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Tuesday, November 10, 2026Nov 10
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Tennessee joined by unlikely duo atop SEC basketball standings

From left, Tennessee basketball players Jordan Bone, Jordan Bowden, Kyle Alexander and Admiral Schofield celebrate during the Vols' win at Memphis on Dec. 15. The Vols are 10-1 with their nonconference schedule nearly complete and could rise to No. 1 in the national rankings today.
From left, Tennessee basketball players Jordan Bone, Jordan Bowden, Kyle Alexander and Admiral Schofield celebrate during the Vols' win at Memphis on Dec. 15. The Vols are 10-1 with their nonconference schedule nearly complete and could rise to No. 1 in the national rankings today. From left, Tennessee basketball players Jordan Bone, Jordan Bowden, Kyle Alexander and Admiral Schofield celebrate during the Vols' win at Memphis on Dec. 15. The Vols are 10-1 with their nonconference schedule nearly complete and could rise to No. 1 in the national rankings today.

By David Paschall 4 min read

That Tennessee is 3-0 in Southeastern Conference men’s basketball play is not overly shocking given that coach Rick Barnes returned substantial experience from last year’s team that shared the league’s regular-season title with Auburn.

The most surprising aspect of the Volunteers would be their dominance, with Tennessee having attained 13 of its 14 victories by double digits.

“I think Tennessee is good at everything,” Florida coach Mike White, whose Gators lost 78-67 to the visiting Vols on Saturday night, said Monday. “I don’t think they have any weaknesses. I think they have a chance to win the national championship. They’re experienced. They’re tough, both mentally and physically.

“They execute. I don’t know what they’re not good at.”

The surprise of the early SEC snapshot is who has accompanied the Vols with 3-0 league marks – Ole Miss and South Carolina. The Rebels, under the guidance of first-year coach Kermit Davis, are bouncing back from last season’s 12-20 record that included a last-place SEC finish at 5-13, while Frank Martin’s Gamecocks seem to have rebounded from just last month.