Tennessee basketball's freshman forward Nate Ament has been ruled out indefinitely due to a right leg injury sustained against Alabama. He will miss the upcoming game against South Carolina on March 3. The team announced the update on March 2, with no clear timetable for his return.
Tennessee's No. 25-ranked Volunteers (20-9, 10-6 in the SEC) face South Carolina (12-17, 3-13) on March 3 at Colonial Life Arena in Columbia, starting at 6 p.m. ET on the SEC Network. Ament, the team's second-leading scorer, will sit out his first game of the season. He has averaged 17.4 points, 6.4 rebounds, 2.4 assists, and 1.0 steals across 29 games this year.
The injury occurred during Saturday's game against Alabama on February 28, when the 6-foot-10 freshman hurt his knee in a scramble for a loose ball. This follows an awkward landing on his right ankle in the February 24 loss to Missouri. "Ament is out due to a right leg injury sustained Saturday against Alabama," the school stated in a March 2 release. "The timetable for his return is to be determined and he will continue to be evaluated."
Ament did not practice with the team on March 2. Freshman guard Amari Evans, who played a career-high 28 minutes in Ament's place against Alabama, is a likely candidate to step into the starting lineup against the Gamecocks. Additionally, Clarence Massamba is listed as out with a right hip injury.
The Vols, currently fifth in the SEC standings, conclude their regular season on March 7 against No. 22 Vanderbilt at Food City Center. This position would secure them a first-round bye in the SEC Tournament, which begins March 11.
