Tennessee Volunteers Climb Back into Top 25: A Closer Look
KNOXVILLE, Tenn. - The Tennessee Volunteers men's basketball team has made a triumphant return to the top 25 in both major polls this week, landing at No. 22 in both the Associated Press Top 25 Poll and the USA TODAY Coaches Poll. This marks a significant leap for Tennessee (20-7, 10-4 SEC), as they climbed six spots in the AP Poll and seven in the Coaches Poll after previously being on the outside looking in.
The Volunteers have been a mainstay in the AP top 25, appearing in 106 of the last 113 polls, a streak that stretches back to the 2020-21 season. Under the guidance of Rick Barnes, now in his 11th season, Tennessee has spent 146 weeks in the AP poll, including 76 weeks in the top 10, 38 in the top five, and nine times at No. 1 since the 2017-18 season.
Last week was a showcase of Tennessee's prowess, as they secured a dominant 23-point home victory over Oklahoma. Freshman forward Nate Ament matched his career-high with 29 points, while senior guard Ja'Kobi Gillespie set a program record with eight steals.
The Volunteers followed up with a gritty 69-65 road win against No. 19/18 Vanderbilt, where Gillespie led the charge with 17 points and Ament nailed the game-winner.
In the latest AP Poll balloting, Tennessee accumulated 288 points, a substantial increase of 252 from the previous week. The Coaches Poll reflected a similar trend, with the Volunteers earning 141 points, up by 122.
Tennessee stands as one of five SEC teams in the top 25, alongside seventh-ranked Florida, No. 17/18 Alabama, No.
20/17 Arkansas, and No. 25/21 Vanderbilt.
Meanwhile, Texas A&M and Georgia are on the cusp, receiving votes in the AP and Coaches Polls, respectively.
Next up, the Volunteers hit the road to face Missouri at Mizzou Arena in Columbia, Mo. The game tips off at 9 p.m. ET and will be broadcast live on the SEC Network.
For fans eager to keep up with the latest from the Tennessee men's basketball team, be sure to follow @Vol_Hoops on Instagram and X/Twitter, as well as /tennesseebasketball on Facebook.