Tennessee Basketball Secure Win in Second Round Game of the SEC Tournament

The Tennessee Volunteers are victorious in their first game of the SEC Tournament following a crucial win over the Auburn Tigers.

Tennessee forward Nate Ament (10) walks off the court after losing a NCAA basketball game between Tennessee and Alabama at Thompson-Boling Arena at Food City Center in Knoxville, Tenn., on Feb. 28, 2026. | Angelina Alcantar/News Sentinel / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

The Tennessee Volunteers played their very first game of the SEC tournament on Thursday, March 12, 2026, as this was a game that highlighted a ton of ups and downs if you are a Tennessee Vols fan. The Vols were set to enter this game with a ton of question marks, but luckily for the Tennessee Volunteers, their biggest question was answered before the game even started.

After suffering an injury and missing two of the final games of the regular season, the Tennessee Volunteers were with Nate Ament in the second round of the SEC tournament. Ament had a chance to be the difference in the game against the Auburn Tigers, which is a team the Vols were able to soundly defeat in the regular season. The Vols battled some adversity, but in the end, the Tennessee Volunteers were able to walk away with their first win in Nashville. The final score of the game was 72-62 in favor of the Vols

Tennessee Defeats Auburn

The Tennessee Volunteers were down early in the game and struggled until a small run near the end of the first half. The game was within reach for the Vols, but they still trailed by seven entering the half. The Vols needed someone to step up in a major way, and that is exactly what happened, as the Vols were able to go on a major double-digit run. This was a run that the Vols were able to secure a lead with and ultimately never looked back.

After many great defensive plays and some big buckets, the Vols walked away with the win. The Vols' top performer was their star forward, Ament. Ament finished the game with 27 points, eight rebounds, and four assists. The talented prospect also finished the game with three blocks, which shows that he was doing far more than the average player in this contest.

The Vols were damaged the most by the Auburn Tigers guard, Tahaad Pettiford, who finished the game with a total of 28 points. He was dangerous behind the arc, as he created his own shot, and was able to shoot 5-9 from three.

The Vols will see their in-state rival, the Vanderbilt Commodores, next. This is the third time they will match up this season, as the Vols were able to win the first game in Nashville, and the Dores walked away with a win in Knoxville, Tennessee, to end the regular season. This is one of the better games of the third round, which will take place on Friday.