CHAPEL HILL, N.C. — Tennessee's first-half performance against North Carolina on Wednesday night in a 100-92 loss left head coach Rick Barnes very frustrated.
They let up 61 points to the Tar Heels who scored three-pointers, off turnovers, and at the free throw line at will.
The Vols are ranked No. 1 in KenPom adjusted defense and in comparison had only been allowing 61.5 points per game this season.
"I told our team at halftime it's the worst basketball half team I've ever coached," Barnes said after the game. "I've never seen a team with the ability we have to play that bad in the first half."
Barnes said a couple of times during the press conference he was baffled.
"Our mindset to start the game, I'm still baffled by it," Barnes said. "It came out of nowhere and I was like 'Who are these guys?' We haven't been like that, I'm serious, I don't think I've had a team like that in nine years."
Barnes jokingly addressed the performance in the first half as well.
"Maybe I should get two technical fouls, go into the locker room and not watch it," Barnes said. "I was sitting there saying 'What are we doing?' I must have said that 20 times."
Barnes stressed the need to be better moving forward.
"I think I'm going to make them watch every possession and tell me what happened," he said.
Barnes did note that he was proud of his team for fighting back in the second half and making it a closer game after one point trailing by 24 points.
Tennessee will play George Mason next Tuesday inside the Food City Center. Tip-off is set for 6:30 p.m.