Five-second clip shows how much Tennessee’s loss hit Nate Ament, who faces a pivotal decision about his future

It was a rough ending to what could be the star freshman’s final game as a Vol.

Craig Smith — College Football & NFL Trending News Writer
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It was a rough day for the Tennessee Volunteers in Chicago on Sunday. Looking for the program’s first-ever trip to the Final four, the Vols found out just what level they have to reach in order to get there, and it came in the form of a dominant Michigan Wolverines team, who crushed Tennessee 95-62 in a game that was long over by halftime.

The end of the season certainly means the end of the time of seniors Felix Okpara and Ja’Kobi Gillespie in Knoxville. It very well could also mean the last time we see freshman sensation Nate Ament in a Tennessee jersey as well. And it’s clear leaving the floor just how much that year meant to him.

Ament was captured leaving the floor and heading to the locker room emotion, being comforted by teammate Jaylen Carey.

Nate Ament will talk with those around him and decide his plans after Tennessee’s loss to Michigan

But the question now remains for Ament: now what? Is there a chance he could make a return, or is he unquestionably NBA bound?

Ament said after the game that he would talk later with his coaches and those close to him and determine his path.

“Nah,” Ament said after the game. “I really don’t look ahead. I just want to be here with my teammates right now.”

Ament was hobbled by an ankle injury that started in the loss to Missouri in late February and was exacerbated later that week in a loss to Alabama that took him out of action for a couple of games. It’s clear that down the stretch he wasn’t at 100%, but even if he had been, Michigan had too much for Tennessee to overcome even with a fully healthy Ament.

Will we get one more shot at seeing Ament star inside Thompson-Boling Arena? We’ll have to wait and see, but as a likely top 10 pick in the NBA Draft, it feels like Tennessee fans should probably already know the answer.

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