NCAA Basketball: Kentucky, Arkansas fall in latest top 25 power ranking

7. Tennessee (3-0)

Two weeks can only tell us so much, but Tennessee certainly is living up to the preseason hype, even with the new pieces in this system. The Volunteers have actually been really solid across the last half decade but are looking for that deep postseason run to legitimize that success. Already boasting a true road win at Wisconsin, can this be that Tennessee squad that gets the job done?

Only one game sat on Tennessee’s schedule this past week and that was a home date with Wofford. Though not exactly a blowout, the Volunteers played well in an 82-61 win over the Terriers, grabbing a third-straight win to open the season. Dalton Knecht, a new face on this year’s squad, continues to show offensive prowess and had 18 points in the victory, with Jordan Gainey adding 16 off the bench.

The Volunteers have done enough to get to this point; that’s the bottom line. They’re still going to have that elite defense that has already been on display at times this season. Adding Knecht to a roster that includes Santiago Vescovi gives this program even more firepower, and they’ll certainly need it. We’re not just talking about the SEC; Tennessee heads to the Maui Invitational next week and will have several fights on their hands, starting with Syracuse on Monday.