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All for Tennessee Official Men’s Basketball SEC Power Rankings for Jan. 30: Vols Shoot Up

By Caleb Calhoun

Jan 28, 2017; Knoxville, TN, USA; The Tennessee Volunteers bench reacts after a three pointer against the Kansas State Wildcats during the second half at Thompson-Boling Arena. Tennessee won 70 to 58. Mandatory Credit: Randy Sartin-USA TODAY Sports
Jan 28, 2017; Knoxville, TN, USA; The Tennessee Volunteers bench reacts after a three pointer against the Kansas State Wildcats during the second half at Thompson-Boling Arena. Tennessee won 70 to 58. Mandatory Credit: Randy Sartin-USA TODAY Sports /
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Jan 28, 2017; Knoxville, TN, USA; Tennessee Volunteers guard Robert Hubbs III (3) grabs a rebound during the second half against the Kansas State Wildcats at Thompson-Boling Arena. Tennessee won 70 to 58. Mandatory Credit: Randy Sartin-USA TODAY Sports
Jan 28, 2017; Knoxville, TN, USA; Tennessee Volunteers guard Robert Hubbs III (3) grabs a rebound during the second half against the Kansas State Wildcats at Thompson-Boling Arena. Tennessee won 70 to 58. Mandatory Credit: Randy Sartin-USA TODAY Sports /

The Tennessee Vols are tied for sixth place currently in the SEC standings. They have a record barely above .500 overall, and they are right at .500 with their SEC record.

Yet they jumped six places from No. 10 to No. 4 in our SEC Power Rankings this week. And it was all well-deserved.

Rick Barnes’s team became the first team to give the Wildcats an SEC loss, and four days later, they dominated the Kansas State Wildcats, a solid Big 12 team, at home.

Sure, they are only 12-9, but they have the No. 3 ranked strength of schedule in the country. And their RPI standing has them fifth in the SEC.

We moved them up to fourth because the other team is the Arkansas Razorbacks, and while the Razorbacks have beaten the Vols and have a better record, Tennessee is clearly playing better right here in this moment.

So we clearly had to move them up.

Their six-spot jump in the SEC Power Rankings and 21-spot jump in the RPI signals how hot they are. The big step they took last week was learning to deal with success.

But that has to continue now.

The Vols have a tough road game against Bruce Pearl’s Auburn Tigers this week, and then they face the Mississippi State Bulldogs on the road.

That follows with home games against the Georgia Bulldogs and Ole Miss Rebels. These are all winnable games, but Tennessee needs to take at least three of four if they are serious about NCAA Tournament contention.

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