Tennessee finished a three-game stretch against top 20 teams 0-3 last week, resulting in a drop in the latest Associated Press Top 25 men’s basketball poll.
The Vols, coming off of losses to then-No. 1 Kansas and No. 2 Purdue at the Maui Invitational and at No. 17 North Carolina last Wednesday, fell seven spots to No. 17 on Monday.
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Tennessee (4-3), which fallen in the poll in consecutive weeks, is set to host George Mason at Food City Center on Tuesday (6:30 p.m. ET, SEC Network +). It will mark the Vols first game on their home floor since Nov. 14 against Wofford.
Tennessee plays No. 20 Illinois in Knoxville on Saturday at noon ET on CBS.
Leading scorer Dalton Knecht, who totaled 37 points vs. North Carolina and leads the Vols in scoring with 20.3 points per game, is “day-to-day” according to head coach Rick Barnes after sustaining an ankle injury late in the second half against the Tar Heels.
He left the game and did not return.
Lady Vols drop out to rankings
The Tennessee women’s basketball team continues to struggle against ranked teams.
The Lady Vols, who have been without forward Rickea Jackson for the last six games, fell to No. 18 Notre Dame and No. 16 Ohio State in back-to-back home games last week.
After starting the season just outside the top 10, Tennessee (4-4) dropped out of the AP poll on Monday.
The Lady Vols play Middle Tennessee State in a neutral site game in Huntsville, Alabama on Wednesday at 7:30 p.m. ET on ESPN+.
Where Vols, Lady Vols stand in initial NET rankings
The NET rankings for both NCAA men’s and women’s teams made its 2023-24 debut on Monday.
The Vols landed at No. 17 as the third highest ranked SEC team behind Alabama (12) and Texas A&M (14).
Tennessee’s net strength of schedule ranked fifth nationally with an opponent net ranking average of 12.
The Lady Vols were ranked No. 86.
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