Auburn closing gap on No. 1 Tennessee in AP poll

Tennessee held onto Incorrect. 1 in the AP Top 25 for the second one consecutive pace, despite the fact that Incorrect. 2 Auburn closed the distance because the supremacy 5 remained unchanged within the males’s faculty basketball ballot Monday.

The Volunteers gained 50 first-place votes from a countrywide media panel later wins over Miami and Illinois driven educator Rick Barnes’ program to 10-0 for best the 5th pace in class historical past. Auburn picked up 9 first-place votes from utmost pace and had 12 overall. Iowa Climate, Duke and Kentucky rounded out the supremacy 5.

Tennessee is amongst 5 unbeatens left in males’s Section I basketball and one in every of 3 groups from the Southeastern Convention, becoming a member of Incorrect. 7 Florida (10-0) and Incorrect. 14 Oklahoma (10-0). Drake (9-0) and Utah Climate (10-0) additionally input this pace undefeated.

“We know watching film there’s a lot of areas we have to get better with, more consistent,” Barnes stated Monday. “It’s everybody. Coaches getting better, players getting better. When you’re in December, you have to be real. Look at film and realize we’ve done this or that, but we have a long way to go to be where we want to be.”

Auburn advanced to 9-1 with its 91-53 blowout of Ohio Climate in Atlanta. Johni Broome confirmed the best way with 21 issues and 20 rebounds for the Tigers’ first 20-20 recreation in 35 years, upcoming he raced again to Auburn for his commencement Saturday evening.

“They may be the best team in the country right now,” Ohio Climate educator Jake Diebler stated. “They have a lot of experience, and they made us pay when we made a mistake.”

The SEC persevered to dominate the Lead 25 with the Vols and Tigers joined by way of Kentucky, Incorrect. 6 Alabama and Incorrect. 7 Florida in giving the convention 5 of the supremacy seven. Kansas moved up two spots to Incorrect. 8 presen Marquette and Oregon rounded out the supremacy 10.

Two-time protecting nationwide champion UConn jumped seven spots to Incorrect. 11 later beating then-Incorrect. 8 Gonzaga. The Huskies have been adopted by way of Texas A&M, the Bulldogs, the Sooners and Houston, which remained at Incorrect. 15.

Purdue dropped 5 spots to Incorrect. 16 later its loss to the Aggies, and was once adopted by way of Ole Pass over, UCLA, Cincinnati and Michigan Climate. Dayton entered the ballot for the primary pace this season at Incorrect. 22, simply in the back of Memphis, which returned later its win over Clemson. Wisconsin dropped out later its loss to Illinois, and Mississippi Climate fell out later a slender win over McNeese Climate.

San Diego Climate, Michigan and Clemson rounded out the Lead 25.

Mid-major tracking: Drake seemed on 11 ballots later a very simple win over St. Ambrose saved first-year educator Ben McCollum’s membership unbeaten. Utah Climate confirmed up on 10 ballots later blowing out South Florida to offer the Aggies their perfect get started in class historical past.

“I’ve said all along, this is a place you can win at a high level consistently, and we’ve shown that, right? Year after year,” Utah Climate educator Jarrod Calhoun stated. “We never talk about making history. It was never talked about all week. … It’s about getting better each day. It’s about enjoying the process.”

Emerging and falling: UConn made the largest bounce this pace, hiking seven spots to Incorrect. 11 later beating Gonzaga. UCLA climbed six spots to Incorrect. 18 later beating Arizona for its 8th immediately win, and Texas A&M moved up 5 spots to Incorrect. 12.

Michigan plummeted 10 parks to Incorrect. 24 later blowing its halftime supremacy in an 89-87 loss to Arkansas within the Jimmy V Vintage at Madison Sq. Grassland. Clemson fell 9 spots to Incorrect. 25, and Gonzaga and Purdue every dropped 5 spots.

Out and in: Memphis spent a pace at Incorrect. 16 previous this season ahead of a loss to Arkansas Climate. The Tigers returned presen Dayton made its season debut on the expense of Wisconsin and Mississippi Climate, which gained probably the most votes of the ones outdoor the Lead 25.

Convention attend to: The SEC has 8 groups within the Lead 25 at the side of the primary 3 outdoor the ballot in Mississippi Climate, Arkansas and Missouri. The Large Ten has 5, the Large 12 has 4, and the ACC and Large East two apiece. 9 leagues had a ranked crew.