With just a few games left before the SEC Tournament, the standings are tight at the top, and teams fighting for seeding are making their final push. Auburn remains dominant, but Alabama, Florida, and Tennessee continue jockeying for position. Meanwhile, teams like Kentucky and Texas A&M are trending in the wrong direction, making their NCAA Tournament fates murky.
So, who’s rising and who’s falling in the latest SEC power rankings and standings?
SEC power rankings, Kentucky basketball tumbling
1. Auburn (27-2, 15-1) ⬆️
🔹 Last week: Def. Ole Miss (106-76), Def. Kentucky (94-78)
🔹 Auburn clinched the SEC regular-season title in dominant fashion, dismantling both Ole Miss and Kentucky. Miles Kelly’s 30-point explosion at Rupp Arena sealed the deal. Bruce Pearl’s squad looks unstoppable heading into March.
2. Alabama (23-6, 12-4) ⬆️
🔹 Last week: Def. Mississippi State (111-73), Lost to Tennessee (79-76)
🔹 Mark Sears continues to play like an All-American, but Alabama couldn’t complete the comeback against Tennessee. Still, the Tide remain dangerous, with elite offense and perimeter shooting.
3. Tennessee (24-5, 11-5) ⬆️
🔹 Last week: Def. Alabama (79-76), Def. LSU (65-59)
🔹 Chaz Lanier and Zakai Zeigler have elevated this team down the stretch. The Vols are playing their best basketball at the right time, and their win over Alabama showed their defensive grit and late-game execution.
4. Florida (25-4, 12-4) ⬇️
🔹 Last week: Lost to Georgia (88-83), Def. Texas A&M (89-70)
🔹 A shocking road loss to Georgia exposed some defensive concerns, but Will Richard’s 25-point performance against Texas A&M got them back on track. They’ll need to tighten up defensively before the SEC Tournament.
5. Missouri (21-8, 10-6) ⬆️
🔹 Last week: Def. South Carolina (101-71), Lost to Vanderbilt (97-93, OT)
🔹 The Tigers’ inconsistency remains an issue—they dominated South Carolina but fell apart against Vanderbilt in OT. Still, Caleb Grill’s shooting makes them dangerous come tournament time.
6. Vanderbilt (20-9, 8-8) ⬆️
🔹 Last week: Def. Ole Miss (86-84), Def. Missouri (97-93, OT)
🔹 Three straight wins and Chris Manon’s dominance on the boards have Vanderbilt peaking at the right time. Their 14-2 home record is impressive, but can they find consistency on the road?
7. Ole Miss (20-9, 9-7) ⬆️
🔹 Last week: Def. Oklahoma (87-84), Lost to Auburn (106-76)
🔹 Sean Pedulla’s 26 points vs. Oklahoma kept them in the mix, but Auburn completely exposed them defensively. They’ll need to fix their transition defense quickly to make a deep SEC Tournament run.
8. Mississippi State (20-9, 8-8) ⬆️
🔹 Last week: Def. LSU (81-69), Lost to Alabama (111-73)
🔹 Josh Hubbard is playing at an elite level, but their defensive lapses against Alabama were concerning. Still, they’re locked into an NCAA Tournament spot and could be dangerous in a neutral-court setting.
9. Kentucky (19-10, 8-8) ⬇️
🔹 Last week: Def. Oklahoma (83-82), Lost to Auburn (94-78)
🔹 Kentucky is spiraling at the worst possible time. The Wildcats have lost 7 of their last 12, and Mark Pope admitted he had no answers after the Auburn loss. With Jaxson Robinson out for the season, who steps up?
10. Texas A&M (20-9, 9-7) ⬇️
🔹 Last week: Lost to Florida (89-70), Lost to Vanderbilt (86-84)
🔹 Four straight losses and Wade Taylor IV struggling from deep have the Aggies in free fall. They need a strong finish to avoid a major slide heading into March Madness.
11. Arkansas (17-12, 6-10) ➖
🔹 Last week: Def. Missouri (86-81, OT), Lost to South Carolina (72-53)
🔹 Karter Knox’s 11-point, 5-assist performance against South Carolina wasn’t enough—this team remains inconsistent and unpredictable.
12. Georgia (18-11, 6-10) ⬆️
🔹 Last week: Def. Texas (83-67), Def. Florida (88-83)
🔹 Two straight wins, including an upset over Florida, gives them a boost. But their defense still remains a huge concern.
13. Oklahoma (17-12, 4-12) ⬇️
🔹 Last week: Lost to Ole Miss (87-84), Lost to Kentucky (83-82)
🔹 Oklahoma has now lost 7 of its last 9 games—the once-promising season has completely unraveled.
14. Texas (16-13, 5-11) ⬇️
🔹 Last week: Lost to Georgia (83-67), Lost to Arkansas (86-81, OT)
🔹 Arthur Kaluma had a solid game vs. Georgia, but the Longhorns have no momentum left.
15. South Carolina (12-17, 2-14) ⬆️
🔹 Last week: Def. Arkansas (72-53), Lost to Missouri (101-71)
🔹 A rare bright spot against Arkansas, but this season has been a disaster overall.
16. LSU (14-15, 3-13) ⬇️
🔹 Last week: Lost to Mississippi State (81-69), Lost to Tennessee (65-59)
🔹 Another rough week. This team simply doesn’t have the depth to compete.
SEC Standings Breakdown
🔹 Top 4 (Double-Bye in SEC Tournament)
1️⃣ Auburn (15-1) – SEC Champs, dominant.
2️⃣ Florida (12-4) – Still elite, but defensive lapses showed.
3️⃣ Alabama (12-4) – Offense is lethal, defense needs work.
4️⃣ Tennessee (11-5) – Heating up at the right time.
🔹 5-8 (Single-Bye in SEC Tournament)
5️⃣ Missouri (10-6) – Dangerous, but inconsistent.
6️⃣ Ole Miss (9-7) – Pedulla is carrying them.
7️⃣ Texas A&M (9-7) – Falling apart.
8️⃣ Mississippi State (8-8) – Hubbard keeps them competitive.
🔹 9-16 (Must Play on Day 1 of SEC Tournament)
9️⃣ Vanderbilt (8-8) – Peaking at the right time.
🔟 Kentucky (8-8) – Disaster unfolding.
🔹 Georgia (6-10) – Good late-season push.
🔹 Arkansas (6-10) – Struggling, but not dead.
🔹 Texas (5-11) – Completely lost.
🔹 Oklahoma (4-12) – Downward spiral.
🔹 LSU (3-13) – Brutal season.
🔹 South Carolina (2-14) – Just trying to finish strong.
Final Thoughts
🔹 Auburn is the clear best team in the SEC
🔹 Florida, Alabama, and Tennessee are in a battle for the No. 2 seed.
🔹 Kentucky is collapsing at the worst time.
🔹 Texas A&M and Ole Miss must find consistency.
Who’s built for March? We’re about to find out.