Rick Barnes talks about the growth of Nate Ament

Head Coach of the Tennessee Volunteers, Rick Barneshad a lot to think about after a Wednesday nightA dramatic 86-85 overtime victory over the Georgia Bulldogs, but one story stood out behind the final score.

After his 850th career win, Barnes publicly praised freshman Nate Ament during the postgame press conference. indicating visible growth which extends far beyond the scope of results. Barnes acknowledged the challenge Ament has faced adjusting to life on the perimeter at the SEC level, especially with the attention that comes with being a marked player every night.

“I don’t know what they were expecting, but for a guy learning to play on the perimeter both offensively and defensively, it’s hard to get to this level knowing you have a huge target on your back every night when someone is trying to chase you,” Barnes explained. “But Nate, he’s really starting to see the game. I love watching him talk to the guys right now. Like during one of the timeouts, I said what I said and he circled them and took control. He said, ‘Listen, here’s what we’re doing.’ And he repeated it correctly. We haven’t had that, but he’s starting to see the game. Like when we start some actions, he starts to get out of it, he knows what he has to do.”

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That lead surfaced during a chaotic game in Athens. Ja’Koby Gillespie led Tennessee with 21 points, while Jay Estrella scored five key points in overtime. The contest swung late in regulation when Georgia’s Marcus Millender hit a tough layup to force overtime, only for Tennessee to regain control with timely free throws and defensive pressure.

Ament backed up Barnes’ words with production, finishing with 19 points as the Volunteers dominated the glass 52-27, including a decisive 26-7 edge on the offensive boards. Bishop Boswell added a double-double with 13 points and 10 rebounds, helping Tennessee improve to 14-6 overall and 4-3 in SEC play.

As Tennessee returns home to face the Auburn Tigers on Saturday, Ament’s continued development, both as a scorer and as a communicator on the floor, looms large. If his is growing confidence continues to match Barnes’ praisethe freshman could become a defining part of the Volunteer running back.