Tennessee Remains No. 1 in AP Men’s Basketball Poll; WVU, Michigan Enter Top 25

Tennessee tightened its grip on the No. 1 spot in the AP men’s basketball poll after a dominant week that included a 76-52 rout of then-No. 23 Arkansas. The Volunteers (14-0) are now the only undefeated team in Division I men’s basketball, earning 45 of 60 first-place votes. Auburn remained at No. 2 with the remaining 15 first-place votes, while Iowa State, Duke, and Alabama rounded out the top five.

The Vols’ victory over Arkansas marked their third-longest winning streak in school history, and they have won all but one game this season by double digits. “They’re the No. 1 team in the country for a reason,” Arkansas coach John Calipari said. “My disappointment wasn’t coming to Tennessee and losing a game. It was that they kind of manhandled us.”

Kentucky rose four spots to No. 6 after defeating Florida, while Marquette, Florida, UConn, and Texas A&M completed the top 10. Kansas dropped to No. 11 following a narrow loss to West Virginia, which entered the poll at No. 21 for the first time since December 2022. Michigan and Utah State also joined the rankings at No. 24 and No. 25, respectively.

Illinois made the biggest jump, climbing nine spots to No. 13 after a 109-77 win over then-No. 9 Oregon. Meanwhile, Cincinnati fell out of the poll entirely after losses to Kansas State and Arizona. The SEC led all conferences with nine ranked teams, including three in the top five and six in the top 10.

Tennessee coach Rick Barnes credited his team’s success to their work ethic and family values. “It all goes to the players,” Barnes said. “Good families. They come in knowing what we expect, but they expect it from themselves, too.”

Utah State, making its season debut in the poll, improved to 14-1 after a hard-fought 89-83 win over Fresno State. “You’re 14-1 and you’re mad. That’s kind of childish behavior, but you can’t be satisfied,” Utah State coach Jarrod Calhoun said. “That’s kind of how I live my life, in survival mode.”