Tennessee Vols basketball finds out where it will begin its climb towards the top in 2024-25

The Tennessee Vols basketball team has high hopes with the 2024-25 season just around the corner.  Now they'll know where they begin in the AP poll as they look to go (at least) one step further than they did last season.

The Vols checked in at #12 in the college basketball preseason AP Poll .

Kansas topped the poll with 30 first place votes.  Alabama followed with 14 first place votes, far and away the highest ranked SEC team in the initial poll.  After the Tide, Auburn, Tennessee, and Texas A&M come in back-to-back-to-back. Arkansas, Texas, Florida, Kentucky, and Ole Miss also rounded out the poll for the SEC.

The Vols aren't that far from where they started their 2023-24 season.  Tennessee started off #9 a year ago, and that season ended with a run to the Elite Eight thanks to the All-American season from Dalton Knecht.

With plenty of talent infused into the roster, the hopes are to get one step further - at minimum - and reach the program's first-ever Final Four.  Rick Barnes was able to secure plenty of talent in the transfer portal, including Chaz Lanier (North Florida), Igor Milicic, Jr. (Charlotte), Felix Okpara (Ohio State), and Darlinstone Dubar (Hofstra).

Tennessee gets their season underway on November 4 against Gardner-Webb in Knoxville.

Related: Paul Finebaum explains why he believes Alabama-Tennessee will be more important than Georgia-Texas on Saturday