Tue Dec 31 07:00:00 UTC 2024: **Tennessee Holds Onto No. 1 Ranking in AP College Basketball Poll**
Knoxville, TN – The Tennessee Volunteers remain the top team in the nation, holding onto the No. 1 spot in the Associated Press men’s college basketball poll for the fourth consecutive week. The Vols received 41 first-place votes, despite a relatively quiet holiday week that saw them play only one game, a victory over Middle Tennessee.
Auburn, with 20 first-place votes, remains hot on Tennessee’s heels at No. 2. Despite not playing last week, Auburn gained eight additional first-place votes. The top 13 teams remained unchanged overall. The SEC continues to dominate the rankings, boasting four of the top six teams, including No. 6 Florida and No. 12 Oklahoma, which are among four undefeated teams left in Division I basketball (along with Tennessee and Drake).
Other notable movement in the rankings includes UCLA’s seven-spot jump to No. 15 after a victory over Gonzaga, who dropped five spots to No. 19. Memphis entered the rankings at No. 21 after defeating Mississippi, who fell eight spots to No. 24. San Diego State dropped out of the Top 25 after a loss to Utah State.
The SEC leads all conferences with ten ranked teams, highlighting the conference’s overall strength. Zakai Zeigler, a Tennessee player, commented on the team’s mentality and expressed gratitude to their fans.
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