Rick Barnes says DeWayne Brown will start for Tennessee Basketball vs. Louisville

Rick Barnes said on Monday that it will be freshman forward DeWayne Brown who replaces the injured Cade Phillips in the starting lineup when Tennessee Basketball hosts Louisville Tuesday night at Food City Center. Phillips is out for the season after undergoing shoulder surgery last week.

No. 20 Tennessee (7-3) and No. 11 Louisville (9-1) are scheduled for a 7 p.m. Eastern Time on ESPN.

“He has earned it,” Barnes said during press conference before practice Monday at Food City Center. “Just that’s it. He simply − with his consistency − he earned it. We are going to base everything we do based on everyday practice habits and consistency because that is what we haven’t had.

“Everybody has shown glimpses of this or that. We want to see consistency.”

Cade Phillips had shoulder surgery last week

It was reported last Monday and later confirmed by Tennessee that Phillips would be undergoing season-ending surgery on his left shoulder, addressing a lingering injury that initially occurred last January.  

Phillips strengthened the shoulder during the offseason, but aggravated the injury before the season. The 6-foot-9 junior averaged 3.8 points and 4.0 rebounds in 16.9 minutes per game in 10 games season, starting making nine starts while trying to manage the injury.

JP Estrella returned this season after being lost to foot surgery early last season, leaving Phillips and starting center Felix Okpara to carry the load in the post. Phillips suffered the shoulder injury in the SEC opener last season against Arkansas, but still played in all 38 games. 

Estrella has missed one game this season with a bone bruise in his knee and another due to an ankle injury.

He’s averaging 11.0 points and 4.8 rebounds while shooting 70.9% from the floor and 50.0% from the 3-point line.

“Hopefully JP is back now and will stay healthy,” Barnes said last week on The Mike Keith Show, “because without he and JP, we really got lean on the front line (last season). But it’s tough.”

Vols added post depth with Jaylen Carey, DeWayne Brown in offseason

Tennessee addressed the lack of post depth during the offseason by adding Vanderbilt power forward Jaylen Carey out of the NCAA Transfer Portal and Brown, the four-star prospect in the 2025 recruiting class. 

Brown has impressed in his first season with the Vols, averaging 5.5 points and 3.1 rebounds in 13.2 minutes per game off the bench. Carey is averaging 8.4 points and 6.4 rebounds in 16.9 minutes per game, playing his best basketball over the last two weeks.

Barnes said on Monday that Tennessee needs “everything” out of its post players with the Vols riding a three-game losing streak.

“Ball-screen coverage has got to be more consistent,” he said. “Post defense. All of it. Everything at those positions. Rebounding the ball at the rate we need to. We really on offense getting the space you need and doing something with the ball when you get it.

“There is not just one specific thing. It goes back to being consistent with everything we are asking them to do.”