Nate Ament Available as Vols Take On Auburn in SEC Tournament

Image: Elliot Walker/Tennessee Athletics

By Aidan Sidoti

Tennessee freshman phenom Nate Ament is available and will play today as the No. 5 seed Volunteers take on No. 12 seed Auburn in the second round of the SEC Tournament in Nashville.

Ament, the standout forward from Manassas, Virginia, had missed the last two games after injuring his right leg in the first half of Tennessee’s loss to Alabama. The projected top‑10 NBA Draft pick has been managing issues in both his knee and ankle, though head coach Rick Barnes recently noted the ankle had been the main concern.

Despite the setback, Ament’s freshman season has been one of the most impressive in the SEC. The six‑time SEC Freshman of the Week was named to the All‑SEC Second Team earlier this week, averaging 17.4 points and 6.4 rebounds per game, instantly becoming Tennessee’s most consistent scorer.

Freshman guard Amari Evans will also be available after injuring his ankle in the second half of last Saturday’s loss to Vanderbilt and re‑aggravating it late in the game. Evans has stepped up in Ament’s absence, highlighted by his career‑high 24 points and nine made field goals in the regular‑season finale.

Tennessee and Auburn are scheduled to tip off at approximately 3 p.m. ET on SEC Network, with the Vols getting a major boost as both freshmen return to the floor as postseason play begins.