What a week in the Southeastern Conference. We have a new number one, a former number one getting run out of the gym, and a team in Lexington that has completely forgotten how to lose. The hierarchy is shifting fast, and if you aren't paying attention, you're getting left behind.
Here is how the league stacks up heading into the final week of January.
The SEC is full of twists and turns
Last Week: W at Mississippi State (88-68), W vs South Carolina (92-69)
"Bucky Ball" isn't just rolling; it’s flattening people. The Aggies take the top spot after a dominant 2-0 week where they won both games by 20+ points, and Florida had a tumble. Rashaun Agee was a monster against Mississippi State with 23 points and 10 boards, and they dismantled South Carolina without breaking a sweat. At 6-1 in the league, the road to the SEC title currently runs through College Station. Who would have said that going into the meat of the schedule?
W vs #15 Vanderbilt (93-68), W vs LSU (85-81) Statement made. The Hogs went into Bud Walton and absolutely evaporated a 16-win Vanderbilt team by 25 points. Darius Acuff Jr. is playing out of his mind, dropping 17 against Vandy and then exploding for 31 to save them against LSU, who continues to put up a good fight but come up short. John Calipari’s team is finding its stride at the perfect time, and that offense is scary. When was the last time you could say that?
Last Week: W vs LSU (79-61), L vs Auburn (76-67)
Life comes at you fast in the SEC. One week, you look unbeatable, the next you drop a home game to Auburn. The Gators handled business against LSU, but getting physically outplayed by Auburn in the O'Connell Center is a concern. They are still a contender, but the aura of invincibility took a hit this week. Shows you there is just no really dominant team in the SEC right now.
Last Week: W vs Texas (85-80), W vs Ole Miss (72-63)
Don't look now, but the hottest team in the SEC may just reside in Lexington. Mark Pope’s squad has rattled off five straight wins, including a gritty performance against a dangerous Texas team where Denzel Aberdeen dropped 19. They followed it up by silencing the Travis Perry narrative and grinding out a win over Ole Miss in a snowstorm-altered game. The defense is real, Otega Oweh is playing like an All-American, and Rupp Arena is becoming a fortress again.
Last Week: L vs Kentucky (80-78), no midweek game, W vs #17 Alabama (79-73)
Rick Barnes just keeps churning out wins. In the marquee matchup of the weekend, the Vols welcomed Alabama to Knoxville and sent them home with an L. Nate Ament was spectacular, going for 29 points and 7 rebounds. They only played once this week, but beating a Top 20 team keeps them firmly in the upper tier.
Last week: W at Ole Miss (78-66), W at #16 Florida (76-67). The biggest riser of the week. Auburn went on the road twice and came home with two massive wins, including a stunner in Gainesville that knocked Florida off its perch. Steven Pearl has them playing elite basketball, and the losses have mostly been close ones.
Last Week: L vs #20 Arkansas (93-68), W at Mississippi State (88-56)
The Commodores got a harsh reality check in Fayetteville. Getting run off the floor by 25 points showed that they still need to work on a few things. The Commodores had lost 3 in a row after starting 16-0, before knocking off the Bulldogs. They are a good team, but maybe not a great one just yet.
Last Week: L at Kentucky (85-80), W vs #21 Georgia (67-87... Wait, Texas won 87-67)
The Longhorns split the week, but Dailyn Swain is becoming a problem for the rest of the league. He dropped 29 in a loss to Kentucky and 26 in a blowout win over Georgia. This team is dangerous because they can score with anyone, but their consistency on defense keeps them hovering around .500 in league play. A 57-point second half against the Bulldogs was pretty impressive, though.
Last Week: W at Missouri (74-72), L vs Texas (87-67)
The Dawgs stole a nice road win at Mizzou behind Mark Mitchell and Jeremiah Wilkinson, but then they got blitzed at home by Texas. Mike White has had a great season, but losing by 20 on your home floor to a 12-8 Texas team is a resume stain.
Last week: L at Tennessee (79-73). The Tide also skipped the mid-week game. Nate Oats' squad went into a hostile environment and competed, receiving 26 points from Labaron Philon, but they couldn't close the deal. Charles Bediako played 25 minutes in his return to college basketball after playing in the G-League for 3 years, scoring 13 and grabbing 3 rebounds. The Tide aren't going away, but they really aren't climbing either.
Last Week: L vs #21 Georgia (74-72), W vs Oklahoma (88-87 OT)
Mizzou is living on the edge. They dropped a tough one at home to Georgia and then needed overtime and 25 points from Mark Mitchell to barely scrape by a struggling Oklahoma team. They are surviving, but they don't look convincing right now.
Last Week: W vs Oklahoma (85-76), L vs Texas A&M (69-92)
The Gamecocks got a much-needed win over Oklahoma behind Meechie Johnson’s 20 points, but then ran into the buzzsaw that is Texas A&M. They are fighting, but the talent gap against the top tier was evident in that 23-point loss to the Aggies.
Last Week: L vs Auburn (78-66), L at Kentucky (72-63)
A rough 0-2 week for Chris Beard. They got handled at home by Auburn and then went to Lexington and couldn't generate enough offense to spoil the homecoming of Travis Perry. AJ Storr is playing well (20 points vs UK), but they are sliding fast in the standings.
Last Week: L at #16 Florida (79-61), L vs #20 Arkansas (85-81)
They are competing, but moral victories don't count in the standings. They battled Arkansas to the wire, but Michael Nwoko’s efforts weren't enough. At 1-7 in the league, they are firmly in the basement, but at least they are fighting. The bottom 3 teams are just kind of pick 'em.
Last Week: L at South Carolina (85-76), L at Missouri (88-87 OT)
Porter Moser is searching for answers. The Sooners have lost close ones and blowouts alike. Taking Mizzou to OT on the road shows some heart, but Nijel Pack’s 25 points were wasted. They desperately need a win to stop the bleeding, or this may be the end of the Moser era in Norman.
Last Week: L vs Texas A&M (88-68), L vs #15 Vanderbilt (88-56)
Rock bottom. There is no other way to describe a week where you lose two games by a combined 52 points at home. The defense has completely evaporated, and right now, they look like the worst team in the conference. Chris Jans has a massive mess to clean up in Starkville, or he too may be out the door.