The thing Rick Barnes loved most from Jordan Gainey in Tennessee basketball vs. LSU

Jordan Gainey slipped by an LSU screen and Tennessee basketball assistant coach Gregg Polinsky started clapping.

LSU forward Tyrell Ward tried to cross Gainey to the left. It failed. He came back to the right. Gainey was still in front of him, pressing Ward and prowling for an opportunity with such precise defense that Josiah-Jordan James stood up from the bench to watch.

Gainey saw his moment and swatted the ball away from Ward as he drove to the basket, sending the Vols down the court with his second steal in less than a minute.

“I was sitting beside his dad and I keep talking about his rhythm but I said, 'Man, he has improved so much on the defensive end,'" Vols coach Rick Barnes said.

Gainey, the son of Vols associate head coach Justin Gainey, scored a season-high 18 points as No. 6 Tennessee trounced LSU 88-68 at Thompson-Boling Arena at Food City Center. He hit three 3-pointers for the Vols (17-5, 7-2 SEC), but scoring was secondary. Gainey delivered tenacious defense against the Tigers (12-10, 4-5) to the joy of everyone on the Tennessee bench − and to himself.

How Rick Barnes is bringing the best out of Jordan Gainey

Gainey crouched on the LSU side of center court and zeroed in on LSU guard Trae Hannibal coming toward him. He backpedaled, stalking Hannibal away from the ball. Hannibal got the ball again on the wing with a screen to use.

Gainey got switched onto LSU forward Derek Fountain and held his own against the 6-foot-10 Fountain.

These sequences are fun to Gainey, who promises he craved the chance to get better defensively when he arrived at UT as a USC Upstate transfer. He has made the most of it by pairing his quickness with his basketball smarts. The intensity he showed Wednesday? That comes from Barnes, Gainey insisted.

"He is one of the best ever do it," Gainey said. "He is on us every single day to play as hard as we can, keep our man in front of us and just do what we are supposed to do on the defensive end."

That's not new. Barnes' Tennessee teams have routinely ranked among the nation's best in recent seasons because of such dedication to detail. His players experience it in practice and have little choice but to buy into it.

The buy-in wasn't a question for Gainey. The outcome of that buy-in shone Wednesday.

"Whenever you have a coach like that, who is just great all the way around, you are going to try and get better every single day," Gainey said. "He is going to make sure you do.”

Jordan Gainey delivered a complete game against LSU

Gainey rushed to close out on LSU forward Mwani Wilkerson in the corner by the Vols bench. Gainey's feet were active, and he kept shifting in front of Wilkerson, who had nowhere to go.

"Defensively is where he has improved more than anything this year," Barnes said. "He has really taken it personal to become an all-around player.”

Wednesday was a showcase of Gainey as a complete player. He strung together a first-half sequence with back-to-back 3-pointers, an assist on a Zakai Zeigler 3-pointer, intense defense closing out on Wilkinson, and another assist on a Zeigler three.

He played point guard well with Zeigler catching a breather, a rarity but a necessity. He was a veteran leader when freshman Cameron Carr checked in, motioning to Carr to steady himself before pointing at his head.

Gainey, a known commodity offensively, compiled a stellar game on that end. He was effective shooting and driving, which Barnes praised as one of Gainey's biggest improvements.

MARCH: Where Tennessee basketball stands in updated March Madness bracket predictions

The biggest jump remains defense thanks to a willing mind and a capable set of skills merging with Barnes' prodding.

“Really just play as hard as I can on defense and try to get as many possessions for my team that I can and just have fun out there," Gainey said. "Playing defense is what we do. Whenever everybody is clicking on the same side, it is really fun.”

Mike Wilson covers University of Tennessee athletics. Email him at michael.wilson@knoxnews.com and follow him on Twitter @ByMikeWilson. If you enjoy Mike’s coverage, consider a digital subscription that will allow you access to all of it

This article originally appeared on Knoxville News Sentinel: Jordan Gainey delivers defense in Tennessee basketball vs LSU