KNOXVILLE, Tenn. – The University of Tennessee men’s basketball team is in the preseason top 10 of both major polls, as released Monday afternoon.
The Volunteers are eighth nationally in the Associated Press Top 25 Poll and ninth in the USA TODAY Coaches Poll.
Tennessee is in the Coaches Poll’s preseason rankings for the ninth consecutive year, one shy of doubling the prior program high. That mark, which extends back to 2018-19, includes seven straight top-20 spots, four of which are in the top 10. The No. 9 placement is tied for the fourth-best preseason Coaches Poll figure in program history.
Meanwhile, this is the seventh year in a row the Volunteers start out in the AP top 20, a ledger that dates to 2020-21 and extends the program record. This is the fifth AP top-12 preseason position across those five years. The No. 8 spot is the third-highest preseason mark in program history, behind only placing sixth in 2018-19 and seventh in 2007-08.
In total, this is the 21st preseason AP top-25 ranking for Tennessee, including the 19th in the top 20 and eighth in the top 10.
Tennessee is ranked in the AP top 25 for the 151st time in head coach Rick Barnes‘ tenure, all since 2017-18. It is the 98th top-15 nod and 77th top-10 spot for the Volunteers under Barnes’ leadership.
Furthermore, this is the 111th time in the last 118 poll releases Tennessee is ranked by the AP, a stretch that goes all the way back to the 2020-21 preseason poll and includes six-plus seasons. This is the 76th top-15 position for the Volunteers in that span.
The Volunteers have now reached the AP top 20 in each of the last 10 campaigns, dating to 2017-18. The previous program best was seven years in a row, from 1966-67 to 1972-73. Tennessee has entered the top 10 in seven of those 10 seasons.
Barnes’ team collected 932 points in the AP Poll balloting, 58 above ninth-place Virginia. The Volunteers earned 436 points in the Coaches Poll, 37 above those same Cavaliers at No. 10.
Tennessee is one of seven SEC teams in the top 25 of both preseason polls, alongside top-ranked Florida, seventh-ranked Texas, No. 12/13 Arkansas, No. 20/18 Alabama, No. 23 Kentucky and No. 24/21 Vanderbilt. Additionally, three SEC schools are in the receiving votes section of both lists: Missouri, Texas A&M and Auburn.
The Volunteers wrap up exhibition play Tuesday at 7 p.m. against second-ranked Duke at Cameron Indoor Stadium in Durham, N.C., live on ACC Network.
To keep up with the University of Tennessee men’s basketball team on social media, follow @Vol_Hoops on Instagram and X/Twitter, as well as /tennesseebasketball on Facebook.
