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Projected college basketball rankings after Kentucky upsets Tennessee

By Alicia de Artola

Jan 28, 2025; Knoxville, Tennessee, USA; Kentucky Wildcats guard Koby Brea (4) passes the ball against Tennessee Volunteers forward Felix Okpara (34) during the second half at Thompson-Boling Arena at Food City Center. Mandatory Credit: Randy Sartin-Imagn Images
Jan 28, 2025; Knoxville, Tennessee, USA; Kentucky Wildcats guard Koby Brea (4) passes the ball against Tennessee Volunteers forward Felix Okpara (34) during the second half at Thompson-Boling Arena at Food City Center. Mandatory Credit: Randy Sartin-Imagn Images / Randy Sartin-Imagn Images
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SEC play has not been kind to the Tennessee Volunteers. On Tuesday night, the No. 12 Kentucky Wildcats handed the No. 8 Vols their first loss at home this season and, more critically, their fourth loss in seven games.

Coming in, Tennessee had lost a heartbreaker to No. 1 Auburn. Days earlier they bested No. 14 Mississippi State to bounce back from an upset loss to Vanderbilt.

Coincidentally, Kentucky was fresh off their own upset at the hands of the Commodores. A loss the week before to No. 4 Alabama had them on a two-game losing streak.

Tuesday's result could inch Kentucky closer to a spot in the top 10. I may be punishing Tennessee too much here, but a home loss to a 10-point underdog shows they're moving in the wrong direction.

Projected college basketball rankings after Kentucky beats Tennessee

  1. Auburn Tigers
  2. Duke Blue Devils
  3. Alabama Crimson Tide
  4. Florida Gators
  5. Houston Cougars
  6. Iowa State Cyclones
  7. Michigan State Spartans
  8. Marquette Golden Eagles
  9. Purdue Boilermakers
  10. Kansas Jayhawks
  11. Kentucky Wildcats
  12. Tennessee Volunteers
  13. Texas A&M Aggies
  14. Mississippi State Bulldogs
  15. St. John's Red Storm
  16. Oregon Ducks
  17. Wisconsin Badgers
  18. Illinois Fighting Illini
  19. Memphis Tigers
  20. Missouri Tigers
  21. Louisville Cardinals
  22. Texas Tech Red Raiders
  23. Ole Miss Rebels
  24. Vanderbilt Commodores
  25. UConn Huskies

Iowa State's loss to Arizona on Monday night knocks them down a few pegs from No. 3. I have Kentucky dropping from No. 8 to No. 12 and Kentucky moving up one spot to No. 11 as a result.

Now the Wildcats have reason to feel good ahead of a grudge match with John Calipari's Arkansas. As for the Volunteers, they need to hope their tumble down the rankings doesn't continue with a visit from No. 5 Florida.

The 78-73 defeat was essentially clinched when Jordan Gainey airballed a 3-point attempt with 10 seconds left. Had the shot gone in, Tennessee would have tied the game at 76. Kentucky's Otega Oweh nailed two three throws to end it.

The Volunteers shot just 34.7 percent from the field and 24.4 percent from 3-point distance. The Wildcats were 50 percent in both measures, led by perfect shooting from Koby Brea who went 5-of-5 from the field and 3-of-3 from distance. He came away with 18 points.

Tennessee was led by 19 points and nine rebounds from Igor Milicic Jr., but he was the only Vol who was consistently able to knock down shots.

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