Tennessee gets a big boost in the polls after dominating Florida

The Tennessee Volunteers have spent a large chunk of their season inside the top five of the polls. They’re back there again on Monday.

Tennessee checked in at #4 in the AP Poll, a jump of four spots from last week. They’re also up to the same place in the Coaches Poll.

Tennessee had a rough start to the week, so the leap up four spots is particularly noteworthy. The Vols fell at home against Kentucky 78-73, missing a staggering number of open three-point attempts (made just 8-33).

However, the Vols’ improved their fortunes on Saturday with a dominating 64-44 win over then-#5 Florida – one of the top offensive teams in the country – at Thompson-Boling Arena. Without a doubt their most impressive win of the season, particularly because they did it without two starters in Zakai Zeigler (knee) and Igor Milicic, Jr. (illness).

That convincing statement bought the Vols some serious leniency for their loss to the Wildcats. However, UK’s win over Tennessee didn’t buy the Wildcats quite the same grace from the voters. Kentucky fell two spots after laying an 89-79 egg against John Calipari’s Arkansas Razorbacks at Rupp Arena on Saturday night.

The Vols will have their work cut out for them again this week, as they take on yet another top 15 opponent in #15 Missouri on Wednesday night in Knoxville before a trip to Oklahoma, who just put a 30-point loss on Vanderbilt last weekend.