Tennessee Rallies Past Auburn in SEC Tournament

Vols overcome slow start to defeat Tigers 72-62

Mar. 12, 2026 at 11:09pm

Got story updates? Submit your updates here. ›

The Tennessee Volunteers overcame a sluggish first half to rally past the Auburn Tigers 72-62 in the SEC Tournament in Nashville. Head coach Rick Barnes praised his team's defensive effort and the return of injured guard Nate Ament, who had missed the last two weeks with a high ankle sprain. Ament and star guard Ja'Kobi Gillespie led the Vols' second-half surge to secure the victory.

Why it matters

This win keeps Tennessee's hopes alive for an NCAA Tournament bid, as the Vols look to build momentum heading into the conference tournament semifinals. Auburn, meanwhile, will need to regroup after this tough loss as they aim to secure their own spot in the Big Dance.

The details

Tennessee struggled with Auburn's physicality early, falling behind by as many as 10 points in the first half. But the Vols' defense tightened up in the second half, and Ament provided a spark off the bench despite limited practice time due to his injury. Gillespie also stepped up, making key plays down the stretch to help Tennessee pull away.

  • Tennessee and Auburn split their two regular season meetings.
  • Ament had not played in the last two weeks due to a high ankle sprain.

The players

Rick Barnes

Head coach of the Tennessee Volunteers basketball team.

Nate Ament

Tennessee guard who returned from a high ankle sprain to provide a boost off the bench.

Ja'Kobi Gillespie

Tennessee's star guard who led the team's second-half surge to secure the victory.

Steven

First-year head coach of the Auburn Tigers.

Got photos? Submit your photos here. ›

What they’re saying

“Again, kind of game that it seems the last three months in the SEC, just a battle from start to finish. Every possession. Both teams I thought played extremely hard today.”

— Rick Barnes, Head Coach, Tennessee Volunteers

“Nate, we did not know coming in. We didn't know. I didn't know what to expect. I knew that we were going to start him simply because after he warmed up, we wanted to go right with him as opposed to bringing him off the bench.”

— Rick Barnes, Head Coach, Tennessee Volunteers

“It's great having Nate back. I feel like he's been just a great player for us all year, a great closer at the end of games.”

— Ja'Kobi Gillespie, Guard, Tennessee Volunteers

“For me, it's just move the ball as much as I can. I know they'll pass it back to me, find me. For me, it's sharing the love for my teammates and in the end I can get a shot.”

— Nate Ament, Guard, Tennessee Volunteers

What’s next

Tennessee will face Vanderbilt in the SEC Tournament semifinals on Saturday. The Vols will look to build on this comeback win and secure a spot in the conference championship game.

The takeaway

Tennessee's ability to rally from an early deficit and get a key contribution from the returning Nate Ament shows the Vols' resilience and depth as they aim to secure an NCAA Tournament bid. The physical nature of SEC play continues to be a challenge, but Tennessee proved it can grind out a tough win when needed.