Tennessee Media Relations

In a battle for supremacy in the state of Tennessee, and what proved to be a battle for the top spot in the national rankings, Tennessee upset previously undefeated Memphis when the top two teams in the nation met this past Saturday. Tennessee took over as the No. 1 team in the nation in this week’s ranking with its 66-62 victory over the Tigers; Memphis fell one spot to No. 2. The Volunteers (25-2, 11-1 SEC) have now won nine straight games and 20 of their last 21. Memphis (26-1, 12-0 C-USA) snapped its 26-game win streak and its streak of 47 consecutive victories at home with the loss. The game was low scoring compared to the teams’ average output. Each team averages over 80 points per game but played more of a defensive game this past weekend. The Tigers held UT leading scorer Chris Lofton to seven points. J.P. Prince contributed off the bench, adding 13 points for Tennessee.

Bulldogs and Gaels fight for first The No. 24 and No. 25 teams in the AP poll face off Saturday, March 1, in a game that will have significant impact in the West Coast Conference. No. 24 Gonzaga hosts No. 25 Saint Mary’s in a game that will likely decide first place for the conference. Both teams have the same conference record at 11-1, with St. Mary’s holding the head-to-head advantage with its victory over the Bulldogs at the beginning of February. Gonzaga (22-6, 11-1 WCC) will have one other conference game after its match up with the Gaels (24-4, 11-1 WCC), as will St. Mary’s. Both teams are trying to build their resumes for the NCAA Tournament next month. The Bulldogs have two impressive road wins against Connecticut and Saint Joseph’s already under their belts, while St. Mary’s has victories over No. 20 Drake and Oregon, and tough losses against No. 5 Texas, No. 23 Kent State and Southern Illinois. When Gonzaga and St. Mary’s faced off earlier this month it took overtime to decide a victor. The Gaels walked off their home court with an 89-85 victory.

Butler drops six spots Butler takes the biggest drop of the week in the AP polls as it falls six spots to No. 14. The descent comes after Butler (25-3, 14-2 Horizon Conference) lost to No. 20 Drake this past week, 71-64. The loss ended Butler’s nine-game winning streak. Butler will look to be a threat in next month’s tournament with four players averaging at least 11 points per game. With a balanced attack on offense, one of its primary threats is Pete Campbell, who shoots over 42 percent from 3-point range. As for Drake (24-3, 14-2 Missouri Valley Conference), it also dropped in this week’s rankings, due to a 72-71 loss to Bradley. Drake fell four spots to No. 20 despite still getting the win over Butler. Both teams have great records but lack victories against ranked opponents. The victory for Drake is its first win over a ranked team all season. Butler is still without such a win.

Regardless, both teams are in great position to win their conferences. Both teams have two games remaining on their regular season schedule, with Butler holding a two-game lead in the Horizon League and Drake holding a three-game lead in the Missouri Valley Conference.

Kent State climbs to No. 23 Kent State’s first-ever victory over a ranked opponent earned it some national attention. When the Golden Flashes traveled to St. Mary’s this past Saturday, they beat the then-No. 20 Gaels, 65-57. With a stubborn defense, Kent State shut down Saint Mary’s star Patty Mills, holding him to 2-of-11 shooting and five points. Kent State (23-5, 11-2 MAC) still has work to do to close out the season on top in the Mid-American Conference. With three games remaining, the Golden Flashes hold a one-and-a-half game margin over Western Michigan. Success is common for Kent State, a team that has won at least 20 games in each of the last seven seasons, but it still has not enjoyed success like they are now. With its first win over a ranked opponent in school history, Kent State sits at the No. 23 spot in the AP poll. Jeff Larnard can be reached at [email protected]