What's next for Tennessee basketball after Kentucky? Finding leadership is a good start

LEXINGTON, Ky. — Rick Barnes trotted out the same Tennessee basketball lineup Saturday he had used eight times this season.

That five-man group features three juniors and a sixth-year senior. It also features a lack of leadership to brashly challenge and correct teammates based on Barnes' assessment.

“This is when you hope some of that is developed, I would say,” Barnes said. "If you ask me of the guys that started, I am not sure if I can pinpoint any one of them. Maybe that is going to be a great lesson for us that somebody will decide enough is enough, this is what we need, this is how we need to go about this.”

No. 23 Tennessee was walloped by No. 17 Kentucky at Rupp Arena in a 107-79 loss. It was the first time UT has allowed more than 100 points since Dec. 2006, a concerning sequel to losses at Alabama and LSU in Tennessee’s first five SEC games.

Barnes vowed Tennessee (11-5, 2-3 SEC) will enter the coming days looking to “change the vibe with our team.” That could mean a lineup change after John Fulkerson was held scoreless and reboundless against the Wildcats (14-3, 4-1). It also means finding leadership on a team that has time to correct its course but can’t wait to do so with its upcoming schedule.

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Barnes identified junior forward Uros Plavsic and freshman guard Jahmai Mashack as “the two guys that are the most real” in being willing to tell their teammates something isn’t acceptable. The pair combines to play less than 20 minutes per game.

“They are the ones that when they talk, it is very authentic,” Barnes said. “Players know players and maybe that is where we are.”

Freshman guard Zakai Zeigler was the third player Barnes named. Junior guard Santiago Vescovi was the lone starter Barnes selected but received a “maybe.”

“We have to stick together even more,” said Vescovi, who had 20 points and has been UT’s most consistent player. “We can’t get all separated with everybody on their island. We have to stick together. That is the main takeaway.”

Barnes admitted Saturday that Tennessee didn’t have the level of leadership it wanted the past two seasons, which were both average after a pair of terrific campaigns. The UT coaches preached leadership late last season through the start of this season.

“Believe it or not, though the offseason with guys leading and talking, we probably were as good as we have been in a long time to be honest with you,” Barnes said.

It apparently did not carry into the season.

Junior guard Josiah-Jordan James had an impressive press conference after the Vols lost to Oregon State in the NCAA Tournament. He declared himself the leader of the team and put that blowout loss on his shoulders.

He sternly stated his confidence that Tennessee won’t lose confidence following the drubbing at Rupp.

“I just know that we have to be tougher,” James said. “The want to win has to be there. I feel like everybody on Kentucky’s team had that. I don’t think anybody on our team had that. We got hit early and we didn’t respond well."

Tennessee didn’t respond Saturday. But it has at least two months of games remaining and time to figure it out. Barnes, James and Vescovi all preached the opportunity to learn and grow.

Barnes suggested maybe the debacle against the Wildcats could spur someone from Tennessee’s main core to step up and lead. But he wants to see players earn a right to have a voice and back up their words to snap Tennessee in the right direction.

“We are a pretty good team when we get our backs against the wall,” Barnes said. “We have always been that way.”

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 left with leadership questions post-Kentucky