Basketball in the SEC is basically a street fight with better sneakers. If you're asking who won the vols game, you probably caught the tail end of that absolute heart-stopper against Texas A&M on January 13, 2026. Tennessee pulled it out. Barely. The final score was 87-82 in double overtime, and honestly, it was the kind of game that leaves a fan base needing a collective nap and maybe a blood pressure check.
Tennessee came into this one ranked No. 24 and feeling a bit shaky after getting thrashed by Florida just a few days prior. The Thompson-Boling Arena (now Food City Center) was loud, but for a good chunk of the first half, it was that nervous kind of loud. You know the one.
The Breakdown: How Tennessee Survived the Aggies
The Aggies didn't come to Knoxville to play nice. They jumped out to an 8-0 lead before some people had even found their seats. Tennessee looked sluggish, hitting only about three of their first 17 shots. It was ugly. Like, "cover your eyes" ugly. But this team has a weird way of finding a second gear when their backs are against the wall.
Nate Ament. Remember that name if you don't already. The kid was a monster when it mattered most. He finished with 23 points, but here's the kicker: 10 of those came in the overtime periods. When the game turned into a war of attrition, Ament was the one left standing.
Why the Vols Almost Blew It
It’s kinda frustrating to watch sometimes. Tennessee had chances to put this away much earlier. In regulation, Ja'Kobi Gillespie had a look at a three-pointer to win it at the buzzer. Clank. Then in the first overtime, Ament had a 10-foot jumper that literally rattled around the rim, looked at the crowd, and decided to fall out.
Texas A&M's Jacari Lane was a problem all night, dropping 20 points and keeping the Aggies’ six-game winning streak hopes alive until the final minute of the second OT. But you can't win in the SEC when you get outrebounded 60-35. That’s not a stat; that’s a bullying. Felix Okpara and Bishop Boswell both grabbed double-doubles, basically camping out under the rim and refusing to leave.
Looking Back: The Football Season Wrap-Up
While the hoops team is in the thick of it, a lot of folks are still looking for who won the vols game in terms of the football season that just wrapped up. It was a rollercoaster. If you missed the Music City Bowl on December 30, 2025, it was a bit of a localized tragedy for Big Orange fans.
👉 See also: Premier League Table Tottenham: Why Most Fans Are Getting the Standings Wrong
Tennessee lost to Illinois 30-28.
It was a classic "what if" game. The Vols finished the 2025 football season with an 8-5 record. Not bad, but when you lose to Vanderbilt 45-24 in the regular-season finale, the vibes going into the bowl game are already pretty low. They fought hard in Nashville, but the Fighting Illini managed to squeak out a two-point victory, leaving Josh Heupel’s squad with a lot of homework to do for the 2026 season.
The 2026 Football Schedule Looming
The 2026 schedule is already out, and it's a gauntlet. We're talking about a nine-game SEC slate now. Tennessee opens against Furman on September 5, but the real meat is later. They host Texas on September 26—the first time these two will ever meet in the regular season. Then you've got Alabama and Florida in the mix. It's going to be a brutal, beautiful mess.
What This Means for Tennessee Moving Forward
If you're following the basketball team right now, this win over A&M moved them to 12-5 overall and 2-2 in the SEC. They needed this. After that 24-point blowout loss to Florida, people were starting to wonder if the wheels were coming off. This double-overtime win proved they’ve at least got the grit to survive a bad shooting night.
Actionable Insights for Vols Fans:
- Watch the Paint: Tennessee is winning games because of rebounding, not just shooting. If Okpara and Boswell stay healthy and keep dominant on the glass, the Vols are a threat to anyone in the SEC.
- Ament is the Closer: Keep an eye on Nate Ament’s usage in late-game situations. Rick Barnes seems to have found his "go-to" guy when the clock is winding down.
- Schedule Check: The basketball team heads into a tough stretch against Alabama and South Carolina soon. These mid-January games usually determine who gets a double-bye in the SEC Tournament.
- Football Recruiting: With the 2025 season in the rearview, the focus shifts entirely to the transfer portal and the 2026 recruiting class. The Vanderbilt loss highlighted some serious depth issues on defense that need fixing before Furman rolls into town in September.
Tennessee sports are never boring. Whether it’s a bowl game heartbreaker or a Tuesday night double-OT thriller in Knoxville, the Vols always seem to keep the score close enough to make you sweat. This latest win over Texas A&M might just be the spark the basketball team needs to make a deep run in March.
Check the upcoming schedule for the Alabama game on January 18—it’s going to be another high-stakes battle that could swing the momentum of the entire season. Stay tuned to the local Vol Network broadcasts or SEC Network to catch the next tip-off.