Where Kentucky stands in the SEC following win over Tennessee

Kentucky basketball is now in a spot where they could steal a regular season SEC title with seven games left.

Feb 7, 2026; Lexington, Kentucky, USA; Kentucky Wildcats forward Mouhamed Dioubate (23) celebrates after dunking the ball against the Tennessee Volunteers at Rupp Arena at Central Bank Center. Mandatory Credit: Jordan Prather-Imagn Images | Jordan Prather-Imagn Images

Kentucky basketball picked up a big home win after completing a comeback against No. 25 Tennessee. The Wildcats have not only swept the Vols in the regular season, but they have also turned things completely around in the SEC. Kentucky started 0-2 in the conference, with a bleak outlook ahead, but now, they are 8-3.

The Wildcats now have wins over the likes of No. 15 Arkansas, a ranked Tennessee team twice and comeback wins over Mississippi State and LSU. Kentucky has completely flipped the switch in the SEC, now 8-3 in the conference after starting 0-2. The Wildcats are currently in their toughest stretch of the season and aside from the 25-point loss to Vandy, have done very well so far.

Where does Kentucky stand in the conference rankings with seven games remaining in the regular season? The Wildcats are 8-3, good for second-place in the SEC, only behind No. 17 Florida. Here is the top-five of the conference rankings through 11 games:

1. Florida 8-2 (17-6)

2. Kentucky 8-3 (17-7)

3. Arkansas 7-3 (17-6)

4. Texas A&M 7-3 (17-6)

5. Vandy 6-4 (19-4)

Kentucky is now getting some separation from the rest of the SEC, only one game behind Florida, no longer in a three-way tie for second like they were last week. Up next, Kentucky will take on No. 17 Florida. coincidentally, next Saturday on the road in what will be a very pivotal game if they want to jump atop the SEC standings as we head into the final stretch of the regular season.

Kentucky's guard Otega Oweh (00) celebrates scoring against Tennessee at Rupp Arena Saturday night. Feb. 7, 2026 | Scott Utterback/Courier Journal / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Even before Saturday's win over Tennessee, Mark Pope talked about his team's ability to continue showing resiliency when they find themselves down in a hole in games.

"There's something powerful about when you just get bludgeoned and bludgeoned and bludgeoned and bludgeoned and you still get up, you still wake up the next day and you come out to the court, because, in its own unique way, you're not scared of it anymore. You're just like, all the things have been tough, they've been hard and we're still standing, we're still fighting."

That mindset really is becoming a part of this Kentucky team's identity and they continue to show it with the way they have won many of there games in SEC play. Now, they're in a spot where they really can steal a regular season conference title. Next Saturday against Florida will be telling.