University of Tennessee Athletics
Photo by: Andrew Ferguson/Tennessee Athletics
Vols Enter Top Five in National Polls
January 02, 2024 | Men's Basketball
KNOXVILLE, Tenn. – The University of Tennessee men's basketball team moved into the top five of both the Associated Press Top 25 Poll and the USA TODAY Coaches Poll this week.
Tennessee (9-3) ascended one position in the AP Poll, as announced Monday afternoon, and two spots in the Coaches Poll, as announced Tuesday afternoon. The No. 5 ranking is the Volunteers' best mark of the season. This is the team's first Coaches Poll top-five spot since checking in at fifth on Feb. 6, 2023, and the first AP top-five appearance since placing second on Jan. 30, 2023.
The Volunteers have now been ranked in the AP Poll for 47 straight weeks, 10 more than the prior program record. They have earned a top-10 spot in 20 of those releases, including a top-five placement on four occasions.
Tennessee has now been ranked in the AP top five in four of the last six seasons, including each of the past three. Prior to the arrival of Rick Barnes in 2015, the Volunteers had five campaigns—2007-08, 2000-01, 1999-2000, 1967-68 and 1958-59—in which they reached the top five.
In addition, the Volunteers have now claimed 19 total AP top-five rankings in under Barnes, all in the last six years, after owning 17 total in program history prior to his tenure. He has also led Tennessee to 101 total AP Poll appearances, all in the last seven years, after it had 74 in the 14 years before he got to Rocky Top.
Despite not playing last week, the Volunteers, who peaked at third in the balloting, went from 1,125 points in the AP Poll voting up to 1,234, a 109-point improvement. Tennessee also went from 613 points in the Coaches Poll to 642, an increase of 29, moving within 32 of fourth-place Connecticut.
The Volunteers again lead the SEC in the rankings, this time as one of four programs in the top 25 of both polls. They are joined by sixth-ranked Kentucky, No. 22/19 Ole Miss and No. 25/24 Auburn. In addition, Texas A&M is receiving votes from both voting groups, while Alabama, Mississippi State and South Carolina all earned points in the AP Poll.
After 11 days without a game, Tennessee resumes play Tuesday at 7 p.m. at Food City Center against Norfolk State, live on SEC Network.
To keep up with the University of Tennessee men's basketball team on social media, follow @Vol_Hoops on Instagram and X/Twitter, as well as /tennesseebasketball on Facebook.
Tennessee (9-3) ascended one position in the AP Poll, as announced Monday afternoon, and two spots in the Coaches Poll, as announced Tuesday afternoon. The No. 5 ranking is the Volunteers' best mark of the season. This is the team's first Coaches Poll top-five spot since checking in at fifth on Feb. 6, 2023, and the first AP top-five appearance since placing second on Jan. 30, 2023.
The Volunteers have now been ranked in the AP Poll for 47 straight weeks, 10 more than the prior program record. They have earned a top-10 spot in 20 of those releases, including a top-five placement on four occasions.
Tennessee has now been ranked in the AP top five in four of the last six seasons, including each of the past three. Prior to the arrival of Rick Barnes in 2015, the Volunteers had five campaigns—2007-08, 2000-01, 1999-2000, 1967-68 and 1958-59—in which they reached the top five.
In addition, the Volunteers have now claimed 19 total AP top-five rankings in under Barnes, all in the last six years, after owning 17 total in program history prior to his tenure. He has also led Tennessee to 101 total AP Poll appearances, all in the last seven years, after it had 74 in the 14 years before he got to Rocky Top.
Despite not playing last week, the Volunteers, who peaked at third in the balloting, went from 1,125 points in the AP Poll voting up to 1,234, a 109-point improvement. Tennessee also went from 613 points in the Coaches Poll to 642, an increase of 29, moving within 32 of fourth-place Connecticut.
The Volunteers again lead the SEC in the rankings, this time as one of four programs in the top 25 of both polls. They are joined by sixth-ranked Kentucky, No. 22/19 Ole Miss and No. 25/24 Auburn. In addition, Texas A&M is receiving votes from both voting groups, while Alabama, Mississippi State and South Carolina all earned points in the AP Poll.
After 11 days without a game, Tennessee resumes play Tuesday at 7 p.m. at Food City Center against Norfolk State, live on SEC Network.
To keep up with the University of Tennessee men's basketball team on social media, follow @Vol_Hoops on Instagram and X/Twitter, as well as /tennesseebasketball on Facebook.
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