(AP Photo/Knoxville News Sentinel, Adam Brimer)KNOXVILLE, Tenn. (AP) -- Tennessee is playing its best basketball of the season and is poised to close out the regular season on a run.
Five of the Volunteers' last six games are against teams whose records in the Southeastern Conference are the same as theirs or worse.
The Vols (13-12, 5-5) were picked to finish 11th in the SEC but are currently in a four-way tie for fifth place, even after playing five games against ranked opponents last month.
In the next week, Tennessee will face the three teams its
currently tied with: Arkansas (17-8, 5-5) at home Wednesday night, followed by a trip to Alabama on Saturday and then Mississippi at home on Feb. 22.
Coach Cuonzo Martin says Tennessee's rise in the standings is a good indicator of his team's progress.
(Copyright 2012 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)
