It’s about that time
Tennessee basketball will open the upcoming season as a Top 25 team, debuting at No. 18 in the AP Preseason Poll released Monday afternoon. Head coach Rick Barnes, now entering his 11th season in Knoxville, looks to sustain the program’s strong momentum despite a completely revamped roster.
Maryland transfer Ja’Kobi Gillespie is expected to take over point guard duties, while five-star freshman Nate Ament will contribute across multiple roles. The Vols’ roster features a mix of transfer additions and new recruits, leaving Barnes and his staff the task of molding the new lineup. The process begins October 26, when Tennessee faces No. 6 Duke in a high-profile exhibition game.
The Associated Press ranked Purdue No. 1 in the nation, followed by Houston, Florida, UConn, and St. John’s. Tennessee will meet Houston in Las Vegas during the Player’s Era Championship and has challenging non-conference matchups lined up against No. 11 Louisville and No. 17 Illinois.
Within the SEC, Kentucky landed at No. 9, Arkansas at No. 14, Alabama at No. 15, and Auburn at No. 20.
The Volunteers will officially tip off their season on Monday, November 3, against Mercer.
AP Preseason Top 25 Rankings:
- Purdue
- Houston
- Florida
- UConn
- St. John’s
- Duke
- Michigan
- BYU
- Kentucky
- Texas Tech
- Louisville
- UCLA
- Arizona
- Arkansas
- Alabama
- Iowa State
- Illinois
- Tennessee
- Kansas
- Auburn
- Gonzaga
- Michigan State
- Creighton
- Wisconsin
- North Carolina
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