Rick Barnes on Julian Phillips: 'I can see him getting himself on a roll here'

Rick Barnes saw Julian Phillips get worn down. Just like any other freshman trying to adjust to basketball at the collegiate level, Tennessee’s five-star rookie on the wing has at times this season been gassed. 

The Vols missed senior wing Josiah-Jordan James for eight of the first 13 games, and a lot of that extra workload fell on the shoulders of Phillips. 

“I thought he handled it well,” Barnes said before practice Friday at Pratt Pavilion. “I do think he got tired which is normal for freshmen because the high-level games we were in early, it took a toll. 

“I can see now he’s coming out of it. I can tell by watching him in practice, watching what he does and I can see him getting himself on a roll here.”

That’s exactly what the Vols could use from Phillips, who scored 11 points and grabbed seven rebounds in 27 minutes on Tuesday, when Tennessee hammered Mississippi State 87-53 at Thompson-Boling Arena. 

It was the most points Phillips had scored since December 7 against Eastern Kentucky, when he had 16. It was his most rebounds since grabbing 10 against Maryland on December 10. He went 5-for-6 from the floor, the most field goals he had made since December 4 against Alcon State.

Phillips, a Blythewood, S.C., native, will look to build on that momentum during his homecoming on Saturday, when No. 8 Tennessee (12-2, 2-0 SEC) plays at South Carolina (7-7, 0-1), a 3:30 p.m. Eastern Time start (TV: SEC Network) at Colonial Life Arena in Columbia.

Julian Phillips averaging 10.1 points, 5.7 points in 25.6 minutes per game

Barnes said he can see Phillips breaking out of his slump because he can see the wheels turning in his head.

“One, defensively he’s much more inclined,” Barnes said. “He’s really trying to think the game.”

That’s been the consistent message from Barnes. To produce on the offensive end, Phillips needs to focus solely on defense and rebounding, letting everything on offense take care of itself.

“You can’t really force it to happen,” Phillips said. “You just have to play and let the game come to you. I think now, playing, you can’t force (it). You just have to let it come and settle in like that.”

“They preach defense and rebounding,” he added of his coaches, “so that is the mindset we go into the games with. (If) we do that at a high level, all the offensive stuff will come.”

The other element, Barnes explained, is cardio toughness. Tennessee’s No. 1-ranked defense, more than anything else, is product of effort.

“One thing I love about this team,” Barnes said, “we as a staff love about this team, they really do for the most part give us max effort on the defensive end. And you go back with the things we try to do offensively, it’s hard. 

“If you’re not real tough-minded with your cardio it can break you down, but I see (Phillips) improving there a lot.”

Up Next: No. 8 Tennessee at South Carolina, Saturday, 3:30 p.m. ET, SEC Network

Phillips through 13 games is fifth in minutes (25.6 per game) for the Vols, fourth in scoring (10.1)  and leads the team in rebounding (5.7). 

He broke out with a season-high 25 points and eight rebounds in a win over Southern Cal in the Bahamas on November 24, but scored just four points a day later against Kansas.

Phillips averaged 15.3 points per game against McNeese State, Alcorn State and Eastern Kentucky, but totaled just 21 points over the four games that followed, against Maryland, Arizona, Austin Peay and Ole Miss. 

He said on Friday that the change in mindset, going from an offensive focus as a star in high school to a defense-first role player in college, hasn’t been hard. It’s just another adjustment.

“It is something you have to get used to,” Phillips said, “and something that you didn’t do the previous year. It is something that you learn with and something I think I am doing better with.”

Most importantly, Barnes added, is he wants to learn it.

“So much is new for him right now,” Barnes said, “but he has a wonderful attitude and he just keeps working and I know the best part is he really wants to be better.”