Some big games in the conference over the past week cleared the way for a few teams to surge ahead in the rankings, and for some other to fall back into the bottom. Who are those teams? Check out the latest edition of the SEC Basketball power rankings to find out.
Welcome to week two. Remember, these rankings will be based on how teams are faring currently in conference play, as well as how they have preformed throughout the season. The past week’s results have put some separation between the teams in the conference as well as provided us plenty of moments of some #SECbasketballfever. Let’s get after it.
14 Auburn Tigers 9-15 Overall (3-9 Conf)
The biggest shocker for me comes right at the top as Mizzou has found a way not to be dead last in these rankings. However, it’s not because of how “good” they have been, but because of how downright awful Auburn has been. Since beating Alabama, the Tigers have now lost SEVEN straight SEC games, none under double digits and most in the 15-25 range. However matters got even worse for the Tigers this week when guard Kareem Canty up and left the team due to personal reasons and went to prepare for the pros. Ummm WHAT? Yep, just got up and left. Have fun in Europe buddy. What looked to be a building block season for Bruce Pearl has not turned into a complete mess and a step back for the program.
13 Missouri Tigers 9-16 Overall (2-10 Conf)
Remember when I said Missouri losing streak likely wouldn’t come to an end anytime soon? Well I was wrong as the Tigers knocked off the Vols in Columbia. While Tennessee struggles on the road just as much or more than team in the league a win is still a win. The Tigers have got solid play from the likes of Kevin Puryear, Terrence Phillips and 8th year senior Ryan Rosburg (I kid, I kid but doesn’t it seem that way?) lately.
12 Tennessee Volunteers 12-13 Overall (5-7 Conf)
Tennessee had a very Tennessee kind of week this week, winning and looking good at home during the week and falling flat on the road on Saturday. I’d expect the same narrative for the Vols the rest of the way. Doesn’t get any easier for the Vols this week as they’ll go to Rupp and then play LSU at home next Saturday.
11 Arkansas Razorbacks 12-13 Overall (5-7 Conf)
The talk of postseason play quickly blew up in Arkansas’ fans faces across the state this week after two disappointing performances to the Mississippi schools this week. Arkansas will have a chance to get back on track this week against the leagues two worst teams at home: Auburn and Missouri. However after that the remaining four games get pretty tough and this wouldn’t be the first or second time we have watched Anderson’s Hogs go out with a whimper during his tenure here.
10 Mississippi State Bulldogs 10-14 Overall (3-9 Conf)
I hate having the Bulldogs this high but how can you have them behind the team they just pummeled by 32 points or the #SECbasketballfever Vols? I couldn’t. While they did lose to Georgia at home Saturday, this team still continues to compete and keep games close game in and game out.
9 Vanderbilt Commadores 15-10 Overall (7-5 Conf)
Vandy may have went 2-0 this week but it couldn’t have been any easier playing both Auburn and Missouri this week. I’m still waiting on if they can get this thing back together. They’ll have two winnable games this week against Mississippi St. and Georgia.
8 Georgia Bulldogs 14-9 Overall (7-5 Conf)
The Bulldogs bounced back well after getting dominated by Kentucky mid week with a road win over Mississippi St. over the weekend. Charles Mann has started to play better as of late and Maten has just been consistency good in the middle. The Bulldogs can make a serious push for the NCAA tourney this week with games against Vandy and Florida coming up.
7 Ole Miss 16-9 Overall (6-6 Conf)
Ole Miss has the potential to make a nice run now with a favorable schedule and the emergence of grad transfer Tomasz Gielo and Juco transfer Rasheed Brooks. Also big man Sebastain Siaz is back in the fold, coming back from the eye injury that kept him out for a few weeks this past week. All has to be a welcome sight for do it all guard Stephan Moody who can certainly use the help.
6 Texas A&M Aggies 18-7 Overall (7-5 Conf)
Do I think A&M is really this low? Not likely, but I can’t have them any higher losing their last FIVE conference games. While the schedule has been tough, it doesn’t get any easier this week going up against Ole Miss and Kentucky. Can Kennedy’s senior laden team get it turned around? They should, but we’ll see.
5 Florida Gators 16-9 Overall (7-5 Conf)
The Gators ended up going 1-1 with this weeks two game home stand after being upset at home by Bama on Saturday. They’ll need to steal one on the road this week when they have to face Georgia and South Carolina.
More razorbacks: Arkansas Razorbacks News You May Have Missed
4 Alabama Crimson Tide 15-9 Overall (6-6 Conf)
Two words: Red Hot! Bama had the best week in the league this past week, taking down A&M and Florida. The Tide have now won 4 straight league games and have put themselves into position to get an NCAA tourney bid if they continue their strong play. Avery Johnson will deserve to be the SEC coach of the year if he can take this team to the big dance. Big Jimmy Taylor came up huge for the Tide against Florida’s tough front line on Saturday.
3 South Carolina Gamecocks 21-4 Overall (8-4 Conf)
The Gamecocks started out the week strong, getting a key win over LSU at home but were taken to the woodshed in the same arena a few days later to a Calipari-less Kentucky club putting a bit of a damper on the week for USC. It seems as though The Gamecocks will go as lead guard Sindarius Thornwell goes, as a big game helped catapult USC over LSU but he had a bit of a dud game against the Wildcats over the weekend. He’ll need to stay consistent for the Gamecocks to finish strong down the stretch.
2 LSU Tigers 16-9 Overall (9-3 Conf)
LSU ended up 1-1 against a tough couple of games against South Carolina and Texas A&m, picking up the win against the Aggies over the weekend. Ben Simmons continues to be spectacular for the Tigers (and if you didn’t notice while watching them, the announcers calling the game will tell you 100 times during the game) and the supporting cast played alot better as well. He’ll need the extra boost from those guys as they go down the stretch.
1 Kentucky Wildcats 17-6 Overall (7-3 in Conf)
Last week I wasn’t extremely confident Kentucky earned the top spot when I put them here last week. I’m pretty confident it was the right choice now. Tyler Ulis and Jamal Murrary have went to another level as of late, and they got some nice production from Derek Willis and Marcus Lee inside this week. Who would have thought the Wildcats could still be this good with as big of a bust Skal Labissiere has been? The Wildcats look like the clear leader in the club house for now.
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Even though our favorite team most likely is out of any sort of postseason play, it’s going to be interesting how the conference will turn out the rest of the way. As of now, nine teams still have post season hopes, and you can bet some of the games this week will once again weed out the pretenders while other teams start to stand out. Looking forward to another great slate of games this week for SEC basketball!