The SEC men’s basketball calendar reached a significant milestone with an exciting match-up that resulted in a decisive victor. The University of Tennessee, holding the No. 5 ranking, travelled to Rupp Arena to challenge No. 8 Kentucky and emerged triumphant with a 103-92 score. The Vols displayed a dazzling offensive performance, shooting 48.6% overall and 40% from 3-point range. Zakai Zeigler and Josiah-Jordan James were instrumental in this impressive victory, each contributing 26 points to the game. This win stands as Tennessee’s most notable achievement of the 2023-24 season so far, serving as a recovery from their previous defeat against South Carolina. Conversely, Kentucky suffered their second loss of the week after falling to Florida in overtime just three nights earlier, bringing their total losses to four in their last seven games following an initial strong start of 12-2 under the leadership of Coach John Calipari.
Moreover, No. 16 Auburn rebounded from a two-game losing streak by securing victories in both of their games last week. Their in-state rivals, No. 22 Alabama, ended the previous week with an impressive 32-point win against Mississippi State. Auburn’s recent victory against Ole Miss may exclude the Rebels from breaking into the top 25. However, South Carolina’s outstanding performance, with victories against both Tennessee and Georgia on the road, suggests that the Gamecocks are highly likely to secure a spot in the top 25 for the first time since February 2017.
With the dust settling from these intense games, the pressing question on everyone’s minds is: how will these outcomes impact the SEC’s rankings in the latest Coaches Poll and AP Top 25?
The USA TODAY Sports Coaches Poll and AP Top 25 rankings for the week of February 5 will be updated and released on Monday afternoon, granting a clearer view of where these teams stand in the college basketball landscape.