Tennessee Star Nate Ament Sidelined with Ankle Injury

Coach Rick Barnes believes missing time could benefit Ament ahead of postseason

Published on Mar. 5, 2026

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Tennessee basketball freshman Nate Ament missed his first game of the season on Tuesday due to a right ankle injury he initially suffered against Missouri and then aggravated against Alabama. Head coach Rick Barnes called it a high ankle sprain but said Ament would return this season, possibly as soon as the regular-season finale against Vanderbilt.

Why it matters

Ament has been a key scoring option for Tennessee alongside Ja'Kobi Gillespie, so his absence forces other players like JP Estrella to step up. While the injury is concerning, Barnes believes the time off could benefit Ament, who has played heavy minutes this season, ahead of the postseason.

The details

Ament first suffered the ankle injury against Missouri and then worsened it in the Alabama game. He missed the South Carolina game, which Tennessee won 78-59. Barnes said Ament would have played if allowed, calling him a player who "just wants to play." The coach believes the time off could be a "blessing in disguise" for the freshman, who has averaged 32.9 minutes per game in SEC play and played 35-plus minutes in 8 of 11 games before the injury.

  • Ament first suffered the ankle injury against Missouri.
  • Ament aggravated the injury in the Alabama game.
  • Ament missed the South Carolina game on Tuesday, March 5, 2026.

The players

Nate Ament

A freshman basketball player for the University of Tennessee who has been a key scoring option for the team this season.

Rick Barnes

The head coach of the University of Tennessee men's basketball team.

Ja'Kobi Gillespie

Another key scoring option for the Tennessee basketball team alongside Ament.

JP Estrella

A Tennessee player who stepped up with 22 points in the win over South Carolina with Ament out.

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What they’re saying

“Absolutely. I'm telling you, he would have played today. If they would have agreed to let him play today. That's who he is. He just wants to play.”

— Rick Barnes, Head Coach (rockytopinsider.com)

“I think it can (benefit him). Because, you know, he's had a long year, and I've said I don't think anybody's gotten beat up in college basketball more than Nate Ament this year. I don't. But he's never complained about it one time. I'm the one that's complained about it because I think it's real. But I like to think that it could be a blessing in disguise.”

— Rick Barnes, Head Coach (rockytopinsider.com)

What’s next

Tennessee faces Vanderbilt in its regular-season finale on Saturday before heading to the SEC Tournament next week. The Vols will want Ament to play at least some in Nashville to avoid rust heading into the postseason.

The takeaway

While the injury to Nate Ament is concerning, Tennessee coach Rick Barnes believes the time off could ultimately benefit the freshman, who has played heavy minutes this season. The Vols will need Ament healthy and ready to go for the postseason push.