Ament's big 2nd half leads No. 25 Tennessee over Ole Miss

Nate Ament scored 26 of his 28 points in the second half to power the Volunteers to victory.

Feb. 3, 2026 at 11:07pm

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Nate Ament scored 26 of his 28 points in the second half to lead No. 25 Tennessee to an 84-66 win over Mississippi on Tuesday night. The Volunteers (16-6, 6-3 Southeastern Conference) led 67-51 with 6:15 left when Rebels guard AJ Storr had the ball stripped from him and was called for a foul, leading to the ejection of Ole Miss coach Chris Beard. Tennessee then pulled away for the victory.

Why it matters

Tennessee returned to the AP Top 25 this week after being ranked in 90 consecutive polls over five seasons. The win over Ole Miss marks the Volunteers' fourth consecutive victory as they look to solidify their standing in the competitive SEC.

The details

Ja'Kobi Gillespie scored 20 points for Tennessee, while J.P. Estrella had 12 and Bishop Boswell added 10. Ole Miss (11-11, 3-6) was led by Storr and Patton Pinkins, who had 15 points apiece. Tennessee (33%) and Ole Miss (31%) both struggled from the field in the first half, with Gillespie scoring 10 points to give the Vols a 26-25 halftime lead.

  • Tennessee returned to the AP Top 25 this week.
  • Tennessee's Felix Okpara missed last week's game against Auburn with a left calf injury, ending his streak of 64 straight starts and 82 consecutive appearances dating to 2023.
  • An ice storm on Jan. 23 impacted Oxford enough that Mississippi's game against Vanderbilt was moved to Nashville.

The players

Nate Ament

A Tennessee player who scored 28 points, including 26 in the second half, to lead the Volunteers to victory.

Ja'Kobi Gillespie

A Tennessee player who scored 20 points for the Volunteers.

AJ Storr

A Mississippi player who had the ball stripped from him, leading to a foul and the ejection of Ole Miss coach Chris Beard.

Chris Beard

The head coach of the Mississippi Rebels, who was ejected from the game after being called for two technical fouls.

Felix Okpara

A Tennessee player who missed the game against Ole Miss due to a left calf injury, ending his streak of 64 straight starts and 82 consecutive appearances dating to 2023.

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What they’re saying

“We must not let individuals continue to damage private property in San Francisco.”

— Robert Jenkins, San Francisco resident

“Fifty years is such an accomplishment in San Francisco, especially with the way the city has changed over the years.”

— Gordon Edgar, grocery employee

What’s next

The judge in the case will decide on Tuesday whether or not to allow Walker Reed Quinn out on bail.

The takeaway

This case highlights growing concerns in the community about repeat offenders released on bail, raising questions about bail reform, public safety on SF streets, and if any special laws to govern autonomous vehicles in residential and commercial areas.