Tennessee is getting a key piece back just in time for a marquee SEC matchup.
Freshman point guard Troy Henderson is set to return to practice, head coach Rick Barnes confirmed ahead of Saturday’s showdown with Auburn. Henderson has missed the Vols’ last two games with a left shoulder injury, but after a few extra days of recovery, he was a full participant during the media’s viewing window at Friday’s practice.
“He’s coming back today,” Barnes said before practice. “Because the (Georgia) game was (originally) Tuesday, he just felt like he needed a couple more days. But based on what I’ve been told, he’ll be back today.”
That’s a welcomed development for a Tennessee team that’s starting to hit its stride. The Vols have won three of their last four and will look to keep that momentum rolling when they host Auburn at 8:30 p.m.
ET Saturday night inside Thompson-Boling Arena at Food City Center. The game will be broadcast on ESPN.
Henderson may not be stuffing the stat sheet just yet - averaging 2.5 points, 1.6 assists, and 10.3 minutes across 15 games - but his presence has been quietly impactful. He’s shooting just over 31% from both the field and beyond the arc, but it’s the moments, not the volume, that have stood out.
Case in point: his performance in Tennessee’s double-overtime thriller against Texas A&M on January 13. Henderson played a career-high 22 minutes, scoring eight points and grabbing two steals. Most notably, he buried a go-ahead three with 1:25 left in regulation - a clutch shot that helped swing the game in the Vols’ favor.
“Troy got his most significant minutes and I thought his three was a huge three,” Barnes said after that game. “(He) played with the kind of confidence that we liked.”
That kind of poise in high-pressure moments is exactly what Barnes and his staff value, especially from a freshman. Henderson’s injury - which he sustained in practice leading up to the Alabama game on January 24 - came just as he was starting to carve out a more consistent role in the rotation.
His return could be timely against an Auburn squad that’s been steadily improving under assistant coach Steven Pearl, who’s had an increased role with the program. Barnes had high praise for Pearl’s work, noting how well the Tigers have developed throughout the season.
“Steven has done a really good job,” Barnes said. “I think that they continue to get better all year, which that’s what you’re looking for.
And (they’re) playing with confidence. He does, again, a terrific job of getting his guys where he wants them to be.
And they’re doing a lot of really good things.”
Saturday night’s clash figures to be a test of depth, development, and composure - all areas where Henderson has already shown flashes of promise. Whether he sees limited minutes or jumps right back into the rotation, his return adds another layer of versatility to a Tennessee backcourt that’s starting to find its rhythm.
And if Henderson brings the same confidence he showed against Texas A&M, the Vols just got a little more dangerous.