The latest Nate Ament injury update leaves Tennessee's outlook bleak

Well, last week couldn't get any worse, and Tennessee fans are ready to put it in the rear-view and move forward.

Over the weekend, one of the most brutal developments was that Nate Ament went down with what looked like a painful leg injury after getting rolled up on by an Alabama player. Ament tried to give it a go in the second half against Alabama, but he was quickly subbed out and didn't play the rest of Saturday's contest. Rick Barnes, after the game, didn't give much of an update, but what he did say offered no solace to Vols fans.

Today, Associate Coach Justin Gainey met with the media ahead of Tennessee's matchup against South Carolina tomorrow. Gainey was asked about an update on Ament, and he said, "Don't know. I hadn't spoken to (director of sports medicine) Chad Newman yet. I know he won't practice today."

Nate Ament will not practice today

Well, this is a gut punch for Tennessee. If he's not going today, there is likely no chance that he is able to compete tomorrow. Tennessee should't take South Carolina lightly, but the Vols can win the game without Ament. Plus, with Tennessee having a spot locked up in March Madness, they can afford to sit Ament out until he's 100% able to go.

That being said, seeing Nate Ament not yet ready to practice isn’t exactly a great sign for Tennessee long-term. The injury looked concerning on Saturday, but he was at least able to move around on it, which offers a small measure of relief. It’s unclear if the Vols are simply being cautious with updates to avoid tipping their hand to the Gamecocks, but overall, this isn’t an encouraging development for the star freshman.

The bottom line is if Tenenssee has any asirpations of doing something special this postseason they need Ament.

We will have to keep our eyes peeled on the SEC availability reports to see what the latest update is on Ament. Tennessee could really use him this week, but it's not worth it if things can get worse.