CEDAR CITY, Utah - During the past offseason, Dee Barnes thought strongly about playing his last season of collegiate basketball elsewhere, and he even committed to St. Peter's at one point; but, after much consideration, Barnes came to the conclusion that there's nowhere he'd rather spend his final season than in Cedar City, Utah competing for SUU.
"I took a few visits, and I had a fair amount of options," said Barnes. "I committed to St. Peter's, because it felt like a good fit for me basketball-wise, but I got there and something just didn't feel right. I came back because I just love it here, and I think it's the best decision that I've ever made."
Barnes is originally from Great Mills, Maryland, and after a stellar high school career where he was a two-time conference Player of the Year and recognized as the County Player of the Year following an exceptional senior season, he opted to stay close to home and accept an offer to join the Mount Saint Mary's basketball team.
Barnes had a strong freshman season for the Mountaineers, playing in 27 games and making six starts. He posted season averages of 5.8 points and 1.6 rebounds per game, while shooting 36.3 percent from three-point range for the season. Barnes scored a career-high 26 points on 7-10 shooting from three on the road against St. Johns, and he hit double-figures in scoring four different times throughout the season.
During his sophomore season, Barnes was limited to just eight appearances, and at the conclusion of the year, he opted to enter the transfer portal seeking a better fit. The first school that came calling was Southern Utah, and after talking with the coaching staff, he felt like SUU would be the perfect fit.
Despite growing up on the east coast and having no family members out west, Barnes was excited for the opportunity to move across the country and experience something new in Utah.
"I wanted a fresh start. I had lived in Maryland my entire life, so Utah being on the west coast and being something different than what I was used to played a big part in my decision. It was hard to come out here with my whole family living on the east coast. It definitely wasn't an easy transition; but, after I got here and was here for a bit, I grew to love it here."
In his first season with the Thunderbirds, Barnes played an impactful role coming off the bench. He averaged 5.3 points per game throughout the season and scored a season-high 15 points against Benedictine Mesa. Barnes helped SUU to their first Big Sky Regular Season Championship, which he says has been the most memorable moment of his career thus far.
"Winning the Big Sky Championship my first year was awesome. We had a lot of new players, including myself, and we all just came together as a group, helped each other, and fought through adversity together. It was the COVID season, so we all spent a ton of time together, since there wasn't much else to do. We were all in the gym together constantly, and we became a really close group."
Barnes went on to say that the most memorable game of his young career was during his first season playing for SUU.
"That game at home against Weber my first year here would have to be my favorite. When Damani got that steal and layup to take the lead at the end and we got the win, that was awesome."
This past season, Barnes took on a larger role coming off the bench for SUU, appearing in 24 contests throughout the season for the Thunderbirds. Barnes averaged 3.0 points per game and shot 41 percent from the floor and 80 percent form the free-throw line for the season. He had a season-high 16 points against St. Katherine and pulled down a season-high four rebounds against Northern Colorado.
At the conclusion of the season, Barnes decided that it was in his best interest to enter the transfer portal, as he hoped to find a program where he could take on a bigger role in his final season.
After a lot of contemplation, and even a commitment to St. Peters, Barnes changed his mind and decided that Southern Utah was where he wanted to be for his last year.
"This is where I want to be, there genuinely isn't anywhere else I'd want to be for my final year, and I'm ready for this season."
Barnes was baptized this summer, and he talked about how that also played a role in his decision to return to SUU.
"I got baptized this summer, and I realized that I really wanted to be somewhere that I can grow my faith and grow both on and off the court, and I thought that this was the best place for me to do that."
Barnes is incredibly excited for his last season, but what he is most thrilled about is having the opportunity to play in front of the SUU fans for one last year.
"I'm really looking forward to the atmosphere. I think that this year is going to be awesome; I think a lot of fans will come out to our games this year, and I'm just really excited for the opportunity to play in the AFEC one final season."
Barnes has lofty expectations for the Southern Utah men's basketball team, and he believes that the group this season is fully capable of achieving those goals.
"I think we can accomplish what we set out to do when I got here, which is winning a championship and going to the NCAA Tournament. I think we have the right group to do it this year, and I'm really looking forward to it. It's going to be a fun year."
Another factor that played into Barnes' decision to return to SUU is how much of an impact the coaching staff and the program has had on him as a basketball player and as a person.
"Southern Utah basketball has been huge for me. It's had a huge impact on me. This program has taught me how to grow. Being so far away from home, I learned how to be a man on my own, and all the coaches here really care about me and want me to succeed in life. Playing for a coach like Coach Simon who really helped me grow has been great, and that's another big reason why I came back."
Barnes' favorite part about living in Cedar City has been the people and the relationships that he's formed during his time here.
"It's been super easy for me to fit in here, and all the support I have received here has meant a lot to me. The people that I've met have definitely been my favorite part of living here."
After college, Barnes hopes to continue his basketball career at the professional level; but, down the road, he hopes to work as a marketing representative for a large company. His favorite things to do outside of basketball include hanging out with his friends, playing pickleball, going on drives or walks, and just trying new things.
Barnes will seek to have a heightened role for SUU in his final season and help the Thunderbirds compete for a conference championship in their first season in the Western Athletic Conference.
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