Tennessee Stays Hot, Outmuscles Auburn for Third Straight Win
Tennessee men’s basketball is starting to hit its stride, and Saturday night’s 77-69 win over Auburn is the latest proof. The Vols made it three straight victories, leaning on physicality, timely shooting, and a standout performance from Nate Ament to get it done in front of a fired-up home crowd at Food City Center.
Ament was everywhere. The sophomore forward poured in 21 points and added seven rebounds, setting the tone on both ends of the floor.
He wasn’t alone, either. Jaylen Carey chipped in 13 points and six boards, while DeWayne Brown added 10 points of his own, giving Tennessee three double-digit scorers in a balanced offensive effort.
But the real story? The Vols owned the glass.
Tennessee outrebounded Auburn 46-30, and that margin told the tale of a game where hustle and second-chance opportunities made the difference. From the opening tip, UT came out with energy, grabbing four rebounds in the first minute alone while Auburn struggled to get a hand on the ball.
The Vols got rolling early with a quick 5-0 burst, courtesy of a J.P. Estrella layup and a Ja’Kobi Gillespie three.
That early activity on the glass translated into extra possessions and confidence from deep, and Tennessee capitalized. Ament’s first three of the night pushed the lead to 11-4, and Estrella followed it up with another lay-in to make it 13-4 at the first media timeout.
Auburn tried to claw back with a mini-run, but Carey responded with an and-one finish and free throws to stretch the lead back to nine. Then came a 9-0 Tennessee run, capped by a Gillespie layup and a strong move from Amari Evans, giving the Vols their largest lead of the first half at 13 points.
Even when Auburn found a spark-like Kevin Overton’s four-point play late in the half-Tennessee had an answer. At the break, the Vols led 41-31 behind 11 points each from Ament and Carey, and a 50% clip from three-point range. They also held a 26-13 edge on the boards, a stat that loomed large as the game wore on.
The second half started with a bit of a scare. Auburn opened on a 6-2 run to cut the lead to six, and when Tennessee fouled a three-point shooter for the third time, the Tigers pulled within five. But Ament steadied the ship, getting to the line and knocking down four straight free throws to reestablish a nine-point cushion.
Still, Auburn wouldn’t go away. A three-pointer followed by a dunk cut the lead to four, and Tennessee suddenly found itself in a scoring drought, going over five minutes without a field goal.
That’s when J.P. Estrella and Bishop Boswell stepped up.
Estrella grabbed a rebound and scored on the other end, and Boswell followed with a steal and a layup to push the lead back to 10.
The Tigers made one last push with a 7-0 run to get within three, but Tennessee responded like a team that’s learning how to close. Boswell hit a tough second-chance jumper, Gillespie finished at the rim, and Brown converted an and-one to give the Vols breathing room. Carey added a layup to cap a stretch of four straight made field goals, and Tennessee held off Auburn’s final surge to secure the win.
This was a game that showcased Tennessee’s growing identity-tough, physical, and unafraid of the moment. They got contributions across the board and leaned on their rebounding and defense when the offense sputtered. That’s the kind of formula that travels in conference play.
Next up: Ole Miss comes to town on Tuesday night. If the Vols can keep this momentum rolling, they’ll be a team no one wants to face down the stretch.