Tennessee basketball is back in the top 10 of the AP Top 25 after extending its winning streak to four games. The Vols moved up four-spots to No. 8 in this week’s poll after picking up wins over Georgia Southern and North Carolina State.
The Vols were in the top 10 of the first four AP polls of the season before falling to No. 17 after losing three straight games to Purdue, Kansas and North Carolina. After winning four straight games in response, including victories over No. 13 Illinois and North Carolina State, the Vols moved back into the top 10.
Tennessee is the highest ranked of three SEC teams in this week’s poll, coming in ahead of No. 9 Kentucky and No. 25 Ole Miss. Auburn, Texas A&M, Alabama and Mississippi State all also received votes.
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Rick Barnes’ ninth Tennessee team turned in a poor second half in a win over Georgia Southern before defeating North Carolina State in San Antonio thanks to stellar performances from Zakai Zeigler and Josiah-Jordan James. Zeigler totaled 20 points and seven assists while James scored a career-high 23 points and grabbed eight rebounds.
The Vols enter the week 8-3 with just two games left before the start of conference play. Tennessee hosts Tarleton State on Thursday night before facing Norfolk State on Jan. 2 in its final non conference game of the regular season.
Tennessee opens SEC play on Jan. 6 when it hosts Ole Miss at Thompson-Boling Arena at Food City Center before going on the road for matchups against Mississippi State and Georgia.
