SEC STANDINGS
SEC EAST
FLORIDA 9-2
VANDERBILT 6-4
GEORGIA 6-4
KENTUCKY 5-5
TENNESSEE 5-5
SOUTH CAROLINA 4-6
SEC WEST
ALABAMA 8-2
MISSISSIPPI STATE 5-5
ARKANSAS 5-6
MISSISSIPPI 4-6
LSU 2-8
AUBURN 2-8
TOURNAMENT WATCH
IN THE NCAA (3): Florida, Vanderbilt, Kentucky
ON THE BUBBLE (3): Alabama, Georgia, Tennessee
NIT BOUND (2): Mississippi, Arkansas
OTHER TOURNEY (2): South Carolina, Mississippi State
HOME FOR SPRING BREAK (2): Auburn., LSU
WBN BASKETBALL POWER RANKINGS:
1. (1) #19 Florida (20-5) (defeated South Carolina 79-60, defeated Tennessee 61-60): For the first time in four seasons, the Gators have a NCAA bid locked up by mid February but the question is now if UF can handle prosperity. The way it looks now, UF may be the only SEC team with a top four seeding in the NCAA. THIS WEEK: 2/20 @ LSU
2. (2) Alabama (16-8) (lost to Vanderbilt 81-77, defeated Mississippi 74-64): I’m not going to knock Alabama down for the loss to Vanderbilt. If you saw that game, Bama got robbed by the officials. Plus Bama holds a solid three game lead in the SEC West with six games remaining. The loss to Vandy did hurt Alabama’s NCAA chances, but not their SEC standing. THIS WEEK: 2/17 @ LSU, 2/19 vs Arkansas
3. (6) #24 Vanderbilt (18-6) (defeated Alabama 81-77, defeated Kentucky 81-77): Huge week for the Commodores who got two 81-77 wins at home this week to solidify their NCAA bid. They still trail Florida by 2.5 games, but for right now, Vandy is in a good position to land the coveted number two seeding in the SEC Tournament. THIS WEEK: 2/16 @ Georgia, 2/19 @ Auburn
4. (4) Georgia (17-7) (lost to Xavier 65-57, beat South Carolina 60-56) The loss to Xavier will cost the Bulldogs in their bid for the NCAA’s but they are in the running for the number two position in the SEC East. The matchup versus Vandy this week is their game of the year and could push them towards the second seeding and into the tourney. THIS WEEK: 2/16 vs Vanderbilt, 2/19 @ Tennessee
5. (5) #18 Kentucky (17-7) (beat Tennessee 73-61, lost to Vanderbilt 81-77): How many chances are Kentucky going to squander on the road this season? The road has been a disaster, but they appear unbeatable at Rupp which is why they are right smack dab in the middle of the SEC rankings. THIS WEEK: 2/16 vs Mississippi State, 2/19 vs South Carolina
6. (3) Tennessee (15-10) (lost to Kentucky 73-61, lost to Florida 61-60): It was a disastrous week for Bruce Pearl and his Vols who went 0-2 on the road in his much over-hyped return to the sidelines. The team has the talent to win out, but like Kentucky, you have to question if they can put it together with six games left in the season. THIS WEEK: 2/16 vs South Carolina, 2/19 vs Georgia
7. (8) Mississippi (16-9) (defeated LSU 66-60, lost to Alabama 74-64): The Rebels represent the true darkhorse in the bottom half of the SEC. Out of all the remaining teams, this is the only team I can foresee coming out of nowhere to make a deep run in the SEC Tournament. To do that, they must finish second in the West and they sit just a game out of that position. THIS WEEK: 2/16 vs Auburn, 2/19 @ Mississippi State
8. (7) South Carolina (13-10) (lost to Florida 79-60, lost to Georgia 60-56): The Gamecocks are toast, losers in five of their last six games but they still have the potential to play spoiler over the last six games and maybe secure an NIT bid. The Gamecocks can ruin a season or two with wins on the road this week. THIS WEEK: 2/16 @ Tennessee, 2/19 @ Kentucky
9. (9) Mississippi State (13-11) (beat Arkansas 67-56, lost to Auburn 65-62): The Bulldogs could have taken advantage of the Alabama loss and moved to within a couple of games of first, but inexplicably loss to Auburn. As bad as the Bulldogs are, that kind of loss in unforgivable. We will see if they can rebound and try to at least put some pressure on Alabama. THIS WEEK: 2/15 @ Kentucky, 2/19 vs Ole Miss
10. (10) Arkansas (15-9) (lost to Mississippi State 67-56, beat LSU 81-60): Arkansas would be the second choice as a darkhorse to make some noise in the West and maybe win a few games in the SEC tournament. The win over LSU broke a three game losing streak, but Arkansas has
to win at Alabama on Saturday to validate their season. THIS WEEK: 2/16 vs Florida A&M, 2/19 @ Alabama
11. (12) Auburn (9-15) (beat Mississippi State 65-62) ; Hail to the Tigers who have lost their title as the worst team in the SEC. No, they are not going to any tournaments but at least they are showing fight the last couple of weeks going 2-2. THIS WEEK: 2/19 @ Mississippi, 2/19 vs Vanderbilt
12. (11) LSU (10-15) (lost to Mississippi 66-60, lost to Arkansas 80-61): It’s eight losses in row for LSU, who actually started out 2-0 in the SEC this season. This team can’t wait for Spring break. THIS WEEK: 2/17 vs Alabama, 2/20 vs Florida
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