University of Tennessee Athletics
Photo by: Elliot Walker/Tennessee Athletics
Vols Enter Postseason at #25 in AP Poll
March 09, 2026 | Men's Basketball
KNOXVILLE, Tenn. – The University of Tennessee men's basketball team is ranked in the Associated Press Top 25 Poll for the third consecutive week and the 14th time this season.
Tennessee (21-10, 11-7 SEC) checks in at No. 25 in the poll a slight two-spot drop from last week's release. It also fell two places in the USA TODAY Coaches Poll and is now second in the "receiving votes" category after claiming the 27th-most points. Both polls were released Monday afternoon.
The Volunteers are listed in the AP top 25 for the 108th time in the last 115 poll announcements, a ledger that extends to the start of the 2020-21 campaign.
In total, 11th-year head coach Rick Barnes has steered Tennessee to 148 rankings across his tenure, all in the last nine seasons. That includes 76 top-10 positions, 38 top-five placements and nine weeks at No. 1 nationally.
Playing without freshman forward Nate Ament due to a right leg injury, Tennessee split its last two games of the regular season this past week. It first registered a 78-59 road win Tuesday at South Carolina behind a game-best 22 points from J.P. Estrella, one shy of his career best. Saturday, it dropped a narrow 86-82 decision to No. 24/22 Vanderbilt at Food City Center despite freshman guard Amari Evans' career-best 24 points.
The Volunteers amassed 72 points in the AP Poll voting this week, putting them 12 ahead of the top "receiving votes" team, Miami. They logged 22 points in the Coaches Poll, five shy of Villanova and nine behind the Hurricanes.
Tennessee is one of five SEC teams featured in the national polls, alongside fourth-ranked Florida, No. 15 Alabama, No. 17 Arkansas and No. 22 Vanderbilt. Georgia garnered votes from both voting bodies, while Missouri did so in the AP balloting.
Fifth-seeded Tennessee begins SEC Tournament competition Thursday at 3 p.m. ET at Bridgestone Arena in Nashville, Tenn. It will face either No. 12-seeded Auburn or No. 13-seeded Mississippi 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 (21-10, 11-7 SEC) checks in at No. 25 in the poll a slight two-spot drop from last week's release. It also fell two places in the USA TODAY Coaches Poll and is now second in the "receiving votes" category after claiming the 27th-most points. Both polls were released Monday afternoon.
The Volunteers are listed in the AP top 25 for the 108th time in the last 115 poll announcements, a ledger that extends to the start of the 2020-21 campaign.
In total, 11th-year head coach Rick Barnes has steered Tennessee to 148 rankings across his tenure, all in the last nine seasons. That includes 76 top-10 positions, 38 top-five placements and nine weeks at No. 1 nationally.
Playing without freshman forward Nate Ament due to a right leg injury, Tennessee split its last two games of the regular season this past week. It first registered a 78-59 road win Tuesday at South Carolina behind a game-best 22 points from J.P. Estrella, one shy of his career best. Saturday, it dropped a narrow 86-82 decision to No. 24/22 Vanderbilt at Food City Center despite freshman guard Amari Evans' career-best 24 points.
The Volunteers amassed 72 points in the AP Poll voting this week, putting them 12 ahead of the top "receiving votes" team, Miami. They logged 22 points in the Coaches Poll, five shy of Villanova and nine behind the Hurricanes.
Tennessee is one of five SEC teams featured in the national polls, alongside fourth-ranked Florida, No. 15 Alabama, No. 17 Arkansas and No. 22 Vanderbilt. Georgia garnered votes from both voting bodies, while Missouri did so in the AP balloting.
Fifth-seeded Tennessee begins SEC Tournament competition Thursday at 3 p.m. ET at Bridgestone Arena in Nashville, Tenn. It will face either No. 12-seeded Auburn or No. 13-seeded Mississippi 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.
Players Mentioned
MBB | Highlights: Tennessee 82, Vanderbilt 86
Saturday, March 07
MBB | Rick Barnes Postgame vs. Vanderbilt (3.7.36)
Saturday, March 07
MBB | J.P. Estrella and Amari Evans Postgame vs. Vanderbilt (3.7.26)
Saturday, March 07
MBB | Vanderbilt Postgame (3.7.26)
Saturday, March 07
