George Bagwell gives his SEC basketball power rankings heading into week 14 of the 2023 season.
Matchup of the week: Auburn vs. Alabama (Feb. 7 – 7 p.m.)
Sneaky good matchup of the week: Kentucky vs. Gonzaga (Feb. 10 – 4 p.m.)
All games listed are EST.
“The rest is still unwritten.” Just some Natasha Bedingfield to start your morning. It’s true. The rest of the SEC basketball season is yet to come, and all 14 teams still have a chance of making the tournament, believe it or not. All it takes is three to five wins in Nashville, and suddenly, you’re dancing. It’s like the dancing plague of 1518 in Strasbourg, France, where people just started dancing, perpetually, for no reason. Currently, there’s no reason to think Vanderbilt, Arkansas, or Missouri will end up in the tournament. But dancing mania exists somewhere along our timeline, which means there’s a non-zero chance that we’re in a timeline where one of those three teams makes a splash in the SEC tournament and goes dancing.
If we’re just basing it off last week’s results, however, that chance does not look as promising. What happened? In short, the haters continue to get quarter-zipped and pay the price, a new number one team rolls in with the high tide, Jerry Stackhouse reigns supreme, Rocky Top got rocked then rocked Rupp, Missouri needs a hug, Mike White is the greatest first half coach of all time, Auburn got their first Quadrant 1 win (it’s February), the Aggies’ veins are ice again, and Florida is suddenly unpredictable, which, honestly, I should’ve prepared for. The battle of the Magnolia State was played in and won by the residents of Oxford despite a valiant Bulldog effort, Kentucky’s keyboard warriors have started appearing, Arkansas is in the midst of S1, E17 of Spongebob, and the Bayou Bengals are un chef d’oeuvre de la renaissance. SEC Power Rankings, season 2, episode 14.
1) Alabama Crimson Tide
Last week’s ranking: 2 (+1)
Record: 16-6 (8-1)
Last week: W at Georgia (85-76), W vs. Mississippi State (99-67)
Next week: at #12 Auburn (Feb. 7 – 7 p.m.), at LSU (Feb. 10 – Noon)
Quality wins: South Carolina, Auburn, Indiana State, at Mississippi State, at Georgia, Oregon
Bad losses: Ohio State
Seed projection: 3 seed (Waldo’s Watchlist, ESPN, CBS Sports), 5 seed (Matty Brackets)
Welcome to the top of the SEC Basketball Power Rankings, Alabama. The Tide started off low with an early 16-point deficit to Georgia. After that, they outscored their opponents by a +57 margin. Mark Sears led the team in points in both victories over the Bulldogs, with the latter game being a particularly impressive team effort. Alabama won by 32, had two freshmen score 14 points each off the bench, and made 15 threes. We’ll ignore the fact that the number is slightly skewed due to the team attempting 48 of them because it doesn’t fit the author’s current narrative. I don’t think I’ve ever seen a team commit 24 fouls in one game just to win by a 99-67 margin, but here we are. Alabama needs to be thanking the team below them in the rankings for their win over the Vols, as it allowed for a jump to the spot for the first time all season for Nate Oats’s players.
Looking ahead, it’s a trip via the road for ‘Bama. First, a rematch on the Plains against their in-state rivals in a game surely not short on motivation. Then, another revenge game opportunity for a Tide opponent when Alabama travels to the bayou. At this point in the season, with this type of streak in place, it doesn’t seem like Alabama is destined to lose another game. Then again, they’re about to play a road game against one of just two SEC teams currently ranked higher than them in the latest KenPom ratings, and it’s at Neville. So perhaps we should temper expectations just a bit. As for the other game, it’s certainly easier, but it’s not right to call it easy. (After all, when is a road game in the SEC ever easy?) LSU, despite a worrisome non-con showing, has shown to be capable of winning their fair share of conference games with a balanced team effort. I’m not saying Alabama is going to go 0-2 this week, but they’ll need to bring their A-game.
