All for Tennessee
Fansided

Tennessee basketball: Vols should be ranked No.1 in the new AP Poll

By Billy Williford

KNOXVILLE, TN - DECEMBER 22: Brandon Childress #0 of the Wake Forest Demon Deacons guards Grant Williams #2 of the Tennessee Volunteers during their game at Thompson-Boling Arena on December 22, 2018 in Knoxville, Tennessee. Tennessee won the game 83-64. (Photo by Donald Page/Getty Images)
KNOXVILLE, TN - DECEMBER 22: Brandon Childress #0 of the Wake Forest Demon Deacons guards Grant Williams #2 of the Tennessee Volunteers during their game at Thompson-Boling Arena on December 22, 2018 in Knoxville, Tennessee. Tennessee won the game 83-64. (Photo by Donald Page/Getty Images) /
facebooktwitterreddit

The new AP Poll comes at on Monday afternoon, and the Tennessee basketball team should be the top-ranked team in the country.

The Tennessee basketball team has an opportunity to become the number one team in the nation when the new Associated Poll is released on Monday afternoon. With Kansas falling to Arizona State over the weekend, the Vols have the best argument to be crowned as the best team in the land.

Of course, the argument can be made that Kansas should still be ranked No.1 after all their only loss was to a top-25 team. The case could also be made that the Duke Blue Devils should slide up to one. Their last and only loss of the season came to the Gonzaga Bulldogs in the Maui Championship Game.

However, the Vols are the best team in the nation at the moment, and it isn’t close. Which by the way, they are playing better than anyone else and that’s without last season’s SEC Sixth Man of the Year, Lamonte Turner who is still trying to get over a shoulder injury.

More from All for Tennessee

The Vols only loss on the season came against a Kansas team at full strength in overtime. A game where Grant Williams fouled out. We can always say “if” and “but,” however, if Williams doesn’t foul out, Tennessee is undefeated and the clear choice for the No.1 ranking.

Furthermore, non-conference teams haven’t stood a chance against the Vols. Tennessee has taken care of business beating each one of them by ten points or more, other than the two-point win against Gonzaga.

If Duke slides up and Tennessee doesn’t have a number one beside their name it isn’t the end of the world. Looking ahead, the schedule doesn’t appear to be too difficult for such an experienced team.

After the showdown with Tennessee Tech on December 29, Tennessee opens up conference play against Georiga. It does get a bit tricky with back-to-back road games against Missouri and Florida, but the Vols are experienced and know they have to bring their best game to win, especially in the SEC.

dark. Next. Vols’ individual goals for the 2018-19 season

If not this week, Tennessee will be ranked as the No.1 team in college hoops at some point this season. They are too good of a team not to be rewarded with such. However, we all know December rankings don’t matter. All that matters is what you do in March, and this Tennessee basketball team is built for March.

Home/Vols Basketball