Men’s basketball SEC Power Rankings Feb. 5: Vols remain among elites

Last week: Defeated LSU Tigers and Ole Miss Rebels

Last rank: 2nd

The Tennessee Vols haven’t done anything to impress anybody with their recent wins. However, their five-game winning streak is impressive. They deserve credit for taking advantage of the easy part of their schedule.

And with their 17-5 record and 7-3 conference record overall, this team is deserving of remaining of the No. 2 spot in our SEC Power Rankings. After all, they have played one of the toughest schedules of anybody in the conference. It’s still a Top 15 ranked strength of schedule AFTER this easy five-game stretch.

Rick Barnes’s team is on a roll and playing together. The real story is not that they’re beating these lower-tier but still Top 100 teams. It’s that they’re blowing them out. Tennessee’s last three wins have all been by more than 20 points.

And they beat the Rebels by 33 points. As a result, they are now looking at a potential No. 3 seed in the NCAA Tournament with their No. 13 ranked RPI. But this week is the week that we finally see where these guys belong.

The Vols will visit the Kentucky Wildcats and Alabama Crimson Tide this week. So by next Sunday, this team could be looking back at a No. 5 or No. 6 seed, or they could be looking at a No. 2 or No. 1 seed. This week will define just how far they’ve come. But either way, they belong at this No. 2 spot in our SEC Power Rankings.