One of the biggest storylines for the Tennessee versus Vanderbilt game on Saturday is the return of junior forward Jaylen Carey to Nashville to take on his former team. Carey started his career at James Madison, and then transferred to Vandy, before making his way to Knoxville.
Carey has done a great job for the Vols this year, coming off the bench, providing energy and a low-post presence. He is averaging 7.8 points and 3.2 rebounds in just 18 minutes, and with J.P. Estrella potentially out again, Rick Barnes will need Carey to step up once again.
Tennessee also needs Carey to control his emotions in a heated rivalry with his former team.
Rick Barnes said, "Yeah, I think he will. We'll certainly talk about it. I think this is the new world that we live in now. Guys are going to end up going back to schools where they left. I think it's going to be the norm now. And I like to think that we all handle it in the right way, everybody that's involved with it."
The biggest thing the Vols need from Carey is consistency, especially on the defensive end of the floor.
"Consistency. Just consistency. He really defensively, maybe had. And I don't think maybe, probably played his best game defensively. He was really doing it," said Barnes. "He missed some shots. I thought he let that affect him, and some free throws. But overall, he's gotten much much better defensively. And again, I thought the last game, he showed that."
Why Jaylen Carey can win Tennessee the game on Saturday
Vanderbilt is a stout offensive team they play with great pace and efficiency. If I'm Rick Barnes, I'm tracking away the three, so that means the Commodores are going to be pushing the ball inside, and as Barnes said, Tennessee needs Carey to perform down low.
Plus, Vandy isn't a great rebounding team, so making sure the Vols crash the glass and get every second-chance opportunity will be massive. A lot is riding on Carey stepping up in the big moment, and he is more than capable.