Nate Ament has hit his personal freshman wall — with that wall being a 30-point performance.
Tennessee’s five-star forward scored 29 points for the third time this season Wednesday night, paving the way for an 89-66 trampling of Oklahoma inside the Food City Center. The 6-foot-10, 207-pounder from Manassas, Virginia, was 9-of-17 from the floor and made all eight of his free throws, with his eighth coming with 1:48 remaining and resulting in his final point.
“I don’t know. I don’t think I want to,” a smiling Ament said afterward in a news conference when asked what has kept him from that elusive 30-point milestone. “The last couple of times I had 29, I missed a couple of free throws. Tonight, I made all my free throws but missed a couple of layups.
“I can live with 29 if I make all my free throws.”
Ament first scored 29 points for the Volunteers during their 79-73 win at Alabama on Jan. 24, and his second such performance took place during the 74-71 loss at Kentucky on Feb. 7. He also had a 28-point outing in the 84-66 thumping of Ole Miss on Feb. 3.