SEC Power Rankings
With league play beginning this week, Tennessee, Vanderbilt and Ole Miss lead the way, Mississippi State and Arkansas finds themselves with work to do and Kentucky sits in a very unfamiliar spot in the rankings.
1. Tennessee (12-1)
Best win: Take your pick - 82-75 at Xavier or 82-72 at Gonzaga.
Worst loss: The Vols have responded nicely since their lone loss, 97-78 to Texas.
NCAA chances: 100 percent. Bruce Pearl has assembled an explosive squad that few would question is the best in the SEC. Even with Chris Lofton struggling, they still give opposing defenses nightmares. Their battles with the Commodores (Jan. 17 and Feb. 26) should be fun to watch.
2. Vanderbilt (15-0)
Best win: 97-88 over UMass or 91-85 at DePaul
Worst loss: None
NCAA chances: 100 percent. Say what you want about their schedule, but the Commodores are for real. They've got one of the nation's best one-two punch in Foster and Ogilvy and can score with the best of them. The defense has been shaky, but expect that to improve as the team picks up its intensity in league play.
3. Ole Miss (13-0)
Best win: 85-82 over Clemson or 69-63 over DePaul (neutral site)
Worst loss: None
NCAA chances: 75 percent. There is a chance that the Rebels turn out to be the 2008 version of the Clemson Tigers (who started 17-0 and missed the Big Dance a year ago), but that doesn't diminish the job that coach Andy Kennedy has done with a team that was supposed to be rebuilding. Ole Miss won't scare anyone, but will pick up its share of wins anyway.
4. Arkansas (11-3)
Best win: 94-91 over Missouri
Worst loss: Take your pick - 67-51 to Providence or 74-67 to Appalachian State
NCAA chances: 70 percent. The Razorbacks are one of the most talented teams in the conference, but you have to question their passion given their uninspiring performances thus far. Patrick Beverley and company have the potential to make some noise in the SEC, but we're not yet convinced that they will.
5. Florida (13-2)
Best win: 88-63 over Rutgers?
Worst loss: 62-49 to Ohio State
NCAA chances: 50 percent. The Gator Boys have moved on to the NBA, which means that Billy Donovan has a new cast of characters in Gainesville. Marreese Speights is an absolute stud, but Florida has already flopped against its only two formidable opponents and will struggle to finish above .500 in the league. Next year, however, will be a different story.
6. Alabama (11-4)
Best win: 93-57 over George Washington
Worst loss: 85-83 Belmont
NCAA chances: 35 percent. With point guard Ronald Steele out for the season, few expected the Crimson Tide to compete for a NCAA berth. While Alabama lacks any marquee wins and faces long odds to make the Big Dance, Richard Hendrix, Alonzo Gee and Mykal Riley can all ball, which means that opponents can't afford to take them lightly.
7. Mississippi State (9-5)
Best win: 87-75 over Missouri
Worst loss: 67-60 to Miami (Ohio)
NCAA chances: 50 percent. The team that many predicted to win the SEC West, the Bulldogs certainly have been disappointing thus far. Jamont Gordon is a big-time player, but he and the rest of the squad will have to be more consistent in SEC play if State expects to live up to the preseason hype.
8. South Carolina (8-6)
Best win: 68-67 over Providence
Worst loss: 61-58 to UNC-Asheville
NCAA chances: 5 percent. The Gamecocks play hard and Devan Downey is legit, but they're just not talented enough to make noise in the SEC, although winning in Columbia will be a challenge for everyone.
9. Auburn (9-2)
Best win: 74-70 over George Washington
Worst loss: 77-62 to Tulane
NCAA chances: 10 percent. The unlucky Tigers are down to just six available scholarship players after losing leading scorer and rebounder Korvotney Barber to a broken bone in his hand. Their record is deceiving given their soft schedule and it will be very surprising to see Auburn end up in the top half of the league.
10. Georgia (8-4)
Best win: 70-52 over Wake Forest
Worst loss: 76-58 over East Tennessee State
NCAA chances: 5 percent. Center Rashaad Singleton just quit the team, joining Takais Brown and Mike Mercer (both dismissed) as key players who are no longer with the Bulldogs. It's going to be a long season.
11. LSU (7-7)
Best win: 67-61 over Oregon State
Worst loss: 68-67 to Villanova
NCAA chances: 1 percent. With Tasmin Mitchell (ankle injury) likely out for the season, the Tigers have virtually no shot at the NCAA Tournament. The loss to Villanova was devastating. At least Glen "Big Baby" Davis is tearing it up for the Celtics.
12. Kentucky (6-7)
Best win: 92-49 over Florida International?
Worst loss: Take your pick - Gardner Webb, Houston or San Diego are all awful
NCAA chances: 5 percent. Somewhere in Minneapolis Tubby Smith is smiling. It hasn't taken long for fans to turn on Billy, whose Wildcats have zero signature wins and almost zero chance of advancing to the Big Dance, something their previous coach had no problem doing.
Midseason Awards
As teams prepare for the second season - SEC play - let's take a look back at who shined the most during the non-conference schedule.
First-team All-SEC
G: Devan Downey (South Carolina)
The do-everything guard is averaging close to 19 points, 5.5 assists and 4 rebounds per game for the Gamecocks.
G: Jamont Gordon (Mississippi State)
Gordon's game is unlike anyone's we've ever seen and while the Bulldogs are underachieving, he's still putting up monster numbers (17.5 points, 6.4 rebounds and 4.6 assists per game).
F: Shan Foster (Vanderbilt)
The runaway choice for the SEC Player of the Year, Foster has brought it every night for the undefeated Commodores.
F: Richard Hendrix (Alabama)
Averaging a double-double (19 points and 10 rebounds) to go along with 2 blocks per game, Hendrix is the league's strongest and most talented big man.
C: A.J. Ogilvy (Vanderbilt)
The Aussie sensation has caught the attention of everyone in the SEC. There's no question that opponents hope he declares for the draft after this season.
Second-team All-SEC
G: Chris Warren (Ole Miss)
The freshman point guard has been terrific for the undefeated Rebels, averaging 15.2 points and 5.7 assists per game.
G: JaJuan Smith (Tennessee)
Tennessee coach Bruce Pearl said Smith is the heart and soul of the team and we agree.
F: Alonzo Gee (Alabama)
Gee is highly underrated, averaging 16 points and 8.3 rebounds per game.
F: Patrick Patterson (Kentucky)
Imagine where Kentucky would be had Patterson not opted for the Wildcats late last spring. The freshman is averaging 17 points and eight rebounds per game.
C: Dwayne Curtis (Ole Miss)
There are bigger names like Marresse Speights and Charles Rhodes, but we're giving the nod to the big man for the unbeaten Rebels, who's posting solid numbers (15.2 points and 8.2 rebounds per game).
All-Freshman Team
G: Chris Warren (Ole Miss)
G: Nick Calathes (Florida)
F: Anthony Randolph (LSU)
F: Patrick Patterson (Kentucky)
C: A.J. Ogilvy (Vanderbilt)
