Tennessee

College basketball rankings: Tennessee and Auburn fight for No. 1, Kansas back in top 10

Published

1 year ago

December 15, 2024

Press Room

College basketball rankings: Tennessee and Auburn fight for No. 1, Kansas back in top 10

John Fanta

College Basketball Broadcaster and Reporter

Who deserves to be No. 1?

That debate lies in the Southeastern Conference, which has had a historic out-of-league season that will certainly see it get a double-digit number of teams in the NCAA Tournament. Yes, we could see 12-13 teams from the SEC make the Big Dance, as the league soared at a wild rate on Saturday, going 13-1 on a loaded day of basketball.

Tennessee or Auburn?

Well, let’s start with the team we had at No. 1 last week, which is going to stay at No. 1 this week. The Volunteers saw their best two guards foul out in Champaign on Saturday, with Chaz Lanier exiting with 3:40 on the clock and Zakai Zeigler committing his fifth foul on Kasparas Jakucionis with five seconds left.

So, who was Tennessee going to turn to at Illinois in a 64-64 game? Jordan Gainey answered the bell, delivering a coast-to-coast drive and a lay-in to silence Champaign and lift Tennessee to an incredible 66-64 victory.

Jordan Gainey’s coast-to-coast game-winner secures Tennessee’s win

Gainey, a South Carolina Upstate transfer now in his second year with the program, finished with 23 points in the win. Lanier, a North Florida transfer, continued his All-American-caliber play with 17. Notice a trend? Rick Barnes knows how to recruit in the portal. He’s found gems in recent years, with now-Los Angeles Laker Dalton Knecht coming off an amazing college season last year and charging the Volunteers to the Elite Eight. Tennessee is 10-0 and should enter conference play at 13-0. What a start.

[Read more: Ranking the top 50 players and coaches in the country]

As for Auburn, the Tigers may not be No. 1 right now, but if you argued that Bruce Pearl’s team is the best in the country, you’ll get zero opposition from me. I’m serious: I’m at 51-49 in favor of Tennessee right now for my No. 1 team, and it’s really because the Vols have no blemishes and just won an incredible road game against a good Illinois team.

As for Auburn, Johni Broome continued his national player of the year candidacy on Saturday, showing why he is the front-runner at the moment. The fifth-year senior totaled 21 points, 20 rebounds, six assists and three blocks in a 91-53 win over Ohio State, notching the Tigers’ first 20-20 game since Kevin Ardister in 1989. What makes Auburn so potent? Broome is surrounded by a flurry of explosive guards, with Denver Jones pouring in 14 points and freshman Tahaad Pettiford drilling three triples. In total, Auburn shot 13-for-30 from beyond the arc. This team has the No. 1 offense in the country according to KenPom and ranks 12th defensively. You never have to worry about Pearl’s teams guarding, but this one scores it at a high rate.

Here are five other rapid fire takeaways from a crazy weekend of hoops.

Another freshman star is born

Liam McNeeley showed America that he’s the third-best freshman in the country, trailing only Duke’s Cooper Flagg and Rutgers superstar Dylan Bailey, who beat Seton Hall at the buzzer Saturday with a wild triple. McNeeley’s 26-point, 8-rebound, 4-assist performance with no turnovers was a master class at Madison Square Garden on FOX Primetime Hoops, as UConn beat Gonzaga 77-71 for a third straight résumé-boosting win.

No. 8 Gonzaga Bulldogs vs. No. 18 UConn Huskies Highlights

McNeeley’s performance of 25-plus points and no turnovers was the first by a Connecticut freshman since Shabazz Napier in 2012, and it’s what leads the Huskies back into my top 15 this week after their 0-3 performance at the Maui Invitational.

Credit to Dan Hurley and his team for evolving as quickly as they have. They lost starting center Samson Johnson early on Saturday (concussion protocol). Tarris Reed got into foul trouble and Alex Karaban was 0-for-7 from 3-point land. And yet, they found a way with Jaylin Stewart and Reed in double-figures, and the defense showing material growth yet again. Connecticut has regained its mojo.

The Aggies are tough!

Texas A&M showed me a lot on Saturday in a 70-66 win over Purdue. The Aggies, playing a pseudo road game in Indianapolis, made Trey Kaufman-Renn work on the interior and totally outmuscled the Boilermakers with a 34-23 advantage on the glass. Minnesota transfer Pharrel Payne was terrific, with 16 points on 6-of-6 from the floor to go along with nine points. Buzz Williams’ team is in my top 15 this week after five straight victories over high-major opponents.

Mark Pope has the Wildcats rolling

In the first Kentucky-Louisville game since 2001 without John Calipari or Rick Pitino, Big Blue Nation can rejoice. The Wildcats beat the Cardinals for the 14th time in 17 meetings, winning 93-85 in Lexington to improve to 10-1 on the season. What a difference Mark Pope is already making with a new-look offense that can ride a different hot hand every time out. On Saturday, it was Lamont Butler. Get this: The San Diego State transfer had 33 points on a perfect 10-of-10 from the floor (he shot 7-for-12 at the line, but 6-for-6 from 3) — and six assists! Butler is my national player of the week.

