If you listened closely, you may have heard Tennessee basketball fans groaning as another big lead slipped away.

Doubts and fears turned to thunderous cheers as the Volunteers survived their slump, did a lot of things right and knocked out Oklahoma, 89-66, at Food City Center Wednesday night.

Tennessee, up 18 early in the second half, fell out of sync, had more fouls than field goals and mostly watched as the Sooners reduced the deficit to 63-57. The risk looked serious.

This time, the Vols recovered and clobbered the visitors with a 26-9 finishing surge. There was an 11-0 run.

Could be something big is about to happen. Tennessee has won seven of its last eight games. The Vols are 9-4, good for a three-way tie for second place in Southeastern Conference standings. A major test is coming Saturday against Vanderbilt in Nashville.

This might be a good time to jump onto the band wagon.

Oklahoma could not handle Nate Ament. He had another excellent offensive game, 29 points, nine for 17 shooting, eight for eight on free throws. Pro scouts aren’t saying much but they are making a lot of notes.

Rick Barnes had a lot to say.

“Nate Ament has been great all year. You go back, the first couple of weeks, he was freshman of the, whatever you call that award, four or five times early. He’s never been bad.”

Barnes says Ament puts a lot of pressure on himself because he’s a perfectionist.

“He wants to play the game at a high level. He has high expectations. I wouldn’t trade Nate for anybody, because he’s come in here and has done everything and more.”

Felix Okpara, mostly shooting down at the basket, contributed 18 points and seven rebounds.

Ja’Kobi Gillespie #0 set a school record with eight steals against the Oklahoma Sooners at Food City Center on February 18, 2026.

Ja’Kobi Gillespie scored 16, had eight assists and set a school record with eight steals.

Barnes was not surprised.

“I think it shows what we’ve been trying to tell him. He’s a complete player, if he wants to be. Defensively, he does have great instincts. He’s quick.”

Tennessee’s defense and final stats were impressive, maybe awesome. Fifteen Oklahoma turnovers cost 31 points, more than enough to lose the game.

Tennessee lost only seven turnovers. Nobody had more than one. Bishop Boswell didn’t have any. Assistant coach Gregg Polinsky was particularly pleased.

“I do think — knock on wood — that we’re getting a little bit more conscious of taking care of the basketball.”

Barnes said what sounded like amen.

“It’s what we’ve been preaching all year.”

Tennessee dominated above and around the goal, even without injured JT Estrella (sore foot). The Vols won the rebound battle, 36-19. The Vols scored 46 points in the paint. Oklahoma got 18.

Dewayne Brown had a very good game, accurate aim, 13 points. Jaylen Carey had seven rebounds but did not shoot well (three for nine from close range, one for six on free throws).

Oklahoma scoring leader Xzayvier Brown got five points. Nijel Pack scored 20 and missed just three shots.

Tennessee had the lead for all but 47 seconds. It shot 52.4 percent on field goals but not so hot on threes (27.8).

Barnes found something in the numbers that most of us missed.

“I thought one of the most impressive things on the stat sheet was that Amari Evans didn’t score a point, but he was in the game.”

Amari was plus-20 for his 16 minutes.

“He did a lot of good things for a freshman. You watch him continuing to come into his own.”

The coach was not so warm and fuzzy about Estrella and his foot injury.

“I’m upset with him … I think he had been sore and he didn’t tell anybody … he wants to play so badly … it was probably there before he let us know it, because he wants to help this team … but he can’t do that … that’s something that you can’t mess around with.”

Marvin West welcomes comments or questions from readers. His address is marvinwest75@gmail.com

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