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Tennessee basketball inches closer to top five in both polls

By Caleb Calhoun

KNOXVILLE, TN - JANUARY 15: General view of the arena during the pregame introductions the game between the Arkansas Razorbacks and the Tennessee Volunteers at Thompson-Boling Arena on January 15, 2019 in Knoxville, Tennessee. Tennessee won the game 106-87. (Photo by Donald Page/Getty Images)
KNOXVILLE, TN - JANUARY 15: General view of the arena during the pregame introductions the game between the Arkansas Razorbacks and the Tennessee Volunteers at Thompson-Boling Arena on January 15, 2019 in Knoxville, Tennessee. Tennessee won the game 106-87. (Photo by Donald Page/Getty Images) /
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The Tennessee basketball Volunteers moved up one spot in one top 25 ranking and two in another.

With Christmas behind them and SEC play set to begin this week, Tennessee basketball continues to slowly climb up the polls. A major test this week could help propel Rick Barnes’ team into the top five if they keep winning.

UT moved up one spot to No. 7 in the AP Poll top 25 and two spots to No. 6 in the Amway Coaches Poll top 25 for the week of Dec. 28. This jump comes on the heels of two wins last week. 102-66 over the Saint Joseph’s Hawks and 80-60 over the USC Upsate Spartans to move Rocky Top top 6-0 on the year.

At the beginning of the year, Tennessee basketball was No. 12 in the AP Poll and No. 16 in the Coaches Poll. After their first two weeks of games were canceled, they stayed in those spots but then cracked the top 10 with a 2-0 start in their third week, beating two Power Five teams in the Colorado Buffaloes and Cincinnati Bearcats. They’ve been slowly climbing the rankings ever since.

This week, the Vols have a major test on Wednesday at the Missouri Tigers. Led by former UT head coach Cuonzo Martin, Mizzou also has a 6-0 record and has climbed up to No. 12 in both polls. These are the only two ranked teams in the SEC right now.

Ahead of the Vols in both polls are the Gonzaga Bulldogs, Baylor Bears, Villanova Wildcats, Kansas Jayhawks and Houston Cougars. The Wisconsin Badgers are also ahead of them in the AP Poll, while UT is one spot ahead of them in the Coaches Poll.

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On Jan. 30, assuming Kansas doesn’t fall, the Vols will have a chance to knock them off in the SEC/Big 12 Challenge. Tennessee basketball would have had a chance to knock off Gonzaga in the Jimmy V Classic at the beginning of December, but that was one of the games canceled.

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