By Jimmy Hyams
Tennessee coach Rick Barnes said he hopes when he watches tape that he will agree with all the charges called against his players Saturday at Arkansas.
“I hope they (officials) got them all right,’’ Barnes said after Tennessee suffered a 58-48 road loss. “I hope I feel differently after watching the tape because I know how I feel right now.’’
He won’t feel differently.
In a blatant display of incompetence, the crew of three alleged officials made a mockery of the block-charge call.
Arkansas big man Jaylin Williams drew five or six charges against Tennessee, bringing his total to 42 this year. He was moving on three or four against UT.
Barnes noticed. UT fans noticed. The media noticed.
Barnes had warned his team about Arkansas’ tactics before the game. It didn’t matter.
“From the referee standpoint,’’ Barnes said, “it’s one of the hardest calls. But that’s the one they’ve got to study, study, study. When a guy leaves his feet, he has to have a chance to come down.
“We told our guys (before the game) they (Hogs) do step in late. Floaters are going to be difficult. It’s tough when they come over and say, `Coach, I was in the air.’
“Does it affect them? Absolutely.’’
It affected Kennedy Chandler, who was called for four charges, and Santiago Vescovi, whose fourth foul was a charge, and Josiah-Jordan James, who fouled out. Chandler and Vescovi had four each and missed valuable minutes on the bench due to poor charging calls against them.
“You’ve got to protect a guy that leaves his feet,’’ Barnes said. “If a guy goes up, you’ve got to give him room to land. … A guy gets up in the air, you can’t slide under him at the very end.’’
But that’s exactly what Williams and some of his teammates did.
Yes, the block-charge call is tough. But if you have a trained eye and you know one team is known for sliding under players, you shouldn’t miss as many as the crew did Saturday.
“Did some frustration set it with our guys with some of those calls, absolutely they did,’’ Barnes said. “They felt like they were airborne and weren’t allowed to finish with guys sliding in.
“I hope I’m wrong. I hope they (refs) got them right. We did tell the guys that this is not a real shot-blocking team. They are going to try and slide in and take charges.
“It changed the entire game from our end. That is pretty much what got us in foul trouble and took points off and allowed them to get buckets.’’
Barnes’ post-game frustration was obvious.
“It’s a tough job,’’ Barnes said of officiating, “But at this time of year, we all have to be at our best. I have to be at my best coaching. Referees have to be at their best. Players have to be at their best. … The heat is on.’’
The block-charge calls weren’t the only misses. At one point in the first half, an Arkansas player took three steps out of bounds, then ricocheted the ball of James. The refs gave Arkansas the ball. Once the Arkansas player touched the ball while out of bounds, the ball goes to the other team. The ref that missed the call was standing within feet of the player out of bounds.
It’s hard to imagine how anyone could blow that call.
This isn’t to say Tennessee would have beaten Arkansas.
The Vols had a miserable day shooting: 27.1% from the field and 4-for-24 from 3-point range (16.7%). UT had a season-low five assists; it was averaging an SEC-best 16.1 in league play.
Arkansas wasn’t much better: 30.5% from the field and 5-for-22 on 3s (22.7%).
Tennessee had 15 turnovers, but at least a third were on charge calls.
While both teams played good defense, both teams also missed bunnies at the rim and wide open 3s.
The shooting was as miserable as the officiating.
While on the topic of shooting, I made the point recently that if UT has a poor night from beyond the arc, they don’t shoot well enough on two-pointers to overcome 3-point inaccuracy.
That proved true against Arkansas.
The Vols were 12-for-35 on 2-point tries. If you make six more twos, you likely beat the Hogs.
Tennessee got little from its four big men: nine points.
“We’ve got to get (an inside) presence,’’ Barnes said.
The loss kept the Vols from climbing within one game of Auburn in the SEC standings.
UT is now 10-4 in SEC play, same as Arkansas, which has won 11 of 12. Auburn is 12-2, Kentucky is 11-3.
Tennessee has games remaining against Arkansas and Auburn. A sweep is a must if the Vols want to win the SEC regular season.
While that is unlikely, the Vols should finish in the top four, thus ensuring a double-bye in the SEC Tournament.
Sponsored by Big Kahuna Wings: The wings that changed it all