2) South Carolina Gamecocks
Last week’s ranking: 3 (+1)
Record: 19-3 (7-2)
Last week: W at #5 Tennessee (63-59), W at Georgia (72-62)
Next week: vs. Ole Miss (Feb. 6 – 6:30 p.m.), vs. Vanderbilt (Feb. 10 – 1 p.m.)
Best wins: at Tennessee, Kentucky, Grand Canyon, at Georgia
Bad losses: N/A
Seed projection: 3 seed (CBS Sports), 6 seed (ESPN), 8 seed (Waldo’s Watchlist), 9 seed (Matty Brackets)
Is there a team currently playing better than South Carolina right now? One not named UConn, at least? Come back to me when you think of another. South Carolina, through the power of the quarter-zip and a horse mask, has won five games in a row with three of those coming on the road (the ‘Cocks have five road wins this season, while only one SEC team has more than three) and two of the wins coming against top-6 opponents. Last week, Tennessee had a rocky fall from the top (insert the Lucky Luciano GIF) while Georgia’s interior defense was a tad lacking. Interesting fact, (or not, I don’t know y’all’s personal definitions of interesting) but in 27.3% of South Carolina’s games, (six instances) they’ve held their opponents to exactly 62 points. Not 61 or 63, neither of which have occurred, but exactly 62. Imagine flipping a coin twice and it lands on tails both times. Somehow, that’s a more unlikely occurrence than South Carolina’s defense giving up exactly 62 points in any given game. Last year, that happened exactly zero (0!) times.
This team travels well. Why? They don’t get rattled. They’re a veteran-laden team with handfuls of years of college basketball combined between the rotation. Sure, the entire roster might have just 15 points scored combined in NCAA tournament games in their careers with six coming from Meechie Johnson at OSU and the other nine via Ta’Lon Cooper’s 2021 Morehead State team, but are y’all ready for the rebuttal? The presence or lack of experience in the NCAA tournament does not matter at all, one way or another. If you’ve got the mentality to win a road game in Knoxville against a top-5 opponent, you’ve got the mentality to beat a 19-14 Kansas State squad at a neutral site in March.
Will the good vibes continue? All signs point to yes. In what should (will) be a raucous environment in Columbia, South Carolina will face off against an Ole Miss squad that is defying the preseason polls in similar ways. Murray (x2) vs. Cooper? Cisse vs. Gray? Sign me all the way up. Per ESPN, which, again, I take with whole boxes of Morton Salt, the Gamecocks have a 72.7% chance of winning. I don’t often side with ESPN’s metrics but a broken clock is right twice a day and possibly thrice a day on daylight savings day. Then, a scrimmage at home against Vanderbilt. There’s the off-chance that the “scrimmage” comment comes back to bite me and Vandy pulls off a shock road win, but I’m willing to take my chances with that. Don’t feel bad, Vanderbilt, I’ve got tons of praise headed your way slightly down in this edition of the SEC Basketball Power Rankings. But for South Carolina, this week is a huge chance to keep the momentum going. Two home games against teams that are not yet on the Gamecocks’ level? Two home games being all that stands in front of a 21-3, 9-2 record? Have we started talking about a top-4 seed South Carolina? Have we started talking about the possibility of a 1-seed UNC vs. 4-seed South Carolina Sweet Sixteen matchup? If not, I’m starting a dialogue, and it’s time to insert the Charles Barkley GIF.
3) Tennessee Volunteers
Last week’s ranking: 1 (-2)
Record: 16-5 (6-2)
Last week: L vs. South Carolina (59-63), W at #10 Kentucky (103-92)
Next week: vs. LSU (Feb. 7 – 7 p.m.), at Texas A&M (Feb. 10 – 8 p.m.)
