The Tennessee Volunteers took a two-week hiatus from the rankings in men’s college basketball. After a productive pair of weeks tallied wins over three potential NCAA Tournament teams, the Vols’ arrow is pointing back up again, and the voters took notice.
Tennessee moved back into the AP Poll on Monday, albeit barely at No. 25.
Tennessee fell out of the rankings after an 80-78 come-from-way-ahead loss to the Kentucky Wildcats back on January 17. The Vols blew a 17-point lead to the Wildcats and allowed 49 points in the second half.
But Tennessee turned things around in a big way afterwards. Tennessee went to Tuscaloosa and came away with a well-publicized 79-73 victory over Alabama, who rolled out NBA G League center Charles Bediako. Four days later, Tennessee escaped Athens after a back-and-forth clash with the Georgia Bulldogs, holding on in overtime 86-85. And on Saturday night, they sent Steven Pearl and the Auburn Tigers packing in a 77-69 lead that Tennessee led basically from start to finish.
Three good wins, but the work continues on Tuesday night against Ole Miss at home before a big road test against Kentucky on Saturday.