Rick Barnes jokes Tennessee players betting on games after Auburn win

Barnes joked his players might’ve been betting on the game, based on some of their passes late in the game.

‘I mean at the end of the game, some of the passes that we throw, I don’t know what to say other than sometimes I wonder if my guys are betting on games,’ the 11th-year Tennessee coach said. ‘I shouldn’t say that, but … erase that. I’m just wondering what’s happening. I mean because I know that we’re too good of players to do that.’

The 71-year-old coach was clearly joking, but it’s a punchline amid an odd time in college basketball: Twenty men were recently charged in a point-shaving scheme involving 39 players and 17 teams across the sport, where players were earning money for fixing outcomes in games.

Each of the Vols’ starting five players on Jan. 31 committed at least one turnover, with DeWayne Brown II committing the fewest (one).

Barnes and the Vols (15-6, 5-3 SEC) won their third consecutive game on Jan. 31, taking down Alabama, Georgia and Auburn, in order. True freshman forward Nate Ament has been a bright spot during the win streak, with 29, 19 and 22 points, respectively, in the wins.

Tennessee appeared in the Elite Eight in back-to-back tournaments in 2024 and 2025, and is looking to make another run in the 2026 NCAA Tournament.

To reach that stage again, Barnes might look to his players to start making better passing decisions.