Quality wins: at Wisconsin, at Kentucky, Illinois, Alabama, Ole Miss, at Georgia
Bad losses: N/A
Seed projection: 2 seed (Waldo’s Watchlist, Matty Brackets, ESPN, CBS Sports)
Going into this week, if I had said the Vols were going to win one game by double-digits and lose the other game by four points, the reader (probably) would say, “sounds about right.” Now, if I had said the loss would come to the +13.5 point underdog South Carolina, perhaps some head-scratching would ensue. The first home loss since Dennis Gates stole one at the buzzer last year has now been administered by the ‘Cocks in a game in which Tennessee looked uninterested, unprepared, or both. Long-term, that probably says a lot more about this South Carolina defense than it does about Tennessee, but it’s enough to knock the Vols from the rocky top spot. But if we are talking about long-term issues, one is who’s going to step up when Dalton Knecht scores 31 of the team’s 59 points. Then again, Josiah-Jordan James and Zakai Zeigler scored 26 each against Kentucky and every starter ended up in double-figures. The team made 12 threes and 19 free throws.
So perhaps I’m just making a mountain of a molehill. I can’t possibly remember the last time I saw a molehill in real life, but I definitely remember the last time I saw a mountain. It was part of the Pyrenees, I believe. The experience was consuming, truly bewitching. While my lens could have impacted by the long-expired croissant I had eaten just before I stepped onto the bus, I felt as if my soul was one with Earth and my eyes were held hostage by the steep cliffs, relegating my mind to savor the beauty of this planet perpetually, every minute of my life for decades upon decades until my eventual, inevitable, death. And even at the very top of the mountain peak, at the very end of the journey, I could still hear Kentucky fans calling for the removal of coach Cal from Lexington. Hell hath no fury like a post-home loss Wildcat message board.
The Vols have an interesting week ahead. First up, a home matchup against the Bayou Bengals, who, believe it or not, have a longer home winning streak (1) than Tennessee (0). Then, a trip to East Texas, where College Station awaits Rick Barnes and his group. For what it’s worth, I still think Tennessee is the most complete team in the conference and has a real chance to win the title, just wanted to clarify that. But, like we learned last week, every week in the SEC has a chance to be a gauntlet. The Vols should handle LSU, especially after a very inspired performance against Kentucky. The trip to College Station should bring a bit tougher competition, as the Aggies are always going to be, or at least try to be, the most physical team on the boards in the conference. Who’s going to be matched up against Dalton Knecht? Solomon Washington? Maybe Andersson Garcia or Jace Carter? We’ll see what Buzz Williams throws, perhaps the kitchen sink, maybe the clipboard, but one gets the feeling that this game has more importance to the Aggies than it does to the Vols. Still, Tennessee should be 8-2 in the conference by the time the next episode is written.
4) Auburn Tigers
Last week’s ranking: 5 (+1)
Record: 18-4 (7-2)
Last week: W vs. Vanderbilt (81-54), W at Ole Miss (91-77)
Next week: vs. #16 Alabama (Feb. 7 – 7 p.m.), at Florida (Feb. 10 – 3:30 p.m.)
Quality wins: Texas A&M, Ole Miss (x2)
Bad losses: N/A
Seed projection: 4 seed (Waldo’s Watchlist, Matty Brackets, ESPN), 5 seed (CBS Sports)
Break open the champagne! Auburn has finally recorded a Q1 win. Obligatory noting of the Vanderbilt home win in which Jaylin Williams (again) scored 21 points on 7 made shots, but we’re here to talk about the second game of the week. For a half, Auburn looked vincible. (That’s a real word. Look it up.) Brandon Murray hit a three to move the Rebels’ lead to 42-29 with 2:35 to go in the first half as the Tigers’ defense looked akin to Swiss cheese in a pair of ripped jeans. Just holes everywhere. Bruce got angry, the offense looked disoriented, and Oxford was bumping. The doubters were circling like a pelican pre-dive, and Auburn was by all accounts a simple menhaden, unschooled yet being schooled, at that point.
