As No. 8 Tennessee prepares for its second outing on Monday night, coach Rick Barnes liked what he saw from different parts of his group in the season opener.
The Volunteers (1-0) will take the court for the first time in a week against Radford in Knoxville, Tenn.
DeWayne Brown II put up 17 points and added 17 rebounds — personal bests and his first career double-double — in the 90-59 season-opening victory.
“It was very competitive,” Brown said. “We were trying to show we were a different team than (preseason games against) Xavier and Duke. We were going to defend and make sure we won the rebound battle. Really, that’s what I was focused on the whole game — doing the right things and being in the right spot.”
Brown was mostly a defensive presence in the first half, but his offensive game came alive in the second.
“(My offense) is something I’ve been working on a lot,” he said. “Coach expects that out of me, and I want to be able to do that for this team. We’re going to need that inside presence.”
Barnes said it was a much-needed performance.
“Dwayne Brown 17 and 17, by far, you know, his best game,” Barnes said. “Dwayne has struggled up to this point, you know, our exhibition season, but I thought he was terrific (against Wofford).”
In his 40th season overall as a college basketball head coach, Barnes said he isn’t worried about his starting lineup.
He pointed to the performance of Wake Forest transfer Juke Harris, who delivered seven points, four rebounds and two assists off the bench.
“I told people … I’m not concerned about starting lineups,” Barnes said. “I’m more concerned about how we finish games, but Juke started the second half and I thought played great. He was a plus-29 in the game, which I thought was really, obviously good.
“I thought defensively he really, really worked hard and that’s what we’re still trying to get, that mentality defensively where we can guard. We started rebounding the ball, we went at it with a lot more force in the second half.”
Terrence Hill Jr. also scored 17 points, and sharpshooter Tyler Lundblade had 12 on 4-for-9 shooting from long range.
“Once we got out and got stops, rebounded, things started working and that’s what it takes,” Barnes said. “I’d like to see us have more offensive rebounds, but I don’t know what we shot as an overall team last year, but (against Wofford) we shot 52%. … After we got settled in, it was the kind of a game, you know, we expect.”
Radford (0-2) lost at Cal 84-70 on Wednesday as the Golden Bears made 17 of 35 attempts from long range.
Frederik Erichsen set a career high by scoring 16 points in his second career start for the Highlanders.
Radford coach Zach Chu said he has learned plenty in his second year leading the Highlanders.
“Going from Year 1 and having never coached anyone on the team to Year 2 where we’re just a little more player-led (has helped),” Chu said. “The thing we’re most excited about is the character of this team and some of the leadership that has showed up.”
