For the first time all season, there’s a new team atop the rankings of the USA TODAY Sports Men’s Basketball Coaches Poll.
Rick Barnes’ Tennessee Volunteers (8-0) moved to No. 1 in the coaches poll following their 96-70 blowout win over the Syracuse Orange. The previously top-ranked Kansas Jayhawks (7-2) suffered their first losses of the season in back to back games to the Creighton Bluejays in Omaha and the Missouri Tigers in Columbia.
As for Nate Oats and the Alabama Crimson Tide? Alabama (7-2) rose four spots to No. 8 following their big 94-79 road win in Chapel Hill against the North Carolina Tar Heels in the SEC-ACC Challenge.
Alabama got 20 points from Mark Sears and had five players finish in double figures. Freshman Labaron Philon and Auburn Tigers transfer Aden Holloway both added 15 points. Rutgers transfer Clifford Omoruyi added 11 and senior Grant Nelson, who terrorized UNC in last year’s Sweet 16 matchup in Los Angeles, had 15 points.
The Crimson Tide are ranked one spot behind the Florida Gators, whose 9-0 start moved them up six spots to No. 7. Alabama ranked one spot ahead of Gonzaga (7-2) at No. 9.
The Crimson Tide return to action Saturday when they host Creighton at Coleman Coliseum. Tipoff is set for 7:30 p.m. CT. The game will be televised on SEC Network.
In the top five, Auburn (8-1) stayed at No. 2 for the second straight week, followed by Iowa State (7-1) at No. 3 and Marquette (9-1) at No. 4. Mark Pope’s Kentucky Wildcats (8-1) rounded out the top five.
The SEC had eight teams ranked in this week’s Coaches Poll. The Ole Miss Rebels (8-1) moved up five spots to No. 15 with the Oklahoma Sooners‘ 9-0 start propelling them four spots to No. 17. The Texas A&M Aggies (8-2) rose six spots to No. 18.
Full USA TODAY Sports Coaches Poll
|
Rank |
Team |
Record |
Points |
|---|---|---|---|
|
1 |
Tennessee |
8-0 |
745 (25) |
|
2 |
Auburn |
8-1 |
709 (5) |
|
3 |
Iowa State |
7-1 |
673 |
|
4 |
Marquette |
9-1 |
633 |
|
5 |
Kentucky |
8-1 |
630 |
|
6 |
Duke |
7-2 |
613 |
|
7 |
Florida |
9-0 |
530 |
|
8 |
Alabama |
7-2 |
525 |
|
9 |
Gonzaga |
7-2 |
462 |
|
10 |
Kansas |
7-2 |
449 |
|
11 |
Purdue |
8-2 |
424 |
|
12 |
Oregon |
9-1 |
377 |
|
13 |
Houston |
5-3 |
304 |
|
14 |
Michigan |
8-1 |
258 |
|
15 |
Ole Miss |
8-1 |
249 |
|
16 |
Clemson |
9-1 |
237 |
|
17 |
Oklahoma |
9-0 |
233 |
|
18 |
Texas A&M |
8-2 |
194 |
|
19 |
Michigan State |
8-2 |
166 |
|
20 |
UConn |
7-3 |
152 |
|
21 |
UCLA |
8-1 |
137 |
|
22 |
Wisconsin |
8-2 |
129 |
|
23 |
Cincinnati |
7-1 |
124 |
|
24 |
San Diego State |
6-2 |
105 |
|
25 |
Baylor |
5-3 |
99 |
Schools Dropped Out
No. 15 Memphis; No. 17 Illinois; No. 19 Pittsburgh; No. 22 North Carolina;
Others Receiving Votes
Mississippi State 93; Illinois 67; St. John’s 51; Pittsburgh 50; Arizona State 44; Memphis 37; Maryland 36; Drake 35; Utah State 32; Saint Mary’s 28; Penn State 26; Creighton 20; Georgia 18; Missouri 14; West Virginia 11; Arkansas 10; UC Irvine 5; Texas 5; Dayton 4; Texas Tech 2; North Carolina 2; Loyola Chicago 2; LSU 1;
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This article originally appeared on Roll Tide Wire: SEC team ranked No. 1 in new USA TODAY Sports Coaches Poll as Alabama surges
