Wed Jan 08 02:30:00 UTC 2025: **Tennessee Remains Unbeaten, Tops AP Top 25**
KNOXVILLE, Tenn. — The Tennessee Volunteers solidified their position at the top of the AP Top 25 men’s college basketball poll, remaining undefeated after victories over Norfolk State and Arkansas. With a commanding 76-52 win against the Razorbacks, the Vols extended their winning streak to 14 games, tying the third-longest in school history. This performance, along with losses by other top contenders, left Tennessee as the sole undefeated team in Division I men’s basketball. The Vols received 45 of 60 first-place votes, securing their fifth consecutive week at the No. 1 spot.
Auburn held onto the No. 2 ranking, receiving the remaining 15 first-place votes. Iowa State, Duke, and Alabama completed an unchanged top five. Other notable movement in the rankings included Kentucky’s jump to No. 6 after defeating Florida, and Illinois’ impressive nine-spot climb to No. 13 following victories over Oregon and Washington.
West Virginia cracked the Top 25 for only the second time since December 2022, landing at No. 21 after defeating Kansas and Oklahoma State. Michigan returned to the rankings after a two-week absence, while Utah State made its season debut at No. 25. Conversely, Cincinnati dropped out of the rankings entirely following losses to Kansas State and Arizona.
The SEC boasted nine ranked teams, highlighting its dominance in the college basketball landscape. The Big Ten followed with six ranked teams, while the Big 12 and Big East each had four and two, respectively. The ACC, West Coast Conference, American Athletic Conference, and Mountain West each had one team represented in the Top 25.
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