CHICAGO — Jaylen Carey stated he couldn’t wait to observe the movie. Never thoughts that it was the center of the night time in the United Center, after No. 6 Tennessee had thumped No. 2 Iowa State in a 76-62 Sweet 16 win to remain alive in the NCAA Tournament.
The junior energy ahead was itching to observe it again to see the second that set him off.
“I remember the first two plays,” Carey said. “I got popped in the mouth. It was a shock for me. It got me going.”
Up Next: No. 6 Tennessee vs. No. 1 Michigan, Sunday, 2:15 p.m. ET, CBS
Carey got going and didn’t cease, sparking the Vols (25-11) with 11 factors, 10 rebounds and 4 assists in 22 minutes off the bench, serving to ship his crew again to the Elite Eight for a 3rd straight yr, the place No. 1 Michigan (34-3) awaits on Sunday (2:15 p.m. Eastern Time, CBS).
“It was fun going out there,” Carey said, “rebounding the ball and playing aggressive.”
Tennessee saved its season going by pounding Iowa State from the inside out, with Carey and Felix Okpara combining for 23 factors, 20 rebounds, 4 assists, three blocks and two steals. Both forwards went 5-for-6 from the subject. Both grabbed six offensive rebounds.
But it was totally different for Carey, the Vanderbilt switch who spent a lot of the season preventing to seek out his match together with his new crew, with unrelenting calls for from Rick Barnes.
“My guys,” Carey said, “they at all times belief in me. I sort of had a gradual yr on and off right here and there video games, and simply carry on believing in myself.
“Coach Barnes and the guys, they just keep on believing in me. And that just gives me all the confidence I need.”
Carey had not grabbed 10 rebounds in a sport in greater than a month. He hadn’t scored greater than 10 factors in a sport in virtually two months.
He scored a season-high 22 factors in the loss at Syracuse in December, the finish of a three-game run that noticed him rating 46 factors with 26 rebounds.
Carey scored in double figures six instances in the eight video games that adopted, however did so simply twice in the ultimate 14 video games of the common season, as he gave the impression to be bottoming out at the worst attainable time.
‘There were days he looked at me like, man, this dude is crazy’
Barnes by no means stopped difficult him.
“If I put all the chips on the table,” Barnes said, “I have been after Jaylen harder than anybody all year — anybody. There were days he looked at me like, man, this dude is crazy. But he never said a word. (He) kept going. He does what he needs to do.”
Barnes added Carey and freshman DeWayne Brown and paired the two bigs with Okpara, J.P. Estrella and Cade Phillips to present Tennessee the post presence it so badly missed final season.
These Vols stayed alive on Friday night time due to it. And due to Carey.
“Anytime you see someone that goes through the peaks and valleys and comes up big in a game like this,” Barnes said, “you’re elated for them. You really are.”
