It wasn't pretty, but Tennessee got the job done, and that's all anyone can ask for on the road in the SEC. The Vols defeated Georgia in an overtime thriller, 86-85, on Wednesday night. The game was sloppy for the Vols, who won on toughness and offensive rebounding.
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The game couldn't have been won without Freshman star Nate Ament. He added 19 points, six rebounds, and three dimes in the win.
After the game, Ament channeled his inner Kirk Cousins inside the tunnel on his way to the locker room. Ament was videotaped high-fiving fans and yelling, "You like that!" as he walked back. This is a surprise, considering that Ament seems to have a timid personality, but Vols fans most definitely love to see this passion and pride from the freshman forward.
#Vols win in OT and Nate Ament in fired up! pic.twitter.com/rK3ApGBZ8g
— Sam Granville (@samgranvilletv) January 29, 2026
Nate Ament has emerged as a star player for Tennessee basketball
Nate ament has increased his intensity over the last five games. He was the catalyst in the win against Alabama with a career-high night, scoring 29 in the road victory over the Crimson Tide.
After the Alabama gaem head coach Rick Barnes said, "But we are not one bit disappointed with what he’s done for us all year. He’s gonna keep getting better. It was just a matter of time to where you felt like he would get the flow, the confidence and the vision to see where and how he needed to attack. And he’s done that really and I really think it started in the Florida game. He’s put, what, four games (together) where I think he really knows where he needs to go to work.”
Ament added another strong performance against Georgia to his already impressive run tonight. He is averaging 21 points efficiently and nearly six rebounds a night over the last five games. He has continued to build off his strong performance over Florida a month ago, after a rocky start to the year.
Seeing Ament break out of his shell, on and off the court, has been encouraging to watch. Ament is quietly, pun intended, becoming one of the best freshman college basketball players, and is solidifying himself as a top 10 NBA Draft pick.