Tennessee basketball stayed put at No. 4 in this week’s AP Poll after earning two top 15 wins its most impressive week of the season to date.
The Vols overcame second half deficits in a home win over No. 11 Auburn as well as in a road win at No. 14 Alabama. But the three teams ranked ahead of Tennessee in the AP poll— Houston, UConn and Purdue— all went undefeated on the week and stayed put ahead of the Vols.
Tennessee remains the highest ranked of five SEC teams this week, coming in ahead of No. 13 Auburn, No. 15 Kentucky, No. 16 Alabama and No. 17 South Carolina. Florida, who fell out of the poll after losing at South Carolina, also received votes.
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Rick Barnes’ ninth Tennessee team picked up its two impressive wins in very different fashion last week. Dalton Knecht exploded for 39 points and Tennessee’s offense was fantastic down the stretch in a 92-84 win over Auburn. Against Alabama, the Vols’ defense was dominant in the final stretch of the game and Tennessee was balanced offensively with seven different players scoring eight-plus points.
With its win over Alabama, the Vols moved in sole possession of first place in the SEC standings with just one-week remaining. Tennessee enters the final week of the regular season with a one-game lead over both Alabama and South Carolina.
The Vols can clinch at least a share and possibly an outright SEC Championship on Wednesday night when they face South Carolina in Columbia. Tipoff from Colonial Life Arena is at 7 p.m. ET and ESPN2 is broadcasting the game.
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