Barnes labels Kentucky 'most underrated team' in country ahead of matchup in Lexington
Tennessee coach Rick Barnes has always been a fan of Kentucky coach John Calipari. That admiration was again apparent on Monday as the Vols prepare to take on the Wildcats in Lexington on Tuesday night.
Coming off of perhaps its biggest win during conference play, UT is looking to keep its momentum going tomorrow in one of college basketball's toughest environments.
That didn't stop the veteran coach from offering high praise for Tennessee's opponent, labeling them among the country's best.
"I think them and Kansas are the two best teams in the country...they (Kentucky) haven't lost since their game at Auburn," Barnes said. "There's a lot of terrific coaches in our league and nobody has done a better job than John Calipari."
Barnes' praise didn't stick strictly to Calipari, either.
With the two programs exchanging victories over the past two seasons, both Tennessee and Kentucky have grown quite familiar with each other.
That didn't stop the Wildcats' Nick Richards from taking the next step following the departure of P.J. Washington during the offseason. The junior forward is averaging 13.9 points and 7.8 rebounds on 67 percent shooting, all career-best marks.
Kentucky also has a lethal backcourt duo in Ashton Hagans and Immanuel Quickley, both of whom have come on strong as of late.
"We talked about it last time, how much Nick (Richards) has improved. You look at their backcourt play all around, they have improved as well," Barnes said. "His teams always get better around this time of year, this is always when they play their best basketball."
As the postseason nears with the Vols on the outside looking in, Barnes will likely need a miraculous win at Rupp Arena for a third consecutive NCAA Tournament appearance to be in the realm of possibilities.
The only problem is, Lamonte Turner won't walking through the doors of Pratt Pavilion anytime soon.
Tipoff is set for 9 p.m. ET on ESPN.
Video courtesy of Tennessee Athletics
