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Tennessee basketball: Vols are No.1 in the nation and the SEC thanks to LSU’s loss

By Billy Williford

NASHVILLE, TN - JANUARY 23: Admiral Schofield #5 of the Tennessee Volunteers reacts in overtime against the Vanderbilt Commodores during the game at Memorial Gym on January 23, 2019 in Nashville, Tennessee. Tennessee won 88-83 in overtime. (Photo by Joe Robbins/Getty Images)
NASHVILLE, TN - JANUARY 23: Admiral Schofield #5 of the Tennessee Volunteers reacts in overtime against the Vanderbilt Commodores during the game at Memorial Gym on January 23, 2019 in Nashville, Tennessee. Tennessee won 88-83 in overtime. (Photo by Joe Robbins/Getty Images) /
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Tennessee basketball won their sixteenth straight game on Saturday night which gave them sole possession of first place in the SEC standings.

It’s about time.

Finally, the No.1 Tennessee basketball team is sitting at the top of the SEC standings. Let me be clear. They have been at the top of the standings all season.

However, thanks to LSU’s 90-89 loss to Arkansas on Saturday night, the Vols sit alone at the top of the standings.

It honestly felt like the Tigers weren’t going to lose a conference game. Game after game, week after week, LSU matched Tennessee win for win, and they were winning with ease.

They beat Ole Miss in Oxford by 14 points, pounded South Carolina by 22, and hammered Texas A&M by 15. LSU was dominating the competition, that is until they ran into a Razorbacks team who shot 35-for-60 (58.3 percent) from the floor, including 13-for-24 (54.2 percent) from deep.

Arkansas turned LSU over 21 times and held the Tigers to just 20.8 percent from the three-point line. They were able to hold Tremont Waters to 12 points and forced him into five turnovers, which ultimately ended up being good news for the Vols.

We are almost halfway through conference play, and Tennessee holds an 8-0 record with a three-game homestand coming up against Missouri, Florida, and South Carolina. However, LSU and Kentucky follow closely behind with just one conference loss.

Tennessee still has to play Kentucky twice, LSU, Ole Miss, Mississippi State, and Auburn in the second half of the SEC slate.

Clearly, there is still a lot of basketball left to play but with LSU finally dropping a game leaves Tennessee controlling their own destiny to win back-to-back Regular Season SEC Championships. That is a feat that has never been accomplished in program history.

We will see how the top three teams handle pressure in their next games. Kentucky plays host to South Carolina, who is never an easy out. In fact, there were periods in the matchup against the Vols you would have bet on South Carolina to win.

LSU will have to forget about the heartbreaking loss to Arkansas as they travel to Starkville to take on the Mississippi State Bulldogs. State is 16-5 on the season and has won two of their last three games beating Auburn and Ole Miss.

Next. Vols rewrite the history books with the win over the Aggies. dark

Finally, Tennessee welcomes Cunzo Martin and the Missouri Tigers to Thompson-Boling Arena Tuesday night. In the first matchup last month, the Vols won by 15 points. Again, there is a lot of basketball to be played. However, Tennessee is in the driver’s seat and controls their own destiny.

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