University of Tennessee Athletics
Photo by: Andrew Ferguson/Tennessee Athletics
Ament Earns Fifth SEC Freshman of the Week Plaudit
February 09, 2026 | Men's Basketball
KNOXVILLE, Tenn. – For the fifth time this season, Nate Ament of the University of Tennessee men's basketball team is the SEC Freshman of the Week, as announced Monday afternoon by the league office.
Ament previously collected the honor Nov. 10, Nov. 17, Dec. 1 and Feb. 2, with this now the second time he has repeated in 2025-26. He also won SEC Player of the Week acclaim Jan. 26, making this his sixth SEC recognition of the season.
The Manassas, Va., native averaged 28.5 points, 7.0 rebounds and 3.5 assists per game last week. He shot 59.4 percent (19-of-32) from the field, 60.0 percent (6-of-10) beyond the arc and 81.3 percent (13-of-16) at the line.
Ament first produced 28 points, six rebounds and four assists in an 84-66 home win Tuesday night against Ole Miss. Of his 28 points, 26 came after the break, the most by a Volunteer in a half since Dalton Knecht on Feb. 28, 2024. He finished the contest 9-of-15 from the floor, 2-of-4 on 3-pointers and 8-of-10 at the stripe.
Four days later, Ament dropped a career-high-tying 29 points in a narrow 74-71 setback at Kentucky. He shot 10-of-17 from the field and 4-of-6 from long range, tying career bests in both makes categories, plus went 5-of-6 on free throws. Ament had 19 points in the first half—all in the final 10 minutes of the frame—to give him 45 in a two-half span between the two contests last week.
Ament's 29 points at Rupp Arena marked the most by a visiting freshman against Kentucky in nearly 36 years, per Jared Berson. The last such player to hit that mark was Auburn's Ronnie Battle, who tallied 30 on Feb. 24, 1990.
The 6-foot-10, 207-pounder led all players in scoring in both of Tennessee's outings last week. He has now amassed 20-plus points eight times this season, including in five of the past seven and each of the last three.
This is the 27th SEC Freshman of the Week honor for a Tennessee player since the award was reinstated in 2005-06, including the 15th in head coach Rick Barnes' 11-year tenure at the helm of the program.
In addition, Ament is just the sixth freshman in that time to win six SEC weekly honors in a single season, joining Arkansas' Darius Acuff Jr. (2025-26), Alabama's Brandon Miller (2022-23), Auburn's Jabari Smith (2021-22), Florida's Bradley Beal (2011-12) and Kentucky's Brandon Knight (2010-11). He is the 11th with at least five SEC Freshman of the Week designations, but the only one of that group to also earn an SEC Player of the Week recognition.
The five SEC Freshman of the Week nods for Ament this season are two greater than the total by any other freshman in program history. Tobias Harris (2010-11) and Ramar Smith (2006-07) entered this season as the Volunteers' all-time leaders with three apiece.
Ament and Tennessee (16-7, 6-4 SEC) are back on the floor Wednesday at 9 p.m. ET in Starkville, Miss., for a matchup with Mississippi State at Humphrey Coliseum, live on ESPN2.
To keep up with the University of Tennessee men's basketball team on social media, follow @Vol_Hoops on Instagram and X/Twitter, as well as /tennesseebasketball on Facebook.
Ament previously collected the honor Nov. 10, Nov. 17, Dec. 1 and Feb. 2, with this now the second time he has repeated in 2025-26. He also won SEC Player of the Week acclaim Jan. 26, making this his sixth SEC recognition of the season.
The Manassas, Va., native averaged 28.5 points, 7.0 rebounds and 3.5 assists per game last week. He shot 59.4 percent (19-of-32) from the field, 60.0 percent (6-of-10) beyond the arc and 81.3 percent (13-of-16) at the line.
Ament first produced 28 points, six rebounds and four assists in an 84-66 home win Tuesday night against Ole Miss. Of his 28 points, 26 came after the break, the most by a Volunteer in a half since Dalton Knecht on Feb. 28, 2024. He finished the contest 9-of-15 from the floor, 2-of-4 on 3-pointers and 8-of-10 at the stripe.
Four days later, Ament dropped a career-high-tying 29 points in a narrow 74-71 setback at Kentucky. He shot 10-of-17 from the field and 4-of-6 from long range, tying career bests in both makes categories, plus went 5-of-6 on free throws. Ament had 19 points in the first half—all in the final 10 minutes of the frame—to give him 45 in a two-half span between the two contests last week.
Ament's 29 points at Rupp Arena marked the most by a visiting freshman against Kentucky in nearly 36 years, per Jared Berson. The last such player to hit that mark was Auburn's Ronnie Battle, who tallied 30 on Feb. 24, 1990.
The 6-foot-10, 207-pounder led all players in scoring in both of Tennessee's outings last week. He has now amassed 20-plus points eight times this season, including in five of the past seven and each of the last three.
This is the 27th SEC Freshman of the Week honor for a Tennessee player since the award was reinstated in 2005-06, including the 15th in head coach Rick Barnes' 11-year tenure at the helm of the program.
In addition, Ament is just the sixth freshman in that time to win six SEC weekly honors in a single season, joining Arkansas' Darius Acuff Jr. (2025-26), Alabama's Brandon Miller (2022-23), Auburn's Jabari Smith (2021-22), Florida's Bradley Beal (2011-12) and Kentucky's Brandon Knight (2010-11). He is the 11th with at least five SEC Freshman of the Week designations, but the only one of that group to also earn an SEC Player of the Week recognition.
The five SEC Freshman of the Week nods for Ament this season are two greater than the total by any other freshman in program history. Tobias Harris (2010-11) and Ramar Smith (2006-07) entered this season as the Volunteers' all-time leaders with three apiece.
Ament and Tennessee (16-7, 6-4 SEC) are back on the floor Wednesday at 9 p.m. ET in Starkville, Miss., for a matchup with Mississippi State at Humphrey Coliseum, live on ESPN2.
To keep up with the University of Tennessee men's basketball team on social media, follow @Vol_Hoops on Instagram and X/Twitter, as well as /tennesseebasketball on Facebook.
Players Mentioned
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/ Men's BasketballMBB | Rick Barnes Postgame vs. Kentucky (2.7.26)
Sunday, February 08
MBB | Nate Ament Postgame vs. Kentucky (2.7.26)
Sunday, February 08
MBB | Bishop Boswell Postgame vs. Kentucky (2.7.26)
Sunday, February 08
MBB | Highlights: Tennessee 71, Kentucky 74
Sunday, February 08
