SEC Power Rankings: 1-21-13 Edition
Dec 3, 2011; Atlanta, GA, USA; Detail view of the SEC logo before the 2011 SEC championship game between the LSU Tigers and the Georgia Bulldogs at the Georgia Dome. Mandatory Credit: Derick E. Hingle-USA TODAY Sports
January 19, 2013; Gainesville, FL, USA; Florida Gators guard Scottie Wilbekin (5), guard Mike Rosario (3), forward Will Yeguete (15) and forward/center Erik Murphy (33) react from the bench after a dunk by Florida Gators guard Michael Frazier II (20; not pictured) during the second half of the game against the Missouri Tigers at the Stephen C. O
1. #10 Florida Gators (14-2, 4-0) Last Week- W 68-47 at Texas A&M, W 83-52 vs. Missouri: There is no question that the Gators are the best team in the SEC right now. They are the only team ranked in the top 25, they are undefeated in the league and they are destroying their opponents. This week we saw the Gators win by over twenty points and by over thirty points. So far they have won every SEC contest by twenty or more points. Will we see a team go through the conference unscathed for a second year in a row? The Gators won’t face Kentucky until February 12th, but I expect them to be 10-0 in conference by that point. This Week: January 23 at Georgia, January 26 at Mississippi State
2. Kentucky Wildcats (12-5, 3-1) Last Week- W 75-65 vs. Tennessee, W 75-53 at Auburn: The Wildcats may have turned a corner, and most of the thanks goes to Kyle Wiltjer. Last week we saw a more aggressive, more confident basketball player in the sophomore forward. The offense was run through him for many of the plays against Auburn. The Tigers couldn’t stop the Wildcats offense as Wiltjer stood at the middle of the lane for a drive, a dish or a jumper. For the first time in weeks the Wildcats looked as if they were having fun for the first time in weeks. And why wouldn’t they be having gun? The destroyed Auburn in front of a sold out arena and Charles Barkely. This Week: January 22 at Alabama, January 26 vs. LSU
3. Ole Miss Rebels (15-2, 4-0) Last Week: W 89-79 (OT) at Vanderbilt, W 76-64 vs. Arkansas: I keep waiting for a loss against the Rebels and it doesn’t happen. I think it may be time for me to stop dismissing this team. They seem legit at this point, 4-0 in the conference will tend to convince people of that. I still can’t get losses against Middle Tennessee State and Indiana State out of my head, but with a team scoring the third most points per game and with Marshall Henderson and Murphy Holloway both averaging over 15 points per game, then they have to be taken seriously. This Week: January 24 vs. Tennessee, January 26 at Auburn
4. #17 Missouri Tigers (13-4, 2-2) Last Week: W 79-62 vs. Georgia, L 83-52 at Florida: Missouri is a tough team to figure out. One moment they look like one of the best teams in the SEC, and then they look absolutely average the next. They are .500 in the SEC so far this season, losing to two of the better teams in the SEC against Ole Miss and Florida. Mizzou has an occasion to play a disappearing act on offense, despite having some real power on that side of the ball. This Week: January 22 vs. South Carolina, January 26 vs. Vanderbilt
5. Alabama Crimson Tide (11-6, 3-1) Last Week: W 75-43 vs. Mississippi State, W 50-49 at Texas A&M: After a brutal non-conference schedule, the Tide seem to be getting it together at the right time. Their lone loss in the SEC came against Missouri on the road 84-68. Since that time they are on a three game winning streak. But ‘Bama has a really tough time scoring points. They rank 228th in points per game with 65.5. They better fix that soon with the Kentucky Wildcats coming to town, a team that looked to be on the ropes but have all of a sudden found their stride. The Cats are scoring 77.1 points per game and are also in the tops of the country in field goal percentage, assists and rebounding. Again, all things the Tide struggle to do. This Week: January 22 vs, Kentucky, January 26 at Tennessee
6. Texas A&M Aggies (12-5, 2-2) Last Week: L 68-47 vs. Florida, L 50-49 at Alabama: The Aggies are 0-2 since upsetting the Wildcats in Rupp Arena. The more I think about that win, the more I attribute it to a guy having the game of his life. Elston Turner put up 40 against the Cats. He then put up only four in a loss to Florida and 13 in a loss to Alabama. Without Turner’s game of a lifetime, I believe the Wildcats would have won handily and the Aggies would be 1-3 in the SEC. This Week: January 23 at LSU, January 26 vs. Georgia
7. Arkansas Razorbacks (11-6, 2-2) Last Week: W 88-80 (2 OT) vs. Auburn, L 76-64 at Ole Miss: The Razorbacks are another SEC team struggling to find their way. Both of their conference losses have come by double digits to two of the better teams in the SEC. While Arkansas can score (78.6 points per game) their defense is atrocious as is their rebounding. If it wasn’t for BJ Young’s 17 points per game, the Razorbacks would be a very bad team. This Week: January 23 vs. Mississippi State, January 26 at South Carolina