Tennessee basketball star freshman Nate Ament is set to return from injury as the Vols open up postseason play against Auburn on Thursday afternoon in Nashville, a source told RTI. Ament’s will be limited minutes wise but the exact number of minutes is uncertain.
Ament has missed the Vols last two games after suffering a right leg injury in Tennessee’s home loss against Alabama. The freshman wing originally turned his ankle in Tennessee’s loss at Missouri but returned and played the remainder of the game.
The projected lottery pick was on the ground trying to corral a loose ball when an Alabama player fell on his right leg and it bent backward. He briefly returned in the second half but played less than three minutes before exiting for the remainder of the game.
Ament did not play against South Carolina or Vanderbilt to close the regular season but returned to practice earlier this week and did five-on-five work during Wednesday’s practice open to the media at Memorial Gymnasium in Nashville.
More From RTI: Auburn HC Steven Pearl’s Message to Team Ahead of Tennessee Rematch
A Second Team All-SEC selection, Ament is averaging 17.4 points, 6.4 rebounds and 2.4 assists per game this season. He leads the Vols in rebounding, ranks second in points and ranks third in assists. Ament has been even more productive in SEC play, averaging 19 points and six rebounds per game. He’s one of Tennessee’s major sources of offense and getting him back against Auburn is a huge win.
Auburn enters Thursday’s matchup against Tennessee with a 17-15 (7-11 SEC) record. The Tigers are squarely on the bubble and as desperate as any other team in the event as they look to secure a NCAA Tournament bid.
Tennessee is looking to solidify its spot as a five-seed in the NCAA Tournament. According to ESPN’s Joe Lunardi, Tennessee is currently the final five-seed. The Vols need at least one win, if not two, to solidify their case.
The Vols are currently 5.5-point favorites over Auburn according to the DKSportsbook. The over/under is set at 146.5. KenPom predicts Tennessee to earn a 77-73 victory.
Tipoff between Auburn and Tennessee is at approximately 3 p.m. ET on Thursday afternoon. Karl Ravech, Jimmy Dykes and Alyssa Lang are on the call for the SEC Network.
More to follow: College Basketball Betting Sites
