SEC Basketball Power Rankings: 2/5 Edition
By Paul Jordan
1. (LW-1) #1 Kentucky 23-1 (9-0) (defeated Tennessee 69-44, defeated South Carolina 86-52): No team is playing better basketball than Kentucky at this point in the season as Terrence Jones is living up to the preseason hype. Anthony Davis is getting better every game and Kentucky truly looks like a team without a weakness. The schedule has not been tough, but the Wildcats have won their last three games by at least 24 points. UK has not trailed in the past 148 minutes and 45 seconds. THIS WEEK: 2/7 vs #11 Florida, 2/11 @ Vanderbilt
2. (LW-2) #11 Florida 19-4 (7-1) (defeated Tennessee 74-66, defeated Vanderbilt 73-65): The Gators are on a roll, having won their seven past games. It should be noted that five of those games have been in the friendly confines of the O-Dome, where the Gators have not lost a game this year. UF has won their last two road games, but that was against South Carolina and Ole Miss. UF is 2-4 on the road this year and they will have to win away from home to stay afloat in the SEC. Bradley Beal has the feel of a one and doner. THIS WEEK: 2/7 @ #1 Kentucky, 2/11 vs Tennessee
3. (LW-4) #19 Mississippi State 18-5 (5-3) (defeated Auburn 91-88): The Bulldogs aren’t the prettiest team, but they keep winning. They have a very favorable stretch of games and are in position to climb back into SEC contention should either Kentucky or Florida falter the next couple of weeks. Bulldogs have a very solid top three in Moultrie, Bost, and Hood but don’t have the feel of a team that can make a deep tourney run. If Renardo Sidney can step his game up down the stretch, they are a sweet 16 team. THIS WEEK: 2/9 vs Mississippi, 2/11 vs Georgia
4. (LW-3) Vanderbilt 16-7 (5-3) (lost to Arkansas 82-74, lost to #11 Florida 73-65): Trust me, if I could drop the Commodores more, I would. But by virtue of just having three conference losses, they remain in the top four of the power rankings for now. But there is a huge dropoff between three and four at this point because Vandy has already lost to Mississippi State this year. The Commodores have lost two straight road games this week, but what is shocking is the fact they have four home losses this year. Vandy can paint themselves squarely on the bubble with another loss or two. THIS WEEK: 2/8 vs LSU, 2/11 vs #1 UK
5. (LW-7) Alabama 15-7 (4-4) (defeated Mississippi 69-67 2OT) Alabama struggled into double time with Ole Miss but came away with a huge conference win that sets them even in conference play. Despite being a disappointment thus far, The Crimson Tide have only themselves to count on for a NCAA bid. They play no ranked teams on the road the rest of the way so their two toughest wins are at home. They just need to play up to their preseason rankings and seize the opportunity. THIS WEEK: 2/7 @ Auburn, 2/11 @ LSU
6. (LW-6) Arkansas 16-7 (4-4) (defeated Vanderbilt 82-74, lost to LSU 71-65) Arkansas must be kicking themselves this morning as they lost a huge opportunity to not only put themselves in a position to move up in the SEC standings, but they damaged their NCAA chances. It drives me crazy when a team can knock off a Vanderbilt and then lose to a LSU in the same week. Such inconsistency usually lands you in the NIT. Like all the 4-4 teams, they can still get off the bubble but it’s going to take 5-3 or better. THIS WEEK: 2/8 @ Georgia, 2/11 vs South Carolina
7. (LW-5) Mississippi 14-8 (4-4) (lost to Alabama 69-67 2OT) Heartbreaking loss for the Rebels against Alabama because that road win would have made a statement. As of now, I have the Rebels as weakest of the four loss teams just because a road game is almost a sure loss at this point as the Rebels are 1-5 in last six road games. That can change starting this week and like Alabama and Arkansas, their destiny is in their hands. THIS WEEK: 2/9 @ #19 Mississippi State, 2/11 vs Auburn
8. (LW-8) Tennessee 11-12 (3-5) (lost to #1 Kentucky 69-44, defeated Georgia 73-62) Let’s not fool anyone. The Vols have no chance at even a NIT bid, but in all reality, this should be a 6-17 team right now. Cuonzo Martin has done an outstanding job in his first year at Knoxville. And while there is no postseason bid, Tennessee is the most likely of the lower tier teams to play spoiler the rest of the way. THIS WEEK: 2/8 vs South Carolina, 2/11 @ #11 Florida
9. (LW-9) LSU 13-9 (3-5) (lost to #1 Kentucky 74-50, defeated Arkansas 71-65) I was ready to drop the Tigers to the 12th spot after their dreadful loss to Kentucky but LSU had a huge win over Arkansas. Due to their record, LSU has a shot at a NIT bid if they can go 4-4 the rest of the way, and the overall schedule is pretty favorable, but the next three games will be telling. Having lost 5 of 7, I don’t have a lot of faith in the Tigers anymore, despite the Arkansas win. THIS WEEK: 2/8 @ Vanderbilt, 2/11 vs Alabama
10. (LW-12) Auburn 13-10 (3-6) (defeated Georgia 59-51, lost to #19 Mississippi State 91-88) The Tigers actually showed signs of life this week, beating the Bulldogs of Georgia and scaring the Bulldogs of Mississippi State. That is what they need. While there schedule the rest of the way is not insanely hard, I doubt Auburn will be favored in a game the rest of the month. It’s time to step it up and earn that NIT bid. THIS WEEK: 2/7 @ Alabama, 2/11 @ Mississippi
11. (LW-10) Georgia 10-12 (1-7) (lost to Auburn 59-51, lost to Tennessee 73-62) And now we reach the teams that we wonder if they will win a game the rest of the season. Georgia has lost 7 of 8 and four in a row. The Bulldogs have tried to be competitive, but the only saving grace of the schedule the rest of the way is that they play South Carolina twice. THIS WEEK: 2/8 vs Arkansas, 2/11 @ #19 Mississippi State
12. (LW-11) South Carolina 9-13 (1-7) (lost to #11 Florida 74-66, lost to #1 Kentucky 86-52) Nowhere was the disparity between #1 and #12 in the SEC more apparent than last night on the Gamecocks home floor. You would think that the Gamecocks could make it interesting for a bit on their home floor, but Kentucky had their way with South Carolina. No one expected an upset from USC, but a little bit of fight was expected. THIS WEEK: 2/8 @ Tennessee, 2/11 @ Arkansas