Tennessee Coach Criticizes Refs Over Star Player's Whistle

Rick Barnes believes freshman Nate Ament is not getting fair calls from officials this season.

Feb. 17, 2026 at 6:55am

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Tennessee head coach Rick Barnes criticized the officiating of star freshman Nate Ament, saying the young wing player is not getting a fair whistle from referees this season. Barnes believes Ament should be getting more calls, especially on his midrange jump shots, similar to the protection three-point shooters receive.

Why it matters

Ament is a key player for Tennessee, and the lack of calls could be impacting his ability to be effective. Barnes' comments highlight an ongoing issue with how officials treat certain players and the need for more consistent enforcement of the rules, especially when it comes to protecting shooters.

The details

Barnes said that when Ament is taking midrange jumpers, fans can see the contact, but officials are not calling fouls the same way they would on the perimeter. The coach believes referees need to officiate "from the ground up" and protect players like Ament who are still developing physically and dealing with physicality from opponents.

  • Ament has attempted 185 free throws this season, including 104 in 12 SEC games.
  • Ament is averaging 20.2 points, 5.9 rebounds and 2.5 assists per game in SEC play.

The players

Rick Barnes

The head coach of the Tennessee basketball team who previously served on the NCAA rules committee.

Nate Ament

A star freshman wing player for the Tennessee basketball team who Barnes believes is not getting fair treatment from officials.

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What they’re saying

“I was on the rules committee, and I always said a foul is a foul. And I think if you get any kind of contact on the three-point line, why is that not the same call at 12 (or) 15 feet?”

— Rick Barnes, Head Coach, Tennessee Basketball

“They're going to say, guys go straight up. Well, they're straight up here, but the bottom is where, you got to referee from the ground up. And I think that's where calls like that are (missed).”

— Rick Barnes, Head Coach, Tennessee Basketball

What’s next

Tennessee will face Oklahoma on Wednesday night, and it will be interesting to see if the officiating of Nate Ament improves in that game.

The takeaway

This situation highlights the ongoing challenges with officiating in college basketball and the need for more consistent enforcement of the rules, especially when it comes to protecting skilled shooters like Nate Ament who are still developing physically.