KNOXVILLE - In the midst of an overachieving season, the Tennessee men's basketball team has adopted a catchphrase - "turn me up," abbreviated TMU - and an accompanying hand signal used in celebratory moments during games and on social media.
"It kind of just brings energy," junior forward Kyle Alexander said.
For Rick Barnes, TMU generated a blank look.
"Turn me up?" the third-year Tennessee coach repeated back hesitantly Friday when asked about it.
Barnes is not an avid social media user and was unfamiliar with the new catchphrase. But what he clearly recognizes is the importance of the team chemistry that has spawned all of the turning up the Volunteers have done this season.
"I do think we have guys that really root for each other," Barnes said. "I think we have a team with a lot of character, and there's a lot of things that these guys do off the court - they live together, they're around each other a lot, and some of them go to church together - there's a lot of things that go on together where I think they really like each other."
As No. 15 Tennessee (18-5, 8-3 Southeastern Conference) prepares to play at Alabama (15-9, 6-5) today, team chemistry is at "99 out of 100," Alexander said.
"I love these guys, and I think we all love each other," he said.
The chemistry has been apparent in the Vols' stretch of nine wins in 10 games. When reserve wings Jalen Johnson and Yves Pons made their first career 3-pointers, Tennessee's bench exploded with jubilance - even from the players Johnson and Pons are challenging for playing time.
"There's no doubt they pull for each other," Barnes said. "You can tell that in practice now, where you see guys helping each other, talking to each other, coaching each other."
There have been no indications Barnes' first two teams at Tennessee had hostile locker rooms. The level of buy-in and cohesion has simply reached a new level as the program now consists exclusively of players recruited by Barnes and his staff.
Barnes credited his assistants for understanding the types of players the Vols want and the players for understanding the culture he desires.
"The fact is, though, they still have to buy into it totally," Barnes said, "and it's a lot easier to do that when you have more guys pulling in that direction."
Recently a video surfaced of Alexander singing with junior forward Admiral Schofield accompanying him on the guitar. Alexander indicated if he were starting a band from Tennessee's roster, sophomore forward and leading scorer Grant Williams would play piano.
The surprise would be Pons, who came to Tennessee from France, getting the nod as the band's fourth member.
"Yves can play saxophone," Alexander said. "So we have a little good thing going if we wanted to have it."
Contact David Cobb at dcobb@timesfreepress.com. Follow him on Twitter @DavidWCobb and on Facebook at facebook.com/volsupdate.