Tennessee
Why Jaylen Carey earned ‘bodyguard’ title for Tennessee vs Ole Miss
Jaylen Carey’s frame garners a lot of attention for Tennessee basketball.
As the Vols (16-6, 6-3 SEC) throttled Ole Miss (11-11, 3-6) by a score of 84-66 at Food City Center on Feb. 4, Carey used his size to protect his teammates.
In the first half, freshman Nate Ament crashed to the ground after a defender aggressively bodied him up. Referees kept the call at a common foul, but in the second half, Ole Miss player James Scott received a flagrant after swiping at Bishop Boswell’s face.
On both occasions, the 6-foot-8, 267-pound Carey found himself in the middle of a scrum against a group of Ole Miss defenders.
“Yeah man, that’s our bodyguard, that’s our team bodyguard right there,” Ament said. “He likes to get in fights and stuff like that. I’m just joking, but he’s our enforcer. Knowing that someone like that is having my back, it’s incredible. He broke my wrist in the summer when I tried to dunk on him, but that’s a whole different story.”
Carey shared a double technical foul with Scott after the second skirmish. Tennessee coach Rick Barnes wasn’t so keen on Carey’s activities.
“I don’t mind it, but I don’t want him to get technical fouls, especially when we’re short a post player,” Barnes said. “I know his teammates respect him for it. It happened so quickly. I think our guys appreciate it. I just don’t want it to get us at the wrong time when we are really playing with three of our starting five post players.”
Tennessee basketball center Felix Okpara making ‘progress’
The Vols won another game without starting center Felix Okpara. He missed his second straight contest with a left calf injury. Tennessee would have been even thinner in the frontcourt if Carey was ejected.
There’s no return timetable for Okpara, but Barnes sounded optimistic after talking to director of men’s basketball sports medicine Chad Newman.
“Chad told me today (Okpara) was feeling better today,” Barnes said. “I said, ‘How’s he feeling?’ He said he thought he made progress today. I can’t tell you when because that’s the honest answer. He told me that right before the game. He said he had a good day.”
The Vols’ big men weren’t as productive against Ole Miss as they were against Auburn. Redshirt sophomore J.P. Estrella finished with 12 points and nine rebounds. Freshman DeWayne Brown II, who replaced Okpara in the starting lineup, had five points, three rebounds and an assist. Carey, nearly ejected with four fouls, had four points, five rebounds and an assist.
Wynton Jackson covers high school sports for Knox News. Email: wynton.jackson@knoxnews.com
Support strong local journalism and unlock premium perks: knoxnews.com/subscribe
Enter your email and we’ll send a secure one-click link to sign in.
WKRN is provided by Nexstar Media Group, Inc., and uses the My Nexstar sign-in, which works across our media network.
Learn more at nexstar.tv/privacy-policy.
WKRN is provided by Nexstar Media Group, Inc., and uses the My Nexstar sign-in, which works across our media network.
Nexstar Media Group, Inc. is a leading, diversified media company that produces and distributes engaging local and national news, sports, and entertainment content across its television and digital platforms. The My Nexstar sign-in works across the Nexstar network—including The CW, NewsNation, The Hill, and more. Learn more at nexstar.tv/privacy-policy.
NASHVILLE, Tenn. — Big hearts, small hands! Tennessee kids are stepping up to make a big difference this summer.
First Lady Maria Lee on Tuesday announced the eighth annual Tennessee Kids Serve Summer Challenge, encouraging young students to dedicate part of their summer to helping others.
The program, part of the Tennessee Serves initiative, runs from June 1 through Aug. 1 and is open to rising kindergarteners through rising sixth graders across the state.
Participants must complete at least two hours of service across two of eight designated categories to finish the challenge, with top participants earning an invitation to a September carnival at the Tennessee Residence.
Since its launch in 2019, more than 3,500 children have contributed over 15,000 hours of service through activities ranging from park cleanups to assisting nursing homes and raising funds for disaster relief.
Registration opened Tuesday, with parents and guardians able to sign up participants and access additional details through the First Lady’s official website.
BE THE FIRST TO COMMENT
Go here for everyday ideas on ways to serve!
NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WZTV) — A bill moving through the Tennessee Legislature could reshape how pharmacies do business in the state, with CVS warning it could lead to widespread store closures.
The Tennessee Senate has passed legislation that would change the way pharmacies can operate. The proposal has been dubbed “the CVS bill” because it directly impacts the drugstore chain.
Under the bill, drugstores would no longer be allowed to negotiate prices directly with insurance providers or government programs. Instead, a third party would be required to step in.
The bill is now under debate in the House. CVS says the change would force more than 100 of its pharmacies to close across Tennessee, but lawmakers disagree.
-
Detroit, MI11 minutes agoChris Simms projects Detroit Lions first-round NFL draft pick
-
San Francisco, CA23 minutes agoSan Francisco sets $3.4B price tag for public takeover of PG&E
-
Dallas, TX29 minutes agoGame Day Guide: Stars at Wild | Dallas Stars
-
Miami, FL35 minutes agoMay a steadying presence as Cards hold off Marlins in Miami
-
Boston, MA41 minutes agoTyrese Maxey, VJ Edgecombe flex in Boston: Takeaways from Celtics-76ers Game 2
-
Denver, CO47 minutes agoMotorcyclist seriously injured in Denver hit-and-run crash – AOL
-
Seattle, WA53 minutes agoBrock: 2 drafts fits at edge rusher for Seattle Seahawks
-
San Diego, CA59 minutes agoJoseph Allen Oviatt – San Diego Union-Tribune