Dayton is for real, folks

How about an upset in Dayton! The Flyers, who entered my Top 25 last week but were not in the AP Top 25, proved us right with a comeback from 13 down to stun No. 6 Marquette, 71-63. That’s an outstanding win for Anthony Grant, who also owns a win over UConn. UD is a top 20 team in my book and a gem of an at-large squad for the Atlantic 10.

Time to get nervous in Tucson?

The Arizona Wildcats are 4-5, and it’s panic time in Tucson. UCLA rallied from 13 down with 10 minutes on the clock to stun Tommy Lloyd’s team and improve to 9-1 on the season. Tyler Bilodeau was key down the stretch and finished with 17 points, and Mick Cronin’s team is off to its best start since 2021. Out of the four West Coast additions to the Big Ten, two of them are conference title contenders, the Bruins and Oregon.

Let’s get to our Top 25!

1. Tennessee Volunteers (10-0)

The Volunteers are the best defensive team in the nation, but it’s normally a given that Rick Barnes has a squad that guards you when you get off the bus. This team is top-15 nationally in KenPom offense and Chaz Lanier is one of the five best players in America.

2. Auburn Tigers (9-1)

The Tigers’ next marquee game comes Saturday in Birmingham against Purdue. If they can win that one, they’ll go into SEC play having only lost at Duke. No shame in that.

3. Iowa State Cyclones (9-1)

The Cyclones proved themselves yet again on Thursday, rallying from 13 down to beat archrival Iowa, 89-80. Saint Mary’s transfer Joshua Jefferson continued to show why he was a portal gem of a pickup, with 19 and 10.

4. Kentucky Wildcats (10-1)

If you predicted Mark Pope would have a top-4 team in the country just six weeks into his first season, we’ll let you pick our lottery numbers, as well. Big Blue Nation is dreaming big and this feels different, with one of their own leading them into a new era.

5. Duke Blue Devils (8-2)

The Blue Devils blew out Incarnate Word 72-46 this past week, with Khaman Maluach going for 17 points and seven rebounds. The freshman is such a game-changer, specifically defensively, when not in foul trouble. Up next: George Mason on Tuesday.

6. Florida Gators (10-0)

The Gators thumped Arizona State, 83-66, on Saturday to stay undefeated on the season. Walter Clayton continues to play like one of the top 7-8 players in the sport, if not better, delivering 25 points in the victory.

7. Alabama Crimson Tide (8-2)

The Crimson Tide commanded Creighton, 83-75, in Tuscaloosa on Saturday to notch yet another quality win to their résumé. Mark Sears is one of America’s best players, delivering 27 points, six rebounds and four assists in the victory, while Kansas transfer Labaron Philon had 16 and 5.

8. Marquette Golden Eagles (9-2)

I’m not going to heavily fault the Golden Eagles for losing on the road to a very good Dayton team.

9. Houston Cougars (6-3)

Houston is ranked No. 15 in the AP because they have three losses, but I am not letting that impact my thinking at all! They’re top-4 in both KenPom and Torvik metric systems and still as tough as any team in America, with L.J. Cryer and Emanuel Sharp leading the way.

10. Kansas Jayhawks (8-2)

The Jayhawks commanded NC State, 75-60, on Saturday with a nice bounce-back performance behind Hunter Dickinson, who tallied 21 points, 14 rebounds and seven assists. It was South Dakota State transfer Zeke Mayo’s finest act as a Jayhawk, as he had 26 points on 9-of-14 from the floor. That’s what Bill Self thought he was getting in his transfer class: shotmakers. Mayo supplied it Saturday and Kansas is back in my top 10.

11. UConn Huskies (8-3)

12. Texas A&M Aggies (9-2)

13. Ole Miss Rebels (9-1)

14. Oklahoma Sooners (10-0)

15. UCLA Bruins (9-1)

16. Oregon Ducks (9-1)

17. Purdue Boilermakers (8-3)

18. Gonzaga Bulldogs (7-3)

19. Dayton Flyers (9-2)

20. Memphis Tigers (8-2)

21. San Diego State Aztecs (7-2)

22. Arkansas Razorbacks (9-2)

23. Michigan Wolverines (8-2)

24. Michigan State Spartans (8-2)

25. Cincinnati Bearcats (8-1)

John Fanta is a national college basketball broadcaster and writer for FOX Sports. He covers the sport in a variety of capacities, from calling games on FS1 to serving as lead host on the BIG EAST Digital Network to providing commentary on The Field of 68 Media Network. Follow him at @John_Fanta.

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Tennessee

Memphis voters file federal lawsuit against new congressional map, claiming discrimination: ‘White control over Tennessee politics’

Published

7 hours ago

May 12, 2026

Press Room

Memphis voters file federal lawsuit against new congressional map, claiming discrimination: ‘White control over Tennessee politics’

MEMPHIS, Tenn. (WSMV) – Three Memphis voters, through the American Civil Liberties Union, have filed a federal lawsuit against Tennessee leaders, claiming the state’s new congressional maps are discriminating against Black voters.