Now is the time to point out that Auburn outscored Ole Miss by a 62-35 margin the rest of the game. It would have been more but K.D. Johnson picked up a comical technical after a putback dunk that was essentially the nail in the coffin for the Rebels. As an SEC fan, Johnson is one of those players you can either love or hate. It’s so much more fun to love him. Go try to find another SEC player that embodies passion for the game as much as Johnson does. He just loves his role, and you should, too. The conference is a better place with players like K.D. Johnson in it. As a team, the Tigers ended up with 25 assists and won the rebounding battle 42-26. That, to me, sounds like a recipe for winning basketball games, but I’m no Alfredo Linguini. Chad Baker-Mazara tallied 15 points and nine rebounds off the bench against the Rebels.
This week, Auburn faces off against Alabama in the SEC Basketball Power Rankings Game of the Week. After that fun Wednesday matchup, it’s off to NoFlo (I’m trademarking that) and Alachua County to take on Florida, who the author has had trouble predicting recently. There might not be a more critical week of basketball left on the schedule for Auburn. I say that with the knowledge that this team faces South Carolina and Kentucky in back-to-back home games the next week, but I want it to be known that no win means more for this team than beating the Crimson Tide this week. It’s the in-state rivalry, both teams are good, and it’s huge for bragging rights. Did I mention Alabama has won three times in a row? Assuredly, Bruce Pearl has been reminding his players of that fact, not that they need to be reminded. Hedging bets and predicting a 1-1 week seems like the best bet, and also an excuse to not have to pick the winners of each individual game, because the author will guess incorrectly.
5) Ole Miss Rebels
Last week’s ranking: 7 (+2)
Record: 18-4 (5-4)
Last week: W vs. Mississippi State (86-82), L vs. #16 Auburn (77-91)
Next week: at #15 South Carolina (Feb. 6 – 6:30 p.m.)
Quality wins: at Texas A&M, at UCF, Mississippi State, NC State
Bad losses: N/A
Seed projection: 8 seed (ESPN, CBS Sports), 9 seed (Waldo’s Watchlist, Matty Brackets)
For the record, this team could be deserving of a few spots lower in these rankings after a more thorough examination of the last few games, but the author orders the list before he starts writing, and he’s not changing it at this point. The Magnolia State Showdown was won by the Rebels with help from a clutch Jaylen Murray three. With Murray having another year of eligibility, it’s refreshing to know that we haven’t seen the last of the Hubbard v. Murray battles. The first iteration was all that it was billed to be, with both guards scoring 21 points and combining for 18 assists between the two of them. The key to the game was turnovers, as the Bulldogs committed 15, while Ole Miss had just 7. A big shoutout is in the works for TJ Caldwell. Shoutout TJ Caldwell. The sophomore guard scored a career-high 18 points for the Rebels in the victory over their rivals.
Unfortunately, this team also had a loss last week, one we have discussed in brief in the Auburn section just above this team. It was good, for a half. 3 of 4 halves ain’t bad. But 4 of 4 would’ve been nice. (Insert the Matthew McConaughey GIF.) At the risk of sounding dumb, (which normally I don’t care about) why does a team with two 7-foot centers rank 13th in the SEC in rebounding? Someone else do the math for me, but it just doesn’t make sense. It’s not like Auburn is some elite rebounding team. Sure, they’re solid, but they’re still closer to Ole Miss’s rebounding numbers than they are to the top of the league. Getting out-physicaled at home and losing the 2nd half by a 23-point margin is simply rough, no need for extra descriptors.
Will this team keep their top-5 ranking? It depends on this week’s results, of course. Who do the Rebels play? South Carolina on the road. Yikes. That’s actually the only game of the week for Ole Miss, so they have to make it count. There’s a big difference, mentally, from 6-4 to 5-5. 6-4 means winning basketball. 5-5 means average in the most basic of definitions. Imagine the NCAA tournament implications. It’s getting to the point in the year where every game is crucial. A road loss to South Carolina wouldn’t be the end of the world, but a win would be so huge for this team, who is lacking in terms of big wins, at least compared to similar teams. I don’t think they pull it off, but they do have a chance of doing so. Big time hedge right there from the author.
