The Tennessee Volunteers will face the Virginia Cavaliers in the second round of the NCAA Tournament on Sunday night at Wells Fargo Center. The teams are battling for a spot in the Sweet 16.
Injuries play a key role in important matchups. Some players on both sides may not be available for this crucial matchup.
Tennessee vs. Virginia Injury Report
Tennessee Volunteers Injuries
Forward Cade Phillips has been out since the first week of December following his shoulder surgery and he is set to miss the entire 2025-26 season.
Nate Ament is questionable for this game due to a high ankle sprain. Ament has been carrying the injury since last month. He missed around two weeks of the regular season before returning for the second round of the NCAA Tournament.
Ament was limited in the first round win against the Miami RedHawks and his status will be continuously monitored by the team till the tip-off. Ament is a key scorer for the team, averaging around 17 points per game. If limited, Tennessee loses size, scoring, and versatility.
Vols head coach Rick Barnes said Ament will play through injury and that his injury won’t be completely healed until the season is over.
“It’s a problem,” Barnes said of Ament’s injury, per Saturday Down South. “Nate is one of the toughest kids I have ever coached. We played every minute ever since he hurt his ankle in the Alabama game and got his knee rolled up on. Doctors knew we had to get him as healthy as we possibly could, but when you have a sprain the nature that he has, it won’t be healthy until he gets time off at the end of the year.”
Ament looked dominant in his return against Auburn, posting 27 points and eight rebounds. However, in the game against Vanderbilt, where he shot 1-for-13 from the floor, and Miami (OH), where he went scoreless, there’s some concern that the injury is affecting his performance.
That said, with such an important matchup, Ament won’t be held to the bench if the team needs him.
Virginia Cavaliers Injuries
Virginia enters this game with a healthy roster. All starters from last game, including Malik Thomas, Sam Lewis, Johann Grunloh, Thijs De Ridder and Dallin Hall, are healthy entering this matchup.
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