Auburn Closing the Gap on No. 1 Tennessee in AP Poll
It’s official: Tennessee is holding strong at No. 1 in the AP Top 25 for the second week in a row. But don’t get too comfortable, Volunteers fans—Auburn is hot on their heels, and the Tigers are making a serious case for the top spot. The men’s college basketball poll released Monday showed no changes in the top five, but the gap between Tennessee and Auburn is shrinking fast.
The Volunteers earned 50 first-place votes from the national media panel after securing wins over Miami and Illinois. These victories pushed coach Rick Barnes’ program to a perfect 10-0, marking only the fifth time in school history they’ve started the season this strong. Meanwhile, Auburn picked up nine additional first-place votes from last week, bringing their total to 12. The rest of the top five? Iowa State, Duke, and Kentucky round it out, keeping the elite group intact for another week.
Tennessee’s Dominance and the SEC’s Strength
Tennessee is one of just five unbeaten teams left in men’s Division I basketball, and the SEC is flexing its muscles with three of those squads. Alongside the Volunteers, No. 7 Florida (10-0) and No. 14 Oklahoma (10-0) are also undefeated. Drake (9-0) and Utah State (10-0) complete the list of teams yet to taste defeat this season.
Despite their success, Tennessee head coach Rick Barnes is keeping things in perspective. “We know watching film there’s a lot of areas we have to get better with, more consistent,” Barnes said Monday. “It’s everybody. Coaches getting better, players getting better. When you’re in December, you have to be real. Look at film and realize we’ve done this or that, but we have a long way to go to be where we want to be.”
Auburn’s Statement Win and Johni Broome’s Big Night
While Tennessee is holding steady, Auburn is making waves. The Tigers improved to 9-1 with a dominant 91-53 win over Ohio State in Atlanta. Leading the charge was Johni Broome, who delivered a jaw-dropping 21 points and 20 rebounds. It was Auburn’s first 20-20 game in 35 years, and Broome capped off his incredible day by racing back to campus for his graduation ceremony Saturday night. Talk about a memorable weekend!
Even Ohio State coach Jake Diebler couldn’t help but praise Auburn. “They may be the best team in the country right now,” Diebler said. “They have a lot of experience, and they made us pay when we made a mistake.”
SEC’s Dominance in the Rankings
The SEC is absolutely owning the AP Top 25 right now. Tennessee and Auburn are joined by Kentucky, No. 6 Alabama, and No. 7 Florida, giving the conference five of the top seven spots. That’s a level of dominance that’s hard to ignore. Kansas climbed two spots to No. 8, while Marquette and Oregon rounded out the top 10.
Big Movers and Shakers
It was a week of big moves in the rankings. Two-time defending national champion UConn made the biggest leap, jumping seven spots to No. 11 after taking down then-No. 8 Gonzaga. UCLA also climbed six spots to No. 18 after beating Arizona for their eighth straight win. Texas A&M moved up five spots to No. 12.
On the flip side, Michigan took a nosedive, dropping 10 spots to No. 24 after blowing a halftime lead in an 89-87 loss to Arkansas at the Jimmy V Classic in Madison Square Garden. Clemson also fell nine spots to No. 25, while Gonzaga and Purdue each dropped five spots.
New Faces and Departures
Dayton made its season debut in the rankings at No. 22, while Memphis returned at No. 23 after a win over Clemson. Meanwhile, Wisconsin and Mississippi State dropped out of the Top 25. Mississippi State, however, remains just outside the rankings, receiving the most votes of any unranked team.
Mid-Major Watch
Drake and Utah State are turning heads in the mid-major world. Drake appeared on 11 ballots after cruising past St. Ambrose, while Utah State showed up on 10 ballots following a blowout win over South Florida. The Aggies are off to their best start in school history, and head coach Jarrod Calhoun is keeping his team focused. “We never talk about making history. It was never talked about all week,” Calhoun said. “It’s about getting better each day. It’s about enjoying the process.”
Conference Breakdown
- The SEC leads the way with eight teams in the Top 25, plus the first three outside the poll (Mississippi State, Arkansas, and Missouri).
- The Big Ten has five ranked teams.
- The Big 12 boasts four teams in the rankings.
- The ACC and Big East each have two teams in the Top 25.
- In total, nine conferences are represented in this week’s poll.
As the season heats up, the battle for the top spot is only going to get more intense. Can Tennessee hold on, or will Auburn’s momentum carry them to No. 1? One thing’s for sure: college basketball fans are in for a wild ride.
Originally Written by: Associated Press
