Tue Dec 16 00:00:00 UTC 2025: News Article:

Tennessee Basketball Holds Steady in AP Poll, Prepares for Top-25 Showdown with Louisville

KNOXVILLE, Tenn. – Despite a week off the court, the Tennessee Volunteers men’s basketball team (7-3) maintained its No. 20 ranking in the latest Associated Press Top 25 poll released Monday. However, the Vols slipped three spots to No. 23 in the Coaches Poll.

The ranking comes after a three-game losing streak, including defeats against Kansas, Syracuse, and Illinois. The team hasn’t played since losing to Illinois on December 6th.

Looking to break the skid, the Vols are set to host No. 11 Louisville (8-1) Tuesday at 7:00 p.m. ET at Food City Center. The game will be televised on ESPN. Louisville is coming off a dominant 99-73 victory over Memphis and boasts a strong season so far, with their only loss being against Arkansas in the ACC-SEC Challenge.

Tennessee defeated Louisville 77-55 last season in Kentucky. This marks the second year of the two-year series.

The Vols’ No. 20 AP ranking extends their impressive streak of consecutive weeks in the Top 25 to 87, the second-longest active streak in the nation behind Houston. Head Coach Rick Barnes has now guided his Tennessee teams to 141 Top 25 appearances since the 2017-18 season.

Tennessee started the season ranked No. 18 in the AP poll and No. 17 in the Coaches Poll, climbing as high as No. 17 and No. 13 before their recent slide. The Vols hold a 1-2 record against Quad 1 opponents, demonstrating their ability to compete against elite competition.

Despite the recent losses, Tennessee remains a highly-rated team in analytical rankings. They are ranked No. 18 overall by KenPom.com, with a strong defense ranked No. 13 in adjusted efficiency.

Following the Louisville game, Tennessee will host Gardner Webb and South Carolina State before beginning SEC play on January 3rd at Arkansas.

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