KNOXVILLE, Tenn. (AP) Tennessee wants to show that its share of the Southeastern Conference regular-season title last year was an indication that the Volunteers' program is on the rise.

Picked to finish 13th out of 14 SEC teams before the 2017-18 season, Tennessee instead went 26-9 and tied Auburn for first place in the conference . The Vols return their top six scorers from that team and enter this season as an SEC front-runner, but they say they haven't lost the collective chip on their shoulder that came from being picked so low a year ago.

"If complacency sets in, that's my fault - and I can assure you that's not going to happen," Tennessee coach Rick Barnes said Thursday at the Vols' media day.