Tennessee Basketball Injury Update: Jaylen Carey Likely to Play vs. Georgia, Troy Henderson Still Sidelined
As Tennessee gears up for a key SEC road matchup against Georgia on Wednesday night, the Vols are hoping to have a key frontcourt piece back in the rotation. Forward Jaylen Carey is listed as probable after hyperextending his left leg in Tennessee’s 79-73 win at Alabama over the weekend. Meanwhile, freshman point guard Troy Henderson will miss his second straight game with a shoulder injury.
Tipoff is set for 7 p.m. ET at Stegeman Coliseum, with the game airing on SEC Network. Tennessee enters the contest at 13-6 overall and 3-3 in SEC play, while Georgia sits at 16-4 and 4-3 in the conference.
Carey Trending Toward Playing
Jaylen Carey went down in the second half against Alabama, grabbing his leg in visible pain. For a guy known for his physicality and durability, it was a rare sight. But according to assistant coach Amorrow Morgan, the team’s optimism never wavered.
“Obviously when you see any of your guys down on the floor and grimacing, especially him, someone who’s obviously built like a tank… this is new for him,” Morgan said Tuesday. “We were kind of optimistic just because of his build, but sometimes you just never know with those things. But we are super fired up and happy that he is okay and that he's not gonna have to miss a lot of time.”
Carey logged 15 minutes before exiting the Alabama game, finishing with two points, five rebounds-including three on the offensive glass-plus an assist. The Vanderbilt transfer has carved out a key role in Tennessee’s rotation this season, averaging 8.8 points and 6.4 rebounds in 18.5 minutes per game. He’s started twice in 19 appearances and is shooting an efficient 50.8% from the floor.
What makes Carey’s contributions even more vital is his presence on the glass. He’s currently tied with freshman forward Nate Ament for the team lead in rebounds, a stat that underscores just how important he is to Tennessee’s interior toughness.
Henderson Remains Out, Still Day-to-Day
Freshman point guard Troy Henderson will sit out again as he continues to recover from a left shoulder injury suffered in practice last week. He missed the Alabama game and remains day-to-day.
Henderson has appeared in 15 games this season, averaging 2.5 points, 1.6 assists, and 10.3 minutes per contest. While his shooting numbers-31.7% from the field and 31.6% from three-don’t jump off the page, he’s had moments that show why the coaching staff is excited about his future.
His best performance came in Tennessee’s double-overtime win against Texas A&M on January 13, where he scored eight points and came up with two steals in a career-high 22 minutes. Most notably, he buried a go-ahead three-pointer with 1:25 left in the game-a clutch shot that head coach Rick Barnes didn’t overlook.
“Troy got his most significant minutes and I thought his three was a huge three,” Barnes said after the win. “(He) played with the kind of confidence that we liked.”
That kind of poise from a freshman is tough to teach, and Tennessee will be eager to get Henderson back in the mix as soon as he’s cleared.
Cade Phillips Out for the Season
The Vols are also without junior forward Cade Phillips for the remainder of the season. Phillips underwent season-ending surgery on his left shoulder in December, a decision he made after battling the injury for nearly a year.
“After a great deal of consideration and prayer… we’ve made the difficult decision for me to have season-ending shoulder surgery,” Phillips shared in a statement. “I battled through this injury as much as possible, but it reached a point where surgery is needed.”
Phillips had been wearing a compression sleeve on his left arm for much of the season in an effort to manage the injury. Despite the setback, he remained a regular contributor early in the year, starting nine of Tennessee’s first 10 games and averaging 3.8 points and 4.0 rebounds in 16.9 minutes per game. He shot a team-best 65.4% from the field, though his struggles at the free throw line (4-of-13) and lack of three-point attempts reflected the limitations caused by his injury.
Even with limited mobility, Phillips made his presence felt. His 18 offensive rebounds were tied for third-most on the team, and his 11 blocks ranked just behind defensive anchor Felix Okpara.
Barnes praised Phillips’ effort and leadership, even as his season came to a premature end.
“We will sincerely miss having Cade on the court and he is certainly disappointed he won’t be able to play the rest of the season, but it is essential he gets healthy,” Barnes said. “Cade did all he could to play through this injury as long as he could. We love Cade and we’ll do everything we can to support him.”
What It Means for Tennessee
With Carey likely available, Tennessee gets a much-needed boost in the frontcourt heading into a pivotal road game. His rebounding and inside presence could be the difference in what’s expected to be a physical battle against a tough Georgia squad.
The continued absence of Henderson, however, leaves the Vols a bit thinner in the backcourt. His energy and ability to stretch the floor were starting to become assets off the bench, and Tennessee will need others to step up in his place-especially if the game turns into a grind-it-out affair.
As for Phillips, his absence is already baked into the rotation at this point. But don’t underestimate his impact from the sideline. By all accounts, he remains a vocal leader and a steady presence in the locker room.
Tennessee’s depth has been tested, but with Carey trending in the right direction and Henderson not far behind, the Vols are hoping to get healthy just in time for a critical stretch of SEC play.