Tennessee Basketball: 5 positive takeaways from Volunteers’ 2016-17 season

By Taylor Sturm | Apr 9, 2017

Jan 28, 2017; Knoxville, TN, USA; Tennessee Volunteers head coach Rick Barnes during the first half against the Kansas State Wildcats at Thompson-Boling Arena. Mandatory Credit: Randy Sartin-USA TODAY Sports /

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Jan 21, 2017; Knoxville, TN, USA; Tennessee Volunteers head coach Rick Barnes signals during the first half against the Mississippi State Bulldogs at Thompson-Boling Arena. Mandatory Credit: Randy Sartin-USA TODAY Sports /

Rick Barnes’ system works really well

While I had a lot of faith in Rick Barnes’ ability to coach, I never expected his system to have this much success this quickly – especially on the offensive end. The Vols played with extreme intensity and physicality against several fantastic teams filled with longtime college stars and future NBA players.

While you could see the style of play take a toll on the team by the end of the season, the Vols are headed in the right direction under Barnes. I can’t wait to see what he does next.

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