The Tennessee Vols shut down the Iowa State Cyclones 76-62 on Friday night in Chicago to advance to their third straight Elite Eight. Tennessee got a lot of help up and down the roster, and one of the standouts in the win was forward Jaylen Carey.

Carey, who is in his first season at Tennessee after coming over in the transfer portal from Vanderbilt, was one of several Vols to help the Big Orange dominate the glass. He finished with 11 points, 10 rebounds, and four assists off the bench as Tennessee won the rebounding margin 43-22.

After the game, Rick Barnes was asked about Carey and the improvements he’s made this year, and Barnes said he was very happy for Carey because he’s been the player he says he’s been the hardest on all season.

Rick Barnes says Jaylen Carey, who had a double-double in Tennessee’s win over Iowa State, is the player he’s been the hardest on this season

“I’m really happy because if I put all the chips on the table, I have been after Jaylen harder than anybody all year, anybody,” Barnes said in his postgame press conference. “There’s days he looked at me like, ‘man, this dude is crazy’. But he never said a word. Kept going. He does what he needs to do.

“I’m really happy for him. I really am. But he did say what he said. He didn’t miss many reps all year long with the other guys, and they really did go at each other. There were some days that got, you know, pretty physical obviously, but anytime you see someone that goes through the peaks and valleys and comes up big in a game like this, you’re elated for them. You really are.

“Great kid, and he was the first kid in the portal last year, other than Ja’Kobi, that we set our eyes on, because felt like we had no presence inside physically. I think he’s helped all of them, in some ways, be more physical.”

There’s certainly no doubt that Carey brings a level of physicality and toughness to the post for Tennessee on both ends of the floor. But the consistency of that from week to week hasn’t been there. When he’s on his game, he gives Tennessee an extra gear, particularly with his back to the basket near the rim. He had a couple of nifty moves on the offensive end that showcased he’s more than just the defensive end that Steven Pearl tabbed him back in January.

The challenge is about to escalate in a major way, as Tennessee will have to become just the fourth team this year to defeat Michigan if they’re going to make it to their first-ever Final Four. But if the Vols can get that kind of effort from Carey and the rest of their post players, then perhaps it’s not out of the question.

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