Rick Barnes and Tennessee showed a lot of grit and toughness in a tightly-contested win against Texas A&M on Saturday.

It wasn’t the season-high 30 points Chaz Lanier scored or the season-high eight 3-point field goals he made. It wasn’t the 5-for-5 start from the 3-point line or the six made threes in the first half.

Everything head coach Rick Barnes, Chaz Lanier and Zakai Zeigler said after No. 6 Tennessee’s 77-69 win at No. 7 Texas A&M Saturday afternoon at Reed Arena in College Station: How much of Tennessee’s game plan was to restrict Texas A&M’s ability to dribble and drive to the rim “It is our game plan.

Facing Texas A&M, the Vols were in another top-10 matchup this season with Tennessee at No. 6 and A&M at No. 7. It was Tennessee’s 4th game of the season against a top-10 opponent, and it goes down as Rick Barnes’s 50th career win against an AP Top 10 team.

Matt admits to no interest in basketball, yet reads my column faithfully. He obviously has too much time on his hands.

Zakai Zeigler scored all 22 of his points against Vanderbilt in the second half of Tennessee's 81-76 win Saturday.

“We were right where we needed to be,” Vols coach Rick Barnes said. There was a “but” coming. “Didn’t make enough winning plays on either end of the court,” Barnes said. Need a brea

No. 18 Kentucky (17-7, 6-5 SEC) defeated No. 4 Tennessee (20-5, 7-5 SEC), 75-64, on Tuesday at Rupp Arena in Lexington, Kentucky. Rankings reflect the USA TODAY Sports Men’s Basketball Coaches Poll. Tennessee head coach Rick Barnes discussed the Vols' loss after the game.