incredibly talented roster, but they will likely fall after a 30-point loss to Florida earlier this week.
The Volunteers followed that up with a close victory on Saturday against Texas, defeating the Longhorns 74-70.
After the game, Barnes revealed that he intentionally benched starting guard Chaz Lanier, who transferred to Tennessee after starring at the University of North Florida.
Lanier struggled on offense, shooting 3-11 from the field and 2-6 from 3-point range, grabbing just 10 points, four rebounds and an assist in the win.
Barnes said the quiet part out loud, revealing that Lanier’s decision to pass up a play that was meant for him to shoot led to some time off the floor.
Tennessee coach Rick Barnes said he benched a player for not taking a shot
Barnes said guard Chaz Lanier was benched for not doing ‘what you’re paid to do’
“I’ve been telling Chaz all along that he doesn’t have to score the ball to win, but he has to help those guys learn how to screen,” Barnes told reporters after the game.
He continued: “I thought his teammates did enough to give him enough distance, he could have been effective, but he still needs to learn to get his hips rotated faster so he can get downhill faster.
‘I took him out, the first play of the second half, because he didn’t shoot the ball. That piece was designed for that shot. And I told him, “If you’re not going to do what you’re paid to do, then sit here.” Because that’s what he gets paid for.’
Lanier is one of the top-25 scorers in the country, averaging 19.6 points per game. Among players in the Power Five conferences (ACC, Big East, Big Ten, Big XII and SEC), Lanier is the sixth-best scorer. He is also the SEC’s leading scorer.
The loss to Florida was Tennessee’s first loss of the season.
Barnes is a longtime college basketball veteran who has led the Vols since 2015. He previously made head coaching stops at George Mason, Providence, Clemson and Texas.