Tigers coach Penny Hardaway took multiple shots at Volunteers coach Rick Barnes during a news conference Tuesday, finishing it with “Rick Barnes, get the [expletive] out of here,” according to the Memphis Commercial Appeal.
The war of words continues between Penny Hardaway and Vols coach Rick Barnes. Today—it was Penny’s turn at the mic. pic.twitter.com/H8D9rLYgBd
— Mike Ceide (@MCeide_WREG3) December 18, 2018
During a radio show Monday night, Barnes said to Tennessee play-by-play voice Bob Kesling:
“At any time Saturday did you ball your fist up and get ready to fight the other commentator?”
Bone, meanwhile, accused Memphis players of flopping.
Hardaway took issue with Barnes’ comments.
“If you just watch the film, I’m not making anything up,” Hardaway said at Tuesday’s news conference. “I don’t know who Rick Barnes thinks I am, but I’m not a dude that likes to just mess around about anything. I just call it like I see it. No matter how he’s trying to make things seem, and I think it’s kind of low class how he’s trying to downgrade my guys for flopping and all that. Man, come on, give me a break.”
Since taking over at Memphis last spring, Hardaway already has reeled in the No. 7-rated recruiting class in the country, led by overall No. 1 prospect James Wiseman and five-star D.J. Jeffries, both local products.
He said Barnes’ comments have added to the rivalry between programs.
“I think it’s more something on the page of maybe the recruiting that we have to do in the state. Maybe he’s trying to get an upper hand on me or whatever,” Hardaway said. “I have no complaints about anything else. I just called it like I saw it and the comments that he made about my team when it came to the flopping and all that — that’s low class. I would never do that to another team.
“He can do whatever he wants to do, but we’ll see each other out on the road somewhere or in another game.”
Tennessee is 8-1 and hosts Samford on Wednesday.
Memphis is 5-5 and hosts Little Rock on Wednesday.