Timeline: All the Memphis vs Tennessee drama from last year’s game up to Saturday’s rematch

Mike Wilson
Knoxville

Memphis' Raynere Thornton made a rather insignificant 3-pointer with 47.8 seconds left against Tennessee last season.

His shot pulled the Tigers within 10, a Tennessee win comfortably secured. Memphis coach Penny Hardaway called timeout and the teams headed for their benches — but didn't quite make it there.

Memphis guard Alex Lomax and Tennessee guard Jordan Bone exchanged words, the Tennessee bench came toward halfcourt and three players received technical fouls to set off a weeks-long back-and-forth between Hardaway and Vols coach Rick Barnes.

Here is what happened last year when the Vols and Tigers met and what followed before No. 17 Tennessee (7-1) and No. 17 Memphis (8-1) meet Saturday (3 p.m. ET, ESPN) at Thompson-Boling Arena.

The game

Tennessee led throughout and won 102-92 thanks to Admiral Schofield's 29-point, 11-rebound performance and UT's 39 made free throws outdoing Memphis' Jeremiah Martin's 31 points. 

The teams had not met since Jan. 4, 2013

The kerfuffle 

The Vols were set to cruise out of FedExForum in Memphis with a win when Thornton made a 3-pointer. Lomax went to guard Bone on the inbound pass, but Hardaway called timeout.

Lomax chirped at Bone. Bone chirped back. Bone walked away, with Hardaway guiding him toward the UT bench. Bone and Thornton bumped shoulders. Thornton turned and flexed toward Bone and some of the Vols, who had left their bench and come toward midcourt.

Refs separated the teams and Martin also was assessed a technical foul.

The accounts

Hardaway blamed the fracas on Tennessee in his postgame interview. He said Lomax "is a kid that is not going to talk trash." The Memphis coach claimed Bone "said something to (Lomax) disrespectfully" and that Lomax "protected himself" by replying and Martin got involved as well.

Hardaway's biggest complaint was aimed at the Tennessee bench and the way the referees handled the situation. He believed the Vols "ran over to fight" and "the entire team emptied the bench to run over."

"They didn’t come over because it was a timeout," Hardaway said. "You could visibly see guys with their fists balled, talking trash to our guys. It was almost like a standoff. I was asking the referee why they were able to come across the line into our area and not get a technical.”

Hardaway said the explanation he received was that the Vols could come off a bench during a timeout. He was not given a reason why UT could leave its bench area without being assessed a technical.

Bone and Jordan Bowden, who walked back to the UT bench with Bone, indicated that Lomax started the situation. Bone blamed himself for not walking away immediately. 

“I heard him say something,” Bone said. “I retaliated. I shouldn’t have. We were winning the game. We were supposed to walk out of here with class. I allowed that to get to me."

Barnes quips

Hardaway's postgame account came after Barnes finished his.  Barnes commented for the first time two days later on UT's "Vol Calls," having fun with Hardaway's "fists balled" comments.

Barnes asked show host and Tennessee play-by-play man Bob Kesling if "at any point Saturday did you ball your fist up and get ready to fight the other commentator?"

Barnes chalked it up to kidding around with Kesling. He also made a remark about the officiating that backed up a comment Bone made about Memphis players flopping.

“It was a very difficult game to call when guys are trying to pick up fouls and every time there’s contact jumping back and this and that," Barnes said.

Barnes defends Bone

Tennessee head coach Rick Barnes reacts to a referee's call in the second half of an NCAA college basketball game against Memphis Saturday, Dec. 15, 2018, in Memphis, Tenn.

Barnes had little to say about Hardaway's comments a day later in his first media session with reporters since the game. But he did take exception to one remark: He was not a fan of Hardaway stating that Bone said something "disrespectfully" to Lomax.

“Well, I didn’t like that," said Barnes in his first media session since Saturday. "Obviously, because I don’t think you do that."

Hardaway goes off

Hardaway blasted Barnes later Tuesday in Memphis, ending his media availability by saying, "Rick Barnes, get the (expletive) out of here."

He doubled-down on his take on the late-game incident, saying, "If you just watch the film I’m not making anything up."

Hardaway referenced Barnes' "Vol Calls" segment with comments about his team "flopping" and said such comments were "low class."

"I’m going to stay respectful as long as I have to but Rick Barnes is doing a little bit too much," Hardaway said. "He really is.”

Hardaway also said he did not have a relationship with Barnes and did not need one, while calling Barnes "legendary" in college basketball.

Barnes squashes it

Tennessee beat Samford the next day, after which Barnes had nothing more to say about Memphis.

“What I will talk about is Samford," Barnes said. "I think Samford has a heck of a basketball team. I told our team, we beat a good team tonight. I've got for a lot of respect for (Samford coach Scott) Padgett."

New year, new comments

Memphis Tigers Head Coach penny Hardaway huddles up with his team before their game against Alcorn State at the FedExForum on Saturday, Nov. 16, 2019.

A month after the Vols won, Hardaway went on ESPN's "Get Up" and was asked by former Michigan and NBA guard Jalen Rose about Hardaway's relationship with Barnes. 

Hardaway stated he has always had respect for Barnes and said a rivalry game will be "heated." But he believed Barnes mocked both the NBA and his coaching staff.

“After the game, I didn’t feel like he gave my team a fair understanding of what we were trying to do," Hardaway said. "He was kind of mocking the NBA and our coaching staff and I really didn’t like that. I have the utmost respect for him, but I couldn’t let him do my team like that."

Barnes denies mocking

Naturally, Barnes made a "SportsCenter" appearance days after Hardaway's comments. "SportsCenter" played the audio of Hardaway's comments, then gave Barnes a chance to respond.

He said he has "unbelievable respect" for Hardaway and met him long before he was a head coach.

"I’ve never mocked any team, ever," Barnes said. "There’s nowhere out there that I’ve said one thing about Memphis basketball from an NBA standpoint or anything of that.

"I’ve got great respect for what he’s doing there and the program he’s trying to build. I’m not on record ever saying anything (negative) about Memphis basketball."

The present

The Tigers and Vols have only one game left on the three-year deal after Saturday — a neutral-site clash in Nashville that Barnes has high hopes for turning into a multi-school affair.

But beyond that, there is no agreement in place to continue the series. Barnes indicated last month that he does not think it will be renewed. Hardaway said in November he would like to have Tennessee on the schedule in the future.

“I think it would be good for the state, for sure,” he said. “Absolutely, because the state needs it. We really do.”

On Tuesday, Barnes declined to speculate as to what should happen with the series.

“You’re going to build the schedule based on where your program is and the opportunities that are out there,” Barnes said. “I’ve said before: I don’t know where it goes from here. I know this: We’re playing them now. I think it’s been good for everybody. I think it’ll be good next year for us in Nashville. As your schedule opportunities come up, you’ve got to look at it and evaluate it.”

Both coaches moved to de-escalate the situation with some tame comments during their respective radio shows on Monday.

"It's really not me against Rick," Hardaway said. "But, honestly, it's going to be a great game. It's going to be chess, to be honest with you, because we don't know how the refs are going to call it."