6) Florida Gators
Last week’s ranking: 8 (+2)
Record: 15-7 (5-4)
Last week: W at #10 Kentucky (94-91), L at Texas A&M (66-67)
Next week: vs. #12 Auburn (Feb. 10 – 3:30 p.m.)
Quality wins: at Kentucky, Florida State
Bad losses: N/A
Seed projection: 8 seed (Waldo’s Watchlist), 9 seed (CBS Sports) First Four Out (ESPN), Next Four Out (Matty Brackets),
Florida man wins one-possession road game against Kentucky, immediately loses one-possession road game against Texas A&M. For a team that was oh-so-predictable entering last week, they did the opposite of what I thought they would do. Oh, and they got their first Quadrant 1 win of the year. How ‘bout that? Auburn and Florida joining the club in the same week in February. At this point, the only reason Florida’s on the bubble and not squarely in the tournament picture is because of their relative lack of success against good teams. Imagine Walter Clayton Jr. wasn’t among the upper echelon of clutch players in the SEC. This team would be 0-8 in Q1 teams, a bubble death sentence. While the good vibes are here at No. 6 in the SEC Power Rankings, I think it needs to be stated just how close this team is to falling through the ice. I don’t mean to take away from the fact that they’re skating, just a gentle reminder that the ice is thin and bubbles are thinner.
But of course, we at the SEC Power Rankings HQ reward top-10 road wins. That means Florida, with the same conference record as Kentucky, finds themselves ahead of the Wildcats in the rankings this week. Tyrese Samuel, Walter Clayton Jr., and Zyon Pullin combined for 66 points, and Samuel and Pullin’s statlines were especially impressive. Samuel had a 22-point-13-rebound double-double with four blocks, while Pullin had seven assists and seven rebounds to go with his 21 points.
We do have to talk about the loss to Texas A&M, which would’ve doubled the amount of Q1 wins for the Gators this year. Despite having more than double the amount of assists as the Aggies did, tallying 11 blocks, and holding Texas A&M to 4-15 from deep, Florida went 6-11 from the line compared to the Aggies’ 15-24 mark. In a one-point game, that’s the difference-maker. What if this is the game that ends up costing the Gators a spot in March? I don’t think that’s an insane statement. Props are given to Tyrece Radford, who led both teams with 26 points on a night where Florida mostly contained Wade Taylor IV.
This week, Florida has just one game, a home tilt against Auburn. When I say this is a big game, that’s actually an understatement. A win would mean a big resume-booster against a good team and a 16-7, (6-4) record. At home, this game is basically a coin flip, or it should be at least. If, and I know that’s a big if considering how well Auburn’s been playing, Florida wins by double digits, we’ll be having quite a different conversation about Florida next week. A conversation that relents that there’s a possibility this team could be legit with a capital L.
7) Kentucky Wildcats
Last week’s ranking: 4 (-3)
Record: 15-6 (5-4)
Last week: L vs. Florida (91-94), L vs. #5 Tennessee (92-103)
Next week: at Vanderbilt (Feb. 6 – 8:30 p.m.), vs. Gonzaga (Feb. 10 – 4 p.m.)
Quality wins: North Carolina, at Florida
Bad losses: UNCW
Seed projection: 5 seed (Waldo’s Watchlist, Matty Brackets, ESPN), 6 seed (CBS Sports)
Alert the press. Am I the press? Regardless, alert the press and tell them that Kyle from Lexington on Twitter had announced Coach Cal will step down after the season. Big news.
Prior to the season, the author wrote in his “SEC Ceilings/Floors” article that Kentucky’s worst case would be “The entire basketball program falls apart and Rupp Arena is demolished in mid-February. According to some Kentucky message board posters, this is actually going to happen, complete with the firing of John Calipari after a close loss to Gonzaga moves the Wildcats to an unacceptable 19-4 on the year. The remaining games are ruled as forfeits.”
