Tennessee basketball didn't splinter. Vols answered against No. 1 Alabama.

Rick Barnes pointed with his left hand then his right.

Then the Tennessee basketball coach started clapping frantically. He picked up the ball, handed it to the referee and got back to clapping. Jahmai Mashack was the reason. He used a quick right poke to disrupt Alabama guard Rylan Griffin, forcing a turnover to Barnes’ delight and Tennessee’s gain.

The Vols were on their way, and two hours later a familiar scene unfolded. Tennessee topped Alabama in thrilling fashion. "Dixieland Delight" played as Crimson Tide players walked dejectedly away. It was a Tennessee Wednesday night and it was healing for these Vols.

"You guys might think I’m crazy, after those tough losses, these guys stayed with it," Barnes said. "They didn’t splinter. They stayed together."

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The proof was splattered across 40 minutes of physical, identity-regaining, palate-cleansing basketball. The No. 11 Vols (20-6, 9-4 SEC) handled No. 1 Alabama (22-4, 12-1) in a 68-59 win at Thompson-Boling Arena.

It was a magnificent moment in the present for Tennessee, one that began days prior with a vicious second-half comeback against Missouri and one that can't be followed by clunky showings.

"Personally, I think we are in a bad streak and having tonight kind of turned over the page," Vols guard Santiago Vescovi said. "It was a good feeling for me and the whole team, I think. We are good. We are good. We are not worried about it.”

That bad streak began with a 13-point loss at Florida on Feb. 1, which followed Tennessee thumping Texas in one of its three top-10 wins this season. The Vols edged Auburn 46-43, then lost back-to-back games on buzzer-beaters at Vanderbilt and to Missouri. Alabama coach Nate Oats called Tennessee unlucky for those outings.

Tennessee players and coaches focused on erasing a 17-point second-half comeback against Missouri. They felt they had to regain an identity as the "hardest-playing team in the country," UT guard Zakai Zeigler said. It wasn't lost necessarily. It just had to be renewed.

Wednesday was that, thanks to soul-crushing defense against Alabama's high-powered offense. Mashack didn't score in 27 minutes, but was arguably the most valuable player for his relentless defense. Jonas Aidoo looked like a budding star with a double-double. Tennessee got massive, bruising contributions from all eight players it had with Josiah-Jordan James and Julian Phillips sidelined.

"That is the best that you can ask for: guys playing with heart, and I think we have it," Vescovi said.

Barnes lauded the attitude and maturity of the players the Vols recruited as the reason for the rebound after difficult defeats.

"These guys know how much we care about them," Barnes said. "They know it’s tough at times. I obviously can be tough with them. I do know that they love this program and they’ve taken great pride in the work they’ve put into it."

The work flowed into an energized performance laded with earned emotion and carefree celebration. Tennessee showed again it can beat anyone in the nation, adding this win to its wins against Kansas and Texas. Each was a masterclass in its own right.

Wednesday's masterpiece was the latest reminder that Tennessee could play deep into March. Vescovi knew it as he raised both fists in the air at the buzzer. Mashack knew it as he grinned to the crowd and untucked his jersey. Uros Plavsic knew it as he bolted into the student section.

Tennessee didn't fracture. It forged.

"We just have to always be connected and be the hardest-playing team in the country," Zeigler said.

Mike Wilson covers University of Tennessee athletics. Email him at michael.wilson@knoxnews.com and follow him on Twitter @ByMikeWilson. If you enjoy Mike’s coverage, consider a digital subscription that will allow you access to all of it.

This article originally appeared on Knoxville News Sentinel: Tennessee basketball didn't splinter. Vols answered vs No. 1 Alabama