Freshman Nate Ament scored a career-high 29 points and collected seven rebounds to lead Tennessee to a solid 79-73 victory over No. 17 Alabama on Saturday night in Southeastern Conference play at Tuscaloosa, Ala.
Ja’Kobi Gillespie added 24 points for his ninth 20-point outing of the season as the Volunteers (13-6, 3-3 SEC) defeated Alabama for the fifth consecutive time.
The contest was Tennessee’s first as an unranked team since the completion of the 2020-21 season.
Labaron Philon Jr. had 26 points and seven assists but was just 7-of-20 from the field for the Crimson Tide (13-6, 3-3). Latrell Wrightsell Jr. had 14 points, and Charles Bediako had 13 points on 5-of-6 shooting in his controversial “second” debut with the school.
Bediako, a former professional player, spent two seasons at Alabama before going unselected in the 2023 NBA Draft. He has been cut by three NBA teams, including the Detroit Pistons in mid-October.
Bediako filed suit against the NCAA earlier this week, requesting immediate eligibility to play at Alabama. The following day, a Tuscaloosa judge issued a 10-day temporary injunction that makes him eligible to play, pending a hearing on Jan. 27.
Alabama shot 43.1% from the field, including a woeful 6-of-26 (23.1%) from 3-point range. The Crimson Tide missed their last five shots and eight of their final nine.
The Volunteers made 46.7% of their shots and were 6-of-18 (33.3%) from 3-point range.
Alabama moved within 72-70 on two free throws by Philon with 5:21 left.
The Volunteers pushed the lead back to seven before Aidan Sherrell hit a 3-pointer to pull within 77-73 with 3:11 left.
Neither team scored again until Bishop Boswell split two free throws with 19 seconds left. Felix Okpara then blocked Taylor Bol Bowen’s shot, and Gillespie made one of two free throws with 7.8 seconds remaining to seal it.
Tennessee opened the second half with an 11-2 burst, with Ament’s turnaround jumper capping it and giving the Volunteers a 47-41 with 16:33 left.
The Crimson Tide tied the score at 50 on Wrightsell’s 3-pointer with 14:34 left.
Ament’s 3-pointer gave Tennessee a 60-57 lead with 11:03 remaining. Houston Mallette followed with a basket for Alabama before Bediako slammed home a driving dunk, was fouled, and added the free throw to give the Crimson Tide a two-point lead with 9:55 left.
Tennessee answered with a 10-1 burst and took a 70-63 lead on two free throws by Gillespie with 6:34 left.
Philon and Wrightsell scored 11 points apiece as the Crimson Tide led 39-36 at the break. Ament had 11 in the half for the Volunteers and Gillespie scored 10.
Alabama’s biggest lead — and the only double-digit lead for either team in the entire game — was at 22-12 just past the midway point after Wrightsell scored five straight points.