That’s not too far off from the current vibes around the area. Kentucky, who, despite a #17 ranking in the AP poll after a 1-3 mark in the past four games, is still a very good basketball team. People need to realize that. Given the roster concerns over last spring and summer, and then looking back to where they are right now, it’s time to give Coach Cal some credit, not bring him down. Sure, the losses to Florida and Tennessee, in which the Wildcats gave up an average of 98.5 PPG, were tough. And yes, that defense is a work in progress. But it’s a fun team to watch, and they’re a heck of a lot better than what they could’ve been. And it’s shoutout time. Shoutout Rob Dillingham, who dropped 35 (14-20) on a very good defense. Tennessee is the most complete team in the conference, and it’s not the end of the world if a team loses to the Vols. The Florida loss, on the other hand, is probably worth worrying about.
A true motley crew awaits the Wildcats this week. First, Road Vandy™️, followed by a rare February non-con game against Gonzaga, who will be traveling to Rupp. For those who haven’t been keeping up with Gonzaga this year, they aren’t all that great. Currently, they are on the right side of the bubble, (I think, I’m not a bracketologist) but they’re lacking quality wins and are not the most talented team in the WCC. It’s certainly not out of the picture to expect a 2-0 week. Kentucky is deeper and more talented than their opponents, and for what it’s worth, I really don’t see Rupp getting demolished after a loss to Gonzaga and I don’t think Coach Cal gets fired this week.
8) Texas A&M Aggies
Last week’s ranking: 11 (+3)
Record: 13-8 (4-4)
Last week: W vs. Florida (67-66)
Next week: at Missouri (Feb. 7 – 9 p.m.), vs. #6 Tennessee (Feb. 10 – 8 p.m.)
Quality wins: Iowa State, Kentucky, Florida, at SMU
Bad losses: at Arkansas, Memphis, LSU
Seed projection: 8 seed (Matty Brackets), 10 seed (ESPN), Last Four In (CBS Sports), First Four Out (Waldo’s Watchlist)
This is another team that I really don’t know what to do with. The Aggies won last week, a home nail-biter against Florida, and that was their only game of the week. Tyrece Radford played hero in a result that saved Texas A&M from falling down the standings and the SEC Power Rankings as well. A loss would’ve dropped this team to 12-9, (3-5), and that is a recipe for disaster. Luckily, we don’t even have to think about that. The Aggies didn’t make all their free throws, but they took enough and made enough of them to earn a one-point victory. Shoutout Solomon Washington, who tallied 10 points, four rebounds, three assists, and three blocks.
Are the Aggies destined to ride the .500 mark the rest of conference season? They’ve got a road game against Missouri, which should be a win, and a home game against Tennessee, which should be a loss, but since it’s the SEC, anything’s possible. Of course, we can’t count any road game as an automatic win in the SEC. After all, Missouri held the Aggies within six points in College Station. Anything can happen. Can Texas A&M beat Tennessee at home? Anything can happen. In classic SEC Power Rankings fashion, we hedge and expect a 1-1 week yet again.
9) LSU Tigers
Last week’s ranking: 10 (+1)
Record: 12-9 (4-4)
Last week: W vs. Arkansas (95-74)
Next week: at #6 Tennessee (Feb. 7 – 7 p.m.), vs. #16 Alabama (Feb. 10 – Noon)
Quality wins: at Texas A&M, Ole Miss, Wake Forest
Bad losses: Nicholls State
Seed Projections: OUT (Waldo’s Watchlist, Matty Brackets, ESPN, CBS)
This is the game we at SEC Power Rankings had been waiting for. This was Un enterrement à Ornans by Gustave Courbet. The Burial at Ornans. LSU buried Arkansas and delivered the last rites. Arkansas may not ever recover from the 95-74 beatdown. This was the aforementioned boat-race. That was Courbet’s attempt at unprecedented realism. This game was LSU’s attempt at unprecedented drubbing. Three after three. Shot after shot. Momentous run after momentous run. This team got some rest and then painted an immaculate portrait of 19th-century French life. I think Napoleon could hit a three, and I don’t think that’s a ridiculous thing to suggest. Napoleon’s full-court press was a thing of beauty. He also sold Louisiana to the United States. So, in a way, it’s also not ridiculous to suggest this LSU team wouldn’t exist if it weren’t for Napoleon. I’m so glad we’re in the timeline where Napoleon is directly responsible for the burial of Arkansas basketball.
