Where Alabama Basketball Ranks in Polls After Falling to Tennessee

How far down did the Crimson Tide drop in the AP Top 25 and Coaches Poll after dropping a home game against the Volunteers?

Jan 24, 2026; Tuscaloosa, AL, USA; Alabama head coach Nate Oats yells at an official over what he believed was a missed foul by a Tennessee player at Coleman Coliseum. Mandatory Credit: Gary Cosby Jr.-Tuscaloosa News | Gary Cosby Jr. / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

After 11 weeks into the regular season, Alabama men's basketball entered its home matchup against Tennessee as the No. 17 team in the AP Top 25 and the Coaches Poll.

It was the Crimson Tide's only game this past week, as it had a full week to prepare, but Alabama fell to the Volunteers 79-73 on Saturday night. The result brought Alabama's losing streak against Tennessee to five games. It's the first time that the Tide has dropped this many games to the Vols since 1968-72 — a streak that came two years before Oats was born (Oct. 13, 1974).

Alabama's third loss in SEC play brought the Crimson Tide down to No. 23 in both the AP Top 25 and Coaches Poll on Monday.

AP Top 25

(Ranking, Team, First-Place Votes, Record, Points)

1. Arizona (60), 20-0, 1500
2. UConn, 19-1, 1402
3. Michigan, 18-1, 1379
4. Duke, 18-1, 1326
5. Nebraska, 20-0, 1283
6. Gonzaga, 21-1, 1097
7. Michigan State, 18-2, 1072
8. Iowa State, 18-2, 1070
9. Illinois, 17-3, 1060
10. Houston, 17-2, 983
11. Texas Tech, 16-4, 939
12. Purdue, 17-3, 864
13. BYU, 17-2, 837
14. Kansas, 15-5, 614
15. Arkansas, 15-5, 568
16. North Carolina, 16-4, 528
17. Virginia, 16-3. 509
18. Vanderbilt, 17-3, 497
19. Florida, 14-6, 389
20. Louisville, 14-5, 297
21. Saint Louis, 19-1, 286
22. Clemson, 17-4, 245
23. Alabama, 13-6, 202
24. Miami-Ohio, 20-0, 140
25. St. John's, 15-5, 133

Others Receiving Votes: Tennessee 88, Kentucky 51, Georgia 49, Iowa 30, Texas A&M 27, Auburn 15, NC State 8, SMU 4, Saint Mary's 3, Utah St. 2, Villanova 2, Wisconsin 1.

Coaches Poll

(Ranking, Team, First-Place Votes, Record, Points)

1. Arizona (31), 20-0, 775
2. Michigan,18-1, 723
3. UConn, 19-1, 716
4. Duke, 18-1, 686
5. Nebraska, 20-0, 634
6. Gonzaga, 21-1, 590
7. Houston, 17-2, 530
8. Michigan State, 18-2, 526
9. Iowa State, 18-2, 524
10. Illinois, 17-3, 520
11. Texas Tech, 16-4, 485
12. Purdue, 17-3, 462
13. BYU, 17-2, 432
14. Kansas, 15-5, 292
15. Vanderbilt, 17-3, 287
16. Arkansas, 15-5, 261
17. Virginia, 16-3, 258
18. North Carolina, 16-4, 233
19. Clemson, 17-4, 200
20. Louisville, 14-5, 186
21. Florida, 14-6, 176
22. Saint Louis, 19-1, 154
23. Alabama, 13-6, 120
24. St. John's, 15-5, 95
25. Miami-Ohio, 20-0, 47
26. Iowa, 14-5, 47 (tied with Miami-Ohio)

Schools Dropped Out: No. 22 Georgia.

Others Receiving Votes: Georgia 33; Tennessee 30; Texas A&M 19; Villanova 15; Saint Mary's 9; SMU 4; Kentucky 3; Utah State 2; Liberty 1.

Against Kentucky, All eyes were on NBA G League player Charles Bediako returning to the Crimson Tide, as in his only game of a 10-day restraining order (the injunction hearing will be on Tuesday), he finished with 13 points, three rebounds and a pair of steals and blocks in 25 minutes. Labaron Philon Jr. led UA with 26 points, but it wasn't enough.

While the Crimson Tide held its own without Aden Holloway and Amari Allen, Tennessee started extremely strong in the second half, as Volunteers Nate Ament (29 points) and Ja'Kobi Gillespie (24) combined for 53 points on the night.

Alabama will play its 20th game of the regular season, and the seventh of SEC play, against Missouri on Tuesday at home.

Alabama Basketball's 2025-26 Season in the Polls

• Preseason: No. 15 in AP Poll, No. 16 in Coaches Poll
• After Week 1 (North Dakota win, St. John's win): No. 8 in AP Poll, No. 9 in Coaches Poll
• After Week 2 (Purdue loss): No. 11 in AP Poll, No. 11 in Coaches Poll
• After Week 3 (Illinois win): No. 8 in AP Poll, No. 9 in Coaches Poll
• After Week 4 (Gonzaga loss, UNLV win, Maryland win): No. 12 in AP Poll, No. 12 in Coaches Poll
• After Week 5 (Clemson win, UTSA win): No. 12 in AP Poll, No. 12 in Coaches Poll
• After Week 6 (Arizona loss): No. 16 in AP Poll, No. 16 in Coaches Poll
• After Week 7 (USF win, Kennesaw State win): No. 14 in AP Poll, No. 15 in Coaches Poll
• After Week 8 (Holiday break): No. 15 in Coaches Poll (AP Top 25 not released during break)
• After Week 9 (Yale win, Kentucky win): No. 13 in AP Poll, No. 12 in Coaches Poll
• After Week 10 (Vanderbilt loss, Texas loss): No. 18 in AP Poll, No. 18 in Coaches Poll
• After Week 11 (Mississippi State win, Oklahoma win): No. 17 in AP Poll, No. 17 in Coaches Poll
• After Week 12 (Tennessee loss): No. 23 in AP Poll, No. 23 in Coaches Poll

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