Overview
- Tennessee ruled Nate Ament out for the March 3 game at South Carolina with a right leg injury and said his return timetable remains to be determined.
- Coach Rick Barnes described the issue as more of a high ankle sprain and voiced optimism about Ament’s recovery, though no target date was provided.
- Ament first turned his right ankle at Missouri on Feb. 24, then was hurt again in a loose-ball scrum against Alabama on Feb. 28 and was limited to 11 minutes in that game.
- Playing without him, the Vols beat South Carolina 78-59 with 56 points in the paint as J.P. Estrella scored 22, Felix Okpara added 20, and Ja’Kobi Gillespie tallied 12 assists.
- Ament, who missed his first game of the season, is averaging 17.4 points and 6.4 rebounds as Tennessee readies for Vanderbilt on March 7 and the SEC Tournament beginning March 11.