Gonzaga remains atop AP Top 25; Tennessee cracks top 10

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Tennessee kept winning against a demanding schedule of top teams in the Southeastern Conference. That has pushed the Volunteers to their highest ranking this season in The Associated Press men’s college basketball poll.

While Gonzaga, Arizona and reigning national champion Baylor remained atop Monday's poll, Rick Barnes' squad tied Purdue for No. 9 to crack the top 10 for the first time this season. That came after the Volunteers (23-7, 14-4 SEC) closed the regular-season schedule by beating No. 15 Arkansas despite blowing most of a 24-point lead.

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Still, it marked their fourth straight win and ninth in 10 games. That stretch has included wins against No. 4 Auburn and No. 5 Kentucky, sending the Vols to this week's SEC Tournament in Tampa, Florida, as the No. 2 seed.

Defense has been a strength, with the Volunteers ranking third nationally in KenPom’s adjusted efficiency by allowing 87.4 points per 100 possessions. They also rank seventh by getting a steal on 13.6% of defensive possessions and 18th by blocking 14.1% of opponents’ shots.

They also rank 17th in Division I by forcing 16.2 turnovers per game.

Gonzaga forward Anton Watson (22) shoots against Saint Mary's guard Logan Johnson (0) during the first half of an NCAA college basketball game in Moraga, Calif., Saturday, Feb. 26, 2022. (AP Photo/Jeff Chiu)

"It's been hard, I can tell you," Barnes said of the SEC after the Arkansas win. "I think we've been able to learn from a lot. I think we’ll learn from today. And we need to, because now you’re in tournament play. If you have letups and keep throwing lifelines at the wrong time, it ends