Rick Barnes and No. 18 Tennessee reload with 5-star Nate Ament and portal additions

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The Volunteers have coach Rick Barnes back with contract extension after 10 seasons and a 232-109 record that allows him to stay as long as he wants. Barnes also has the top recruit in the 2025 class in Nate Ament joining Felix Okpara, the only starter back from an Elite Eight squad. The Vols have additions through the portal ready to pitch in for a program that has made seven straight NCAA Tournaments and one of only two teams to reach the last three Sweet 16s and past two Elite Eights.

The 6-foot-10 Ament will be counted on to score like Chaz Lanier and Dalton Knecht before him. The 6-5 Clarence Massemba from France is among five freshmen in a recruiting class ranked No. 8 nationally by 247Sports. Even though Okpara made his only attempted 3 last season, the 6-11 senior will be allowed to shoot away outside the arc.

Four starters are gone including Lanier, two-time SEC defensive player of the year Zakai Zeigler and Jahmai Mashack; Lanier and Mashack were second-round NBA draft picks. J.P. Estrella is back after season-ending surgery on his left foot. Guard Ja'Kobi Gillespie started 36 games and averaged 14.7 points shooting 40.7% from 3-point range, helping Maryland reach the Sweet 16. Forward Jaylen Carey started 33 games helping Vanderbilt reach the NCAA Tournament.

The Vols play No. 2 Houston in a rematch of their Elite Eight showdown Nov. 25 in Las Vegas. They visit Syracuse on Dec. 2, play No. 17 Illinois in Nashville on Dec. 6 and host No. 11 Louisville on Dec. 16. Tennessee opens SEC play with two of three on the road starting Jan. 3 at Arkansas and at No. 3 Florida on Jan. 10. A home game against Texas is sandwiched in between Jan. 6. The Vols host Texas A&M and No. 9 Kentucky before a trip to No. 15 Alabama on Jan. 24.

The Vols won 30 games and reached the Elite Eight in the same season for the first time in program history. ... They reached a regional final for the second straight season and third time ever. ... Barnes leads all active Division I coaches with 836 career victories.

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