Ever since Nate Ament suffered a high ankle sprain last Saturday against Alabama, Vols fans have been on edge, wondering when he’ll be able to return. It’s the kind of injury that can linger, and with the postseason approaching, his status has quickly become one of the biggest questions surrounding Tennessee. The good news is Rick Barnes said after the South Carolina game that he will be back before the season ends, but he didn't specify if that will be tomorrow or at the start of March Madness.
Ahead of the Vanderbilt showdown, Rick Barnes gave another update on Nate Ament's status. Barnes said:
“I don’t know that, if he’s going to play. I know he’s doing everything he possibly can through rehab, working with Chad (Newman) and ‘G’ (Garrett Medenwald), and obviously through our doctors. And he’s a model patient, if that’s what you want to call him. But other than that, we don’t know. I’ve said it before, if it were up to him, he’d play every game. But we’ve obviously got to make sure that we’re doing the right thing for Nate.”
It sounds like there’s at least a decent chance Ament could suit up tomorrow. From the way it’s been talked about, he seems more than willing to tough it out and play, but Tennessee also has to keep the bigger picture in mind with more important games still ahead. The good news is that Ament has a long career in front of him and should be back to full strength soon. Still, it would certainly be a big boost for the Vols if he’s able to go tomorrow.
Nate Ament would be a huge boost against Vanderbilt
Last time, Tennessee played Vandy, Ament didn't have his best game, but he hit a huge go-ahead bucket. The recipe for the Vols will be another big defensive performance, but it would be a huge boost to have the freshman star tomorrow afternoon, especially since it will likely be his last game at the Food City Center, with Ament likely to be off to the NBA Draft. Stay tuned for more Ament updates on All for Tennessee as we inch towards the big game tomorrow.