Rick Barnes Calls Tennessee's Offense 'Atrocious' as Juke Harris Searches for His Shot
No. 11 Tennessee is 2-0 on the strength of its defense, but Juke Harris has 13 points in two games and the Vols will not add a high school signee this week as they look for answers before Michigan State.
Knoxville, Tenn. Tennessee is 2-0 and has held its first two opponents under 60 points. Rick Barnes is not pretending the offense is anywhere close.
We were atrocious, really, on offense, but our defense was good.Rick Barnes, via Rocky Top Insider
Barnes said that after Monday's 70-47 win over Radford, a game the No. 11 Vols led only 33-24 at halftime. Tennessee started 2 of 10 from the field before the first media timeout and turned it over seven times in the first half, according to Tennessee Volunteers On SI.
The defense bailed it out. A 16-0 second-half run held Radford scoreless for 8:32, and the Highlanders shot 26.2% (16 of 61), according to Field Level Media.
The Juke Harris question
The number that stands out most belongs to the player Tennessee expected to carry its scoring.
Juke Harris averaged 21.4 points and 6.5 rebounds at Wake Forest last season, according to Rocky Top Insider. Through two games at Tennessee, he has 13 points.
Juke Harris, first two games
- vs. Wofford
- 7 points, 4 rebounds
- vs. Radford
- 6 points, 1-for-9 FG, 1-for-6 3PT
- Radford, first half
- 3 points (all free throws), 0-for-4 FG
- Last season at Wake Forest
- 21.4 points, 6.5 rebounds per game
He did not make his first 3-pointer against Radford until 10:02 remained in the second half. Rocky Top Insider wrote that Tennessee will not reach its potential unless Harris plays to the standard the staff expected.
Barnes kept the critique on the whole group, not one player.
Offensively, the execution is not even close to what I know we're capable of.Rick Barnes, via Rocky Top Insider
He also said the Vols have been too keyed up on offense, according to Rocky Top Insider.
Who is producing
Terrence Hill Jr. has been the steadiest scorer. He had 18 points on 6-of-9 shooting against Radford, made all four free throws and played a team-high 28 minutes. Dai Dai Ames added 13 points on 4-of-7 shooting off the bench.
Jalen Haralson gave Tennessee 11 points on 4-of-6 shooting, six rebounds and three steals in 17 minutes. He went down on a hard foul at the rim with 7:51 left and showed discomfort in his right shoulder, according to Tennessee Volunteers On SI. He stayed in to make both free throws. Barnes' published postgame remarks did not address the shoulder.
Inside, DeWayne Brown II had 12 rebounds and Miles Rubin had eight points, seven rebounds and three blocks.
Barnes has settled on nine players. Hill, Harris, Tyler Lundblade, Brown and Braedan Lue started against Radford, with Troy Henderson, Ames, Haralson and Rubin off the bench, according to Rocky Top Insider. Freshmen Manny Green, Marquis Clark and Chris Washington Jr. and transfer Christian Fermin played only after the game was decided.
No signees this week
The roster Barnes has is the one he will keep building around. The early signing period opens Wednesday and runs through Nov. 18, and Tennessee will not sign anyone, the Knoxville News Sentinel reported.
That is by design. Barnes wants a full season with this group before deciding whether to fill openings with transfers or high school players, and the regular signing period does not open until April 14, after the national title game and after the transfer window opens, according to the News Sentinel. The paper also noted that Harris could leave for the NBA after this season.
Of the 13 players in the 2027 class Tennessee has hosted since August, all but three have committed elsewhere. Five-star point guards Nasir Anderson and Cayden Daughtry and four-star center Chris Brown remain on the board.
Up next
Tennessee State visits Food City Center on Friday at 6 p.m. CT on SEC Network+. Then the schedule turns: Michigan State comes to Knoxville on Tuesday, Nov. 17, at 8 p.m. CT on ESPN2, the first real measuring stick for an offense Barnes says is still finding itself.
Sources: Rocky Top Insider, Everything Rick Barnes said after win over Radford; Rocky Top Insider, Three quick takeaways: Tennessee basketball beats Radford; Tennessee Volunteers On SI, No. 11 Tennessee defeats Radford 70-47; Field Level Media via Southern Sports Today, Terrence Hill Jr., No. 11 Tennessee too strong for Radford; Knoxville News Sentinel via Yahoo Sports, Why Tennessee basketball, Rick Barnes won't add new players on National Signing Day; CBS Sports, Tennessee basketball schedule; ESPN Press Room, ESPN and SEC announce 2026-27 men's basketball schedule
