UT basketball coach fired after 17 years. Rick Barnes refuses to part ways with assistants to save job. "I couldn't do that," he says. Photo by Ricardo Brazziell/American-Statesman: Rick Barnes addressing the media during a press conference at Bellmont Hall Sunday, March 29, 2015. Barnes was adamant that he should be able to decide who his assistant coaches would be. See more photos, a video and read the story atstatesman.com #statesmanphoto #rickbarnes #utbasketball #longhornbasketball #longhorns #texasbasketball