The ACLU announced the lawsuit on Monday, saying that three organizations — the Black Clergy Collaborative of Memphis, the Memphis A. Philip Randolph Institute and the Equity Alliance, are also part of the lawsuit that was filed against Sec. of State Tre Hargett, Coordinator of Elections Mark Goins and several others.

“In May 2026, over the course of mere days, a White-dominated supermajority of the Tennessee General Assembly redrew Tennessee’s congressional map to crack the predominantly Black city of Memphis into three pieces and destroy the only district in which Black voters are able to elect representatives of their choice, shutting Black voters completely out of power in federal elections in Tennessee,” the filing states.

The ACLU and the other plaintiffs echo arguments made by Democrats while the maps were being debated during last week’s special session: “The cracking of Memphis unlawfully targeted Black voters.”

“The new plan carves through the center of Tennessee’s second largest city, dividing neighborhoods that have voted together for decades, splitting numerous counties and precincts, and cutting the Black population into thirds with suspect precision,” the lawsuit says. “The districts then run hundreds of miles east towards the Nashville suburbs, snaking through predominantly White and rural counties to dilute the voting power of now-divided Black Memphians.”

Gov. Bill Lee signed the new congressional map into law last week. The new map splits Shelby County, home of Memphis, into three districts.

Republicans have said the map modernizes the districting process and removes “racial data from the mapmaking process entirely.” Democrats, on the other hand, say that the move is meant to dismantle the Black-majority district.

Tennessee Speaker of the House Cameron Sexton (R) told WSMV that Republicans “have been very clear” on their intention to secure a ninth Republican seat in the state. He has said the map would help “ensure the state’s representation in Washington reflects its conservative values.”

The lawsuit draws significant attention to the racial makeup of Tennessee lawmakers, describing, “White control over Tennessee politics.” Plaintiffs allege that a white majority “faction” of state leaders “gave bizarre, robotic answers to the most basic questions about the map they were sponsoring.”

“None of the sponsors of the plan would admit who actually drew it, and the lead Senate sponsor—a White legislator with over a decade of service in the Tennessee General Assembly who had attended law school in Memphis — would not say whether Memphis was predominantly Black and claimed not to know that Congressional District 9 was a majority- Black district,” the filing says.

They seem to be referencing Sen. John Stevens (R-Huntingdon), who was asked during the special session if he was aware that the majority of the residents in the ninth district are Black.

“I’m not aware,” he responded. “I know how the map is divided, but I don’t know the racial makeup of the map.”

Stevens got his juris doctorate from the University of Memphis Cecil C. Humphreys School of Law.

The three Memphis residents who took part in the lawsuit are Amber Sherman, a lifelong resident of Memphis and the lead Tennessee regional organizer for Black Voters Matter Fund, Rachael Spriggs, a Memphis resident for more than 20 years who is the director of Power Building for the Equity Alliance, and Kermit Moore, a nearly lifelong resident of Memphis who is the president of the Memphis A. Philip Randolph Institute.

The lawsuit claims intentional discrimination in violation of the 14th and 15th Amendments, as well as retaliation for protected expression and association in violation of the First Amendment.

Plaintiffs are asking the court to declare that the newly drawn map is unconstitutional and restore district lines before primary elections proceed.

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Tennessee

New Tennessee law allows K9 officers to be transported by helicopter, ambulance to vet

Published

19 hours ago

May 11, 2026

Press Room

New Tennessee law allows K9 officers to be transported by helicopter, ambulance to vet

Tennessee State Senators Michele Reneau of Signal Mountain and Bo Watson of Hixson spoke today about the new law supporting police K-9’s.

The act allows injured dogs to get stabilization services on-site and then be transported via ambulance or helicopter to a vet hospital.

“In the past, officers were basically putting the k9 in their car and transporting them in their in their own vehicle, they didn’t have an ambulance or an air ambulance,” said Senator Watson. “This allows for an air ambulance. It also allows for a educational program for those in EMS, who will be taught how to manage canines emergency medical condition, which is different than a human’s.”

In April, Erlanger flew a K9 officer from Clay County, to North Carolina.

It was the first time the program was used for a live transport after several training runs.

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Tennessee

What You Need to Know About Tennessee Softball’s Path to Another WCWS | Rocky Top Insider

Published

1 day ago

May 11, 2026

Press Room

What You Need to Know About Tennessee Softball’s Path to Another WCWS | Rocky Top Insider

Tennessee softball’s path back to the Women’s College World Series is set. On Sunday night, the Lady Vols were named the No. 7 overall seed in the 2026 NCAA Tournament and will host the regional stage in Knoxville as it looks to return to the WCWS in back-to-back seasons.

The Lady Vols are matched up with Virginia, Indiana and Northern Kentucky in the regionals. It would play Georgia, Clemson, UNC Greensboro or Charleston in the super regionals.

Ahead of the tournament, here’s a look at each team in the Knoxville Regional and potential matchups for the ensuing best-of-three super regional if Tennessee advances.