Tennessee basketball has been riding quite an up-and-down wave since the start of conference play at the beginning of the new year.

Most recently, the Vols claimed a big road win, defeating the No. 23 Alabama Crimson Tide 79-73. Sitting at 3-3 in conference play, the team’s mix of surprises and some underachievers has defined this unpredictable stretch.

With that in mind, let's take a look at some key performers—both overachievers and underachievers—so far this season.

Ja’kobi Gillespe

During the month of January, since the start of conference play, guard Ja’kobi Gillespie’s last six games have averaged out to 22 points.

Entering the season, the main question surrounding Gillespie was whether he was capable of filling the hole left by Zakai Ziegler. After a slow month of December, the Maryland transfer has found his rhythm.

His most recent performance against Alabama saw him play for 38 minutes, during which he scored 24 points, dished out four assists, and recorded two steals in the win. When Gillespie’s on, the team has a better chance of winning.

DeWayne Brown II

Ranked as a four-star out of Hoover, Ala., DeWayne Brown has become a more focal part of the team. While averaging only 5 points per game and only playing five minutes in two of his last three games, Brown has still made his presence felt during conference play.

In his last three games with 19 or more minutes, Brown has averaged 9 points while being a force in the paint, a much-needed aspect to the team that has been lacking as of late.

Jaylen Carey

Speaking of underachieving frontcourt play, transfer Jaylen Carey has been relied on as one of the team’s main forward options while playing around 20 minutes in his last five games.

Despite the playing time, Carey has scored eight total points in his last two games, shooting a combined 4 of 13 from the field.

J.P Estrella

Staying with the frontcourt, junior J.P. Estrella returns from an injury to his foot that sidelined him for his entire second season.

Estrella has still taken time to find his footing again. In his last five games, the forward has scored double digits just once, against Texas, when he put up 11 points and 6 rebounds during the team’s win.

In his last four games, he has totaled just 10 points. He played 26 minutes against Alabama, finishing his day with 5 rebounds and 6 points, maybe a step in the right direction. The Vols need presence down low, and Estrella’s inconsistencies have proven to be costly.

Nate Ament

Entering the season, true-freshman Nate Ament was the talk of the team. A five-star commit with NBA Draft Lottery projections, what wasn’t there to be excited about?

Since starting off conference play against Arkansas with a rather lackluster performance, shooting 5 of 11 from the free-throw line, Ament has bounced back with four straight impressive performances.

The forward has scored 17 or more points in his last four games, the most coming against Alabama on Saturday, where he scored 29 points on an efficient 10 of 20 shooting.

When Ament is on, the rest of the team is able to flow with much more ease offensively. If they are able to hone in on the freshman’s hot streak, there’s still a chance the Vols can make noise this season.