Redshirt freshman guard Martynas Barieka had played in just nine of 27 games this season before Wednesday.
He played a career-high 16 minutes in the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga’s 79-70 Southern Conference basketball loss at Appalachian State.
Barieka played the final 16 along with other reserves, while the starters — four seniors and a junior — watched from the best seats in the Holmes Convocation Center after they fell 22 points behind the mediocre Mountaineers (11-15, 7-9 SoCon).
They were essentially told to take a seat, watch the youngsters and learn a lesson about playing with heart, energy and passion.
“I don’t think I was telling them something. I think the other guys were,” Mocs coach John Shulman said. “I wasn’t trying to send a message. I was trying to win a game. We were down 22. That clearly was not working.