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Tennessee basketball back in top 10 of Coaches Poll, NET Rankings

By Caleb Calhoun

Tennessee gathers for a time out during a basketball game between the Tennessee Volunteers and the Kansas Jayhawks at Thompson-Boling Arena in Knoxville, Tennessee on Saturday, January 30, 2021.013021 Tenn Kan
Tennessee gathers for a time out during a basketball game between the Tennessee Volunteers and the Kansas Jayhawks at Thompson-Boling Arena in Knoxville, Tennessee on Saturday, January 30, 2021.013021 Tenn Kan /
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Saturday’s dominant 80-61 win over the Kansas Jayhawks did wonders for Tennessee basketball in the rankings on Monday. Despite also having to hold off the Mississippi State Bulldogs last week, the Vols had a solid jump in both polls.

At 12-3 overall and 5-3 in the SEC, UT moved up to No. 11 in the AP Poll, up seven spots from their No. 18 ranking. They got into the top 10 of the Coaches Poll, though, right at No. 10. That was also a seven-spot jump. Kansas fell from No. 15 to No. 23 in the AP Poll and No. 18 to No. 22 in the Coaches Poll.

The difference for Tennessee basketball in those two polls was where the Oklahoma Sooners landed. OU jumped from No. 24 to No. 9 in the AP Poll, two spots ahead of the Vols. They jumped from unranked to No. 14 in the Coaches Poll. At No. 7 in the Coaches Poll and No. 10 in the AP Poll, the Alabama Crimson Tide were the only SEC team ahead of the Vols in both polls.

More important than the polls, though, Rocky Top jumped up to No. 9 in the NET rankings. Despite beating them in Knoxville, Tenn. at Thompson-Boling Arena, Alabama is one spot behind them in those rankings. The Vols are the highest ranked SEC team.

Part of what’s helping is probably the analysis of how they play at full strength. UT remains undefeated when Jaden Springer plays more than five minutes in a game and winless when he plays five minutes or fewer. That’s a big deal.

For what it’s worth, UT is all the way down at No. 38 in the RealTime RPI. That has to do with the No. 62 ranked strength of schedule, which is overvalued in this system and the main reason the NCAA Selection Committee is moving away from it.

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This week, Tennessee basketball’s schedule won’t do it any favors. The Vols have to visit the Ole Miss Rebels and Kentucky Wildcats. However, despite their struggles, Kentucky clearly has talent and could click at any moment. Ole Miss being on the road could be tough as well if Rick Barnes’ team doesn’t take them seriously. As a result, they can’t take a breather to maintain these spots.

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