Tennessee MBB officially No. 1 in the country for the 3rd time in program history

Here come the Tennessee Vols! It's been a brilliant start to the year for Rick Barnes and his coaching staff. With plenty of studs leaving following last season, including Dalton Knecht, the SEC Player of the Year, there was worry it'd be a rebuilding campaign for UT.

Instead, Tennessee is a perfect 8-0 on the year and even games that were supposed to be close, weren't. How could 2024 get even better for Barnes? Well, for only the third time in program history, Tennessee is the No. 1 team in the country. That's right, the Vols are at the top of the new AP Top 25 poll:

Tennessee hoops is the new No. 1 team in the country

This news was expected, as No. 1 Kansas lost to Creighton last week, while No. 2 Auburn was taken down by Duke. The Vols were previously the No. 3 squad in the land, but thanks to the 96-70 win over Syracuse last Tuesday, there was going to be no team to jump Barnes' side.

Through eight games, Chaz Lanier has no question been a standout for this team, as he's posting nearly 19 points per game. With Lanier playing so well and getting loads of help from other key contributors too, there's a balanced attack for Barnes and his staff to enjoy.

Coming up on Tuesday night, the Vols will take on Miami, but for a special showdown. That's right, UT and Miami will face off at the iconic Madison Square Garden. The rest of the country will be watching Tennessee closely to see if it can live up to its No. 1 billing.

For Barnes, this is the second time he has powered the Vols to a No. 1 ranking. Following the dance with Miami, a showdown with Illinois will be on the way. If Tennessee can win those two contests, it will improve to 10-0 on the year, which would be a dream start for everyone involved.