As much as LSU would love to continue their winning ways, it could be difficult this week. A road date with Tennessee is first up, followed by a home game against the current SEC leader, Alabama. With the way the Tigers looked against Arkansas, that offense could beat anybody. Still, I have a hard time looking at either of the next two games and saying “yeah, LSU should be the favored team.” But when others see difficulties, this team sees opportunity. It’s knocking and Matt McMahon and the crew are opening the door for it.
10) Mississippi State Bulldogs
Last week’s ranking: 6 (-4)
Record: 14-8 (3-6)
Last week: L at Ole Miss (82-86), L at #24 Alabama (67-99)
Next week: vs. Georgia (Feb. 7 – 9 p.m.), at Missouri (Feb. 10 – 8:30 p.m.)
Quality wins: Tennessee, Auburn, Northwestern, Washington State
Bad losses: Southern
Seed projection: 7 seed (Waldo’s Watchlist), 9 seed (ESPN), First Four Out (Matty Brackets), Bubble (CBS Sports)
Fun fact, the Bulldogs are the only SEC team to not have won a road game all season. Even more fun fact, they’re the only team in the top 67 teams in the NET rankings without a road win this year. The road woes continued last week, with a close loss to their rivals in Oxford and a not-so-close road loss to Alabama in which they weren’t ever too competitive. Alabama at home is a different beast, we know that. But you’d like to see this team have a pulse in every game they play. To rebut my own rebuttal, South Carolina basically died in Tuscaloosa and came back to life after. One bad loss to Alabama doesn’t end a program’s hopes, thankfully. Shoutout Dashawn Davis for scoring 15 off the bench against Ole Miss on 6-8 shooting. Imagine telling a Mississippi State fan before the season that the last road win for this team after this week was against Ole Miss. Pretty cool, right? Wrong. The last road win for this team was at Ole Miss. On February 18, 2023. Tough.
Don’t fear, Bulldog fans. The road ahead could be paved with gold and headed to Oz. Awaiting the Bulldogs this week is more Bulldogs (Athens variety) and a juicy road matchup against Missouri. Juicy in the context of being winnable, of course. What happens if this team plays to their potential? I mean, this could be the best chance for a Mississippi State road win for the rest of the way. I don’t think it’s out of the question to suggest or expect a 2-0 week. This is a good team, and despite the D.J. Jeffries injury that I personally don’t have a solid timetable on, the defense is still really good. Let’s say the Bulldogs are back in business.
11) Georgia Bulldogs
Last week’s ranking: 9 (-2)
Record: 14-8 (4-5)
Last week: L vs. #24 Alabama (76-85), L vs. South Carolina (62-72)
Next week: at Mississippi State (Feb. 7 – 9 p.m.), at Arkansas (Feb. 10 – 6 p.m.)
Quality wins: at South Carolina, at Florida State, Wake Forest
Bad losses: N/A
Seed Projections: OUT (Waldo’s Watchlist, ESPN, CBS), CONSIDERED (Matty Brackets)
If Georgia was purely judged by their first halves last week, I’d be putting them much higher. They’d be 6-3 with two elite home wins, a 16-6 overall record, and firmly in the tournament picture. Unfortunately, games are 40 minutes long, not 20, and Georgia fell victim to strong second halves from both Alabama and South Carolina. It wasn’t just a small lead in either game, by the way. Up 16 were the ‘Dawgs against Alabama, and the lead was as high as 10 against South Carolina. This team is so close to putting it all together. Those first few minutes of the South Carolina game? As