Skip to main content
Tennessee
Join Now

Tennessee's Nate Ament named SEC Freshman of the Week

IMG_3593by: Grant Ramey11 hours agoGrantRamey
Nov 8, 2025; Knoxville, Tennessee, USA; Tennessee Volunteers forward Nate Ament (10) moves the ball against Northern Kentucky Norse guard Dan Gherezgher (0) at Thompson-Boling Arena at Food City Center. Mandatory Credit: Randy Sartin-Imagn Images
Nov 8, 2025; Knoxville, Tennessee, USA; Tennessee Volunteers forward Nate Ament (10) moves the ball against Northern Kentucky Norse guard Dan Gherezgher (0) at Thompson-Boling Arena at Food City Center. Mandatory Credit: Randy Sartin-Imagn Images

Tennessee Basketball’s Nate Ament was named the SEC Freshman of the Week on Monday, after totaling 41 points, 17 rebounds, six assists and two steals in his first two games with the Vols. 

Ament on Saturday scored a game-high 23 points and had eight rebounds and five assists to lead No. 20 Tennessee to a 95-56 win over Northern Kentucky. Last Monday he debuted with 18 points, nine rebounds and an assist in a 76-61 win over Mercer.

“I thought he was assertive,” Tennessee coach Rick Barnes said on Saturday. “I thought not just what he was doing driving the ball, his passes over the top of the zone were big. Thought he was really starting to see the court better.”

Up Next: No. 20 Tennessee vs. North Florida, Wednesday, 7 p.m. ET, SEC Network+

The five-star freshman wing played 53 minutes over the first two games — 29 minutes against Mercer and 24 against Northern Kentucky — wand shot 52.2% from the field and 37.5% from the 3-point line. 

“I think when I put my trust in my teammates and my coaching staff,” Ament said last week, “what we do every day in practice, and ultimately being present with those other four guys on the court, the game just comes to me. 

“When I start playing a little bit selfish or trying to force the issue, that’s when I get myself into trouble. So for me, I’m just trying to help my teammates and help myself be the best team we can be.”

‘He’s starting to understand more and more each day what he’s capable of doing’

Ament finished his prep career as the No. 4 overall prospect in the Rivals Industry Ranking, becoming the highest-ranked recruit to commit to and sign with the Vols.

He picked Tennessee over Duke, Kentucky, Louisville and Arkansas, among a long list of others.

Ament had 14 points and 10 rebounds in the 83-76 exhibition loss to Duke at Food City Center on October 26, when he shot just 5-for-19 shooting from the floor, including 0-for-5 from the 3-point line. 

His 18 points against Mercer came on 6-for-11 from the field and 1-for-4 from three. He was 6-for-12 from the field in scoring his 23 points against Northern Kentucky, going 2-for-4 from the 3-point line.

“You think about (it),” Barnes said on Saturday, “he’s three, four games out of high school. But he’s a good player, and the more he plays and, one, he works at it. He takes serious our scouting reports. He’s got respect for who we’re playing, but he’s starting to understand more and more each day what he’s capable of doing.”