What Rice coach Rob Lanier said after 91-66 loss at No. 20 Tennessee

What Rice head coach and former Tennessee associate head coach Rob Lanier said during his postgame press conference after his team’s 91-66 loss to the Vols Monday night at Food City Center:

Opening Statement

“So, yeah, my message to the team before the game was that as we’re trying to build this team this particular season, whatever it is we aspire to do, whatever we think we want to become, we’re going to have to show some signs of that tonight if we’re going have any chance. And I did think that we competed relatively hard, but we had a small margin for error and we had too much error. The size and the skill, the execution that (Tennessee) exhibited tonight, they’re a really, really good team. 

“And I do like my team. I think we competed hard. I thought there were two sequences in the second half where it was an 11-point game and we had a chance maybe to get a stop and get it below double-digits. And we fouled a 3-point shooter. We make a three, and it’s back at 11 again, and then we foul, and then they go to the free-throw line and they miss the free throw and we give up an offensive rebound and an and-1. And we never could quite get it back to around 10 so we could get it in. What I was hoping that we could do was apply some game pressure to a team early in the season that maybe hasn’t experienced much of that, particularly against a smaller opponent. And we weren’t able to get that done.”

What makes Tennessee’s front court depth difficult to face

“The fact that they have it, first of all. I mean, who plays five guys that big? I don’t know what the word is on (JP) Estrella, is he OK? They just keep coming at you with big guys. And they do a great job of using them. They’re one of the teams in the country — what I’ve always loved about Coach (Rick Barnes), he’s going to do things his way. He doesn’t set a lot of ball screens. He’s never loved them. He’s done them in the past, begrudgingly, but they do a good job of putting you in situations where if you help up on the (Ja’Kobi) Gillespie, he’s throwing a lob. And they’ve got guys who can really affect the game at the rim. And so they do a great job putting those guys in positions to score where all they have to do is use their talent. So it’s an impressive group. And then trying to keep them off the glass, even when you’re blocking them out, sometimes they’re just too big. And it’s a definite advantage, especially in college basketball these days. It’s hard to get one good big man and they got five or six of them.”

His impressions of Tennessee freshman Nate Ament

“Tremendous. Looks young, baby face. It was the first time I’ve been up close with him. And I’ve heard Coach talk about him. Coach and I have had conversations about him, so I knew it was special just the way Coach lights up talking about him. And I could tell he loves coaching him and I can see why. He doesn’t force the game, for his talented and as renowned as he is. He lets the game come, he plays within the flow. Gifted young man, obviously got a bright future. He’s in a good situation right now for where he’s headed.”

What makes this Tennessee team unique compared to others he’s seen or was a part of 

“Well, I mean, it starts with the size because most teams where you have a guy like Ament, he’s like a stretch four. And instead he’s legitimately playing one of the three perimeter positions. And then they’re so deep along the front line. And the fact that their fours and fives don’t necessarily stretch the floor, they compensate for that through concepts. So it doesn’t really hurt them offensively. Everyone’s caught up in stretching the floor and having bigs that shoot threes. Without that, he’s making people pay at the rim. And then, Coach always uses the phrase when the ball when the ball goes up on the glass, that’s when the game starts. And I’ve repeated that to my team. But it’s one of those things that you really can’t simulate in practice when they’ve got this much size. I think Gillespie is a great connector of what they’re doing because he’s such a great threat. And their perimeter guys have done a good job. Is Boswell hurt? Yeah, I’ve heard Coach talk about him. It sounds like he’s a guy that will factor into their growth as the season progresses.” 

If it would be possible for he and Barnes to ever surprise each other with something on the court

“Well, we both got good staffs, so there wouldn’t be any surprises. Obviously, Coach is one of the best to ever do this and part of the reason is I think he always has surrounded himself with great coaches. He’s got so many good coaches over there. So it’s not about Coach and I knowing one another so well that we’re not gonna surprise, it’s about the job that your staff does. I certainly understand Coach’s make up and I admire him as much as you can admire another man. Like he’s as good a man as I know in my life. So I’m not surprised by how good they are, how hard they play, how tough they are, how they rebound, all of those things are a byproduct of who he is. But in terms of what we do and what they do, we both are fortunate to have great staffs that do a good job.”

How much pride he takes in the success of Tennessee Basketball

“I’m not on Twitter anymore, but I sent out like this Twitter, I tweeted something back in 2019 when I was leaving. Something to the effect of, I don’t know what the criteria is to be a VFL, but I’m hoping that me and my family qualify. I did it on purpose because I wanted people to say good shit so I could go back and read it. And so whenever I was in a bad mood, I would just go and read the comments and all the nice things people were saying. And listen, in 2018, we beat Georgia here to earn a share that night of the SEC title. And if you were here that night, you know for the next 45 minutes to an hour, no one left the building. Best experience that I’ve had in college basketball that night. Just being there and seeing the fans not even leave the arena. 

“It’s just an incredible place. And my kids in high school here, middle school. So when we think of Knoxville, it’s like a home to us. It was such a great, great experience for me. It was the best experience I’ve had in the profession. The four years I spent here, by far the best experience that I’ve had to this point. And I would say my kids, some of their most dearest friends and memories come from their time here. And Rick’s got everything to do with that. 

“And I’ll just say this, even though you didn’t ask, I’ve just never been around a person who gets so much satisfaction out of doing nice things for other people. That’s who he is. And everybody that’s been in his orbit has a story along those lines. And I’m just one of the many.”