Vols Check in at #23/25 in Polls

KNOXVILLE, Tenn. – The University of Tennessee men's basketball team is again in the top 25 of both national polls.

After placing No. 22 on each list last week, Tennessee (20-9, 10-6 SEC) is now No. 23 in the Associated Press Top 25 Poll and No. 25 in the USA TODAY Coaches Poll, as announced Monday afternoon.

The Volunteers are featured in the AP top 25 for the 107th time in the last 114 poll reveals, a mark that dates to the beginning of the 2020-21 season.

Head coach Rick Barnes, in his 11th campaign leading the program, has guided Tennessee to 147 AP top-25 rankings, including 76 in the top 10, 38 in the top five and nine atop the poll. Each of those placements are since the start of 2017-18.

The Volunteers dropped both their contests last week, falling by a combined six points. They fell, 73-69, Tuesday night at Missouri despite 19 points from Ja'Kobi Gillespie. Saturday at Food City Center, they came up just short against No. 17/18 Alabama, 71-69, in a contest Gillespie excelled in with 26 points, a program record-tying eight steals, seven assists and a co-season-high five rebounds.

Tennessee collected 118 points in the AP Poll voting, one ahead of No. 24 Vanderbilt. It received 57 points in the Coaches Poll, 22 above BYU, the top team in the "receiving votes" category.

There are again five SEC teams in the top 25 of both polls, as Tennessee is joined by fifth-ranked Florida, No. 16 Alabama, No. 20/19 Arkansas and No. 24/22 Vanderbilt. Additionally, Kentucky and Missouri are receiving votes from both outlets, while Georgia earned a point in the Coaches Poll balloting.

The Volunteers are back in action Tuesday at South Carolina, with action slated for 6 p.m., live on SEC Network from Colonial Life Arena in Columbia, S.C.

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

Ja’Kobi Gillespie

University of Tennessee Athletics