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Tennessee won at Illinois last month in what is its biggest and best victory to date. If the Vols are to remain the sport’s only unbeaten team, they’ll have to add an even bigger and better win Tuesday night at Florida.
It’s another good one in the SEC.
Specifically, it’s the team sitting at No. 1 in Tuesday morning’s updated CBS Sports Top 25 And 1 daily college basketball rankings (Tennessee) on the road against the team sitting at No. 8 in Tuesday morning’s updated CBS Sports Top 25 And 1 daily college basketball rankings (Florida). Despite being undefeated and ranked No. 1 both here and in the Associated Press Top 25 poll, the Vols are listed as 3.5-point underdogs inside the Stephen C. O’Connell Center.
“[Florida is] very similar to Arkansas — they have really good guards,” said Tennessee All-American candidate Chaz Lanier. “They’re gonna play in transition a lot and shoot a lot of threes.”
This is the first game in an eight-game stretch in which Tennessee will have seven Quadrant 1 opportunities (based on current projections). For Florida, it’s the second game in a three-game stretch featuring nothing but Quadrant 1 opportunities (based on current projections). Simply put, this is life for everybody in the SEC, where seven schools are in the top 17 of the NET — and 14 are in the top 47. Literally all road games in the SEC, other than road games at South Carolina, are Q1 opportunities this season. That’s just another way to illustrate how this is the sport’s best conference and perhaps the best conference ever, one that currently projects to send a record number of teams to the NCAA Tournament, according to Jerry Palm.
Top 25 And 1 rankings
1
Tennessee Chaz Lanier finished with 29 points and two rebounds in Saturday’s 76-52 win over Arkansas. The Vols’ next game is Tuesday at Florida. — 14-0 2
Auburn Johni Broome finished with 24 points and seven rebounds in Saturday’s 84-68 win over Missouri. The Tigers’ next game is Tuesday at Texas. — 13-1 3
Iowa St. Keshon Gilbert finished with 16 points and 10 rebounds in Saturday’s 74-55 win over Baylor. The Cyclones’ next game is Tuesday against Utah. — 12-1 4
Duke Cooper Flagg finished with 24 points and 11 rebounds in Saturday’s 89-62 win at SMU. The Blue Devils’ next game is Tuesday against Pitt. — 12-2 5
Alabama Mark Sears finished with 22 points and 10 assists in Saturday’s 107-79 win over Oklahoma. The Crimson Tide’s next game is Wednesday at South Carolina. — 12-2 6
Marquette Kam Jones finished with 22 points and nine rebounds in Friday’s 79-71 win over Creighton. The Golden Eagles’ next game is Tuesday against Georgetown. — 13-2 7
Kentucky Lamont Butler finished with 19 points and eight assists in Saturday’s 106-100 win over Florida. The Wildcats’ next game is Tuesday at Georgia. — 12-2 8
Florida Walter Clayton Jr. committed five turnovers in Saturday’s 106-100 loss at Kentucky. The Gators’ next game is Tuesday against Tennessee. — 13-1 9
Michigan St. Szymon Zapala finished with 15 points and two blocks in Friday’s 69-62 win at Ohio State. The Spartans’ next game is Thursday against Washington. — 12-2 10
Miss. St. Josh Hubbard finished with 21 points and three rebounds in Saturday’s 85-50 win over South Carolina. The Bulldogs’ next game is Tuesday at Vanderbilt. — 13-1 11
Illinois Kasparas Jakucionis finished with 18 points and six assists in Sunday’s 81-77 win at Washington. The Illini’s next game is Wednesday against Penn State. — 11-3 12
Texas A&M Zhuric Phelps finished with 18 points and seven rebounds in Saturday’s 80-60 win over Texas. The Aggies’ next game is Wednesday at Oklahoma. — 12-2 13
Kansas Hunter Dickinson finished with 27 points and nine rebounds in Sunday’s 99-48 win at UCF. The Jayhawks’ next game is Wednesday against Arizona State. — 10-3 14
UCLA Dylan Andrews was 1-of-6 from the field in Saturday’s 66-58 loss at Nebraska. The Bruins’ next game is Tuesday against Michigan. — 11-3 15
Oregon Jackson Shelstad finished with 23 points and five rebounds in Sunday’s 83-79 win over Maryland. The Ducks’ next game is Thursday at Ohio State. — 13-2 16
Purdue Braden Smith finished with 22 points and seven assists in Sunday’s 79-61 win over Northwestern. The Boilermakers’ next game is Thursday at Rutgers. — 11-4 17
Memphis PJ Haggerty finished with 27 points and five rebounds in Sunday’s 68-64 win over North Texas. The Tigers’ next game is Saturday against East Carolina. — 12-3 18
UConn Hassan Diarra finished with 19 points and eight assists in Sunday’s 87-84 win over Providence. The Huskies’ next game is Wednesday at Villanova. — 12-3 19
Ole Miss Jaemyn Brakefield finished with 15 points and four rebounds in Saturday’s 63-51 win over Georgia. The Rebels’ next game is Wednesday at Arkansas. — 12-2 20
Gonzaga Graham Ike finished with 27 points and nine rebounds in Saturday’s 96-68 win at Loyola Marymount. The Zags’ next game is Wednesday against San Diego. — 12-4 21
Houston Emanuel Sharp finished with 14 points and three steals in Monday’s 65-46 win over TCU. The Cougars’ next game is Saturday at Kansas State. — 11-3 22
West Virginia Javon Small finished with 24 points and 11 rebounds in Saturday’s 69-50 win over Oklahoma State. The Mountaineers’ next game is Tuesday against Arizona. — 11-3 23
Utah St. Ian Martinez finished with 16 points and six rebounds in Saturday’s 89-83 win over Fresno State. The Aggies’ next game is Tuesday at San Jose State. — 14-1 24
Oklahoma Jeremiah Fears was 5-of-15 from the field in Saturday’s 107-79 loss at Alabama. The Sooners’ next game is Wednesday against Texas A&M. — 13-1 25
Michigan Danny Wolf finished with 21 points and 13 rebounds in Saturday’s 85-74 win at USC. The Wolverines’ next game is Tuesday at UCLA. — 11-3 26
Wisconsin John Blackwell finished with 21 points and four rebounds in Monday’s 75-63 win at Rutgers. The Badgers’ next game is Friday against Minnesota. — 12-3
