The SEC is changing week to week, some teams are getting hot, some are getting cold, and a few teams are clinging to their spots. We dive deep into the SEC to see which teams are rising, which are falling, and whose season is already over.
WBN SEC basketball Power Rankings
"Bucky Ball" has officially taken over the SEC. In his first season, Bucky McMillan has the Aggies playing at a breakneck pace that the rest of the league can't seem to handle. They overwhelmed Georgia with their full-court pressure and waves of substitutions. Rashaun Agee (18 pts, 15 rebs) was the anchor in the middle, cleaning up the chaos. Right now, McMillan's system is the toughest puzzle to solve in the conference.
Who needs the old guard? Even without Clayton and Richard, Todd Golden has reloaded and unleashed a monster. The Gators absolutely dismantled Alabama on Sunday, dropping a 100-burger in a game that wasn't close. Alex Condon has blossomed into a star in the frontcourt, and the new backcourt rotation is playing faster and freer than ever. This was a statement win: Florida isn't rebuilding; they are reloading.
Vanderbilt's demise was greatly exaggerated. After a rough week, the Commodores responded by humiliating Kentucky by 25 points, a "Touch Money" beatdown that won’t be forgotten soon. They followed it up with a gritty road win at Ole Miss behind Tyler Tanner’s 24 points. Mark Byington has this team right back in the mix for a double-bye.
The most "Jekyll and Hyde" team in America. On Tuesday, they looked like a bubble team getting run out of the gym by Vanderbilt. On Saturday, they went into Fayetteville and physically bullied Arkansas to win the "Calipari Bowl." Otega Oweh (24 pts, 8 rebs) was a monster in the bounce-back game. Head-to-head matters (sorry, Notre Dame fans), and winning at Bud Walton earns them the spot above the Hogs.
A confusing week for the Hogs. They went to Norman and got a nice road win behind Darius Acuff Jr., but then they let Kentucky walk into Bud Walton Arena and snap their 17-game home winning streak. The "White Out" fell flat, and the Razorbacks look vulnerable defensively.
A massive 2-0 week for Rick Barnes, but they slide a spot simply because Florida was nuclear, and Arkansas and Kentucky have both beaten them. The Vols survived a scare against Georgia thanks to Ja'Kobi Gillespie and then handled a dangerous Auburn team in Knoxville behind Nate Ament’s 22 points. The defense remains elite, and they are still firmly a Tier 1 contender.
A tough road outing, balanced with a good home win. A win over Texas with Keyshawn Hall dropping 31 started the week nicely, but they ran out of gas against Tennessee. Steven Pearl’s squad is dangerous, but they are sliding into the middle of the pack in the standings.
Nate Oats' team is impossible to trust. They looked great hammering Missouri, but they didn't just lose to Florida on Sunday; they got embarrassed. Giving up 100 points is a major red flag for a team with Final Four aspirations. At .500 in the league, they have work to do.
Mizzou got crushed by Bama earlier in the week but responded with a really tough road win in Starkville. Jayden Epps dropped 23, and Mark Mitchell continues to be a rock. At 5-4 in the league, Dennis Gates has this team overachieving and sitting in the top half of the table.
Dailyn Swain (30 pts vs Auburn, 18 pts vs OU) is a superstar, but he needs help. Texas is competitive in every game, but they struggle to get stops in crunch time against the league's elite. Beating Oklahoma keeps them afloat, but they are squarely on the bubble.
A brutal 0-2 home week, but context matters. They took Tennessee to overtime and then had to play the league's best team (A&M). Kanon Catchings is playing well, but the Dawgs need to stack wins soon to avoid falling into the bottom tier.
The next 5 teams are pretty much just playing for pride and an upset in the SECT.
Chris Jans stopped the bleeding with a win over LSU, thanks to Josh Hubbard, but dropping a game to Mizzou hurts. They are fighting for their lives right now.
Matt McMahon’s team showed heart, rallying to beat South Carolina in overtime behind Michael Nwoko. It’s a small step, but getting a second league win matters for morale.
Another close loss. Chris Beard’s second year is turning into a season of "what ifs." They competed hard against a good Vandy team, but Malik Dia needs more support offensively.
Rock bottom. Losing by 47 points to Florida is a resume-killer, and blowing an OT game to LSU just twists the knife. The wheels are wobbling in Columbia. Lamont Paris is in trouble.
Nijel Pack is scoring (23 pts vs Texas), but the Sooners just can't win. At 1-8 in the SEC, they are firmly in the cellar, and the Porter Moser seat is getting scorching hot. Porter Moser's time in Norman is done, barring a miracle.