Tennessee Basketball Confident It Will Bounce Back From Kentucky Loss

Vols coach Rick Barnes and players say team's work ethic and pride will lead to a strong response.

Published on Feb. 8, 2026

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After a frustrating 74-71 loss at Kentucky in which Tennessee blew a 14-point halftime lead, Vols coach Rick Barnes and players expressed confidence that the team will bounce back. Barnes said the Vols "work too hard" and "have not reached the ceiling" yet, while players like Nate Ament and Bishop Boswell cited the team's ability to respond to previous losses this season as a reason for optimism.

Why it matters

Tennessee has shown inconsistency at times this season, struggling offensively in some games after strong performances. The Kentucky loss was another example, and the Vols' ability to respond will be crucial as they look to peak at the right time in March.

The details

Tennessee entered the Kentucky game having won four straight, but the Vols collapsed in the second half to suffer their seventh loss of the season. Coach Rick Barnes and players like Nate Ament and Bishop Boswell said the team's strong work ethic and past ability to bounce back from losses will lead to a strong response.

  • Tennessee lost three straight games in non-conference play earlier this season.
  • After the first loss at Kentucky to start 2-3 in SEC play, Tennessee won four straight games.
  • The Vols' next game is on the road against Mississippi State on Wednesday.

The players

Rick Barnes

Tennessee's head basketball coach who expressed confidence in his team's ability to bounce back.

Nate Ament

One of Tennessee's top players who has emerged as a star and one of the SEC's best this season.

Bishop Boswell

Tennessee's sophomore guard who said the team knows how good they are and how much work they've put in.

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What they’re saying

“These guys will bounce back. They've got too much pride. They work too hard. Their work ethic is too good. We have not reached the ceiling with this team, and that's a good thing right now that we can keep growing.”

— Rick Barnes, Tennessee Head Coach (rockytopinsider.com)

“You never want to peak too early and we have a long way to go. It can be bad if you don't have the right mindset but I know this team and I know my guys. We're going to have the right mindset. I know how hard that we work. We're just going to get back in the lab and fix the things we need to fix.”

— Bishop Boswell, Tennessee Sophomore Guard (rockytopinsider.com)

“The one thing about our coaches and Coach Rick Barnes is he's going to find an answer for it. He did that when we went on a losing streak earlier this season and he's going to find an answer for it now. But a lot of it is we just have to make shots at the rim and make free throws.”

— Nate Ament, Tennessee Player (rockytopinsider.com)

What’s next

Tennessee's next game is on the road against a struggling Mississippi State team on Wednesday, giving the Vols a chance to bounce back quickly before returning home for back-to-back games against LSU and Oklahoma.

The takeaway

Tennessee has shown the ability to respond to adversity earlier this season, and the Vols' confidence in their work ethic and desire to keep improving suggests they will bounce back from the Kentucky loss and play their best basketball in March.