Houston, Tennessee basketball is a problem.

Playing in an Elite Eight rematch — with Final Four intensity — the Vols overcame playing from behind in the first half for a 76-73 win over the No. 3-ranked Houston Cougars in the Players Era Men’s Championship.

The No. 17 Vols (7-0) prevailed by forcing a 7:24-minute scoring drought in the middle second half. Houston could not get through Tennessee’s defense, missing 11 consecutive shots in the time frame before a Milos Uzan free throw dropped at the 8:22 mark to get back on the board.

Houston (6-1) kept it close at the end, but could not get it done. True freshman guard Kings Flemings kept the Cougars competitive with 25 points on 10-for-15 shooting.

Jaylen Carey played a strong role down the stretch, using his 270-pound frame to dominate a physical squad. Carey pieced together 13 points and seven rebounds, including four on the offensive end. 

Ament struggles with Houston’s physicality

Tennessee’s coveted true freshman finally displayed struggles against the nation’s most physical team. Houston’s defensive identity was too strong to handle for Ament’s 6-foot-10, 207-pound frame.

Ament finished the game with nine points (1-for-8 shooting), five rebounds and four assists in 24 minutes. He struggled immensely in the first half with five points, shooting 0-for-5 from the floor and scoring all of his points from the free-throw line.

He picked up his second foul with 6:52 left in the first half when Chris Cenac Jr. backed him down into the paint. A third foul came early in the second half on an offensive charge, sending him to the bench without a made basket.

Ament pulled through for his first field goal at the 5:11 mark of the second half, putting back a missed Ja’Kobi Gillespie layup.

Amaree Abram sparks life to Vols in first half

When the first half looked bleak, Amaree Abram pulled Tennessee back into the game.

Houston roared out to a 10-point lead, 32-22, with five minutes left in the half. That’s when Abram reeled Tennessee back in. He crashed the boards for an offensive rebound on a Gillespie three, and Carey ended up with two points on the second chance.

On the following possession, Abram ripped away a steal and found Bishop Boswell on the fastbreak, who drilled the layup through a foul.

Abram nearly pulled away steals on consecutive possessions, but the referees called a foul.

A few possessions later, Abram moved his efforts to the offensive end. The ball made its way around to Abram, who drilled a stepback 3-pointer to cut the deficit to four points in the first half — where it stood entering the locker rooms.

He went for three points, three rebounds and two assists in 19 minutes off the bench.

Boswell shines, again

Tennessee’s best defender had an uncertain timeline on returning after missing three games due to injury. But he’s been active for both of the Vols’ games in Vegas, and he’s played a crucial role in both.

Boswell earned his third start of the season against Houston and matched the physicality of the game. He delivered 10 points, three assists, four rebounds, three steals and a block — making a living on hustle plays.

After Abram took over to close the first half, Boswell made it his game in the second half. He jumped a bad pass from Joseph Tugler and took it the other direction, spinning at the rack for a fastbreak layup to cut the deficit to one point.

Boswell later dished an assist on a rope to J.P. Estrella for an easy bucket at the 12:31 mark of the second half, giving Tennessee its first lead since the early stages of the game, 47-46.

When Ament was struggling, Boswell even got him involved. With five minutes left, the ball deflected off the face of Boswell, which sent him diving to the court for a steal. Gillespie picked it up, missed the layup and Ament was there to put it back for his first basket.

Houston elected to foul Boswell in a two-point game with 25 seconds left, and he drilled both to move into double figures and push the Tennessee lead to four.

The Vols remain undefeated and await their third and final matchup in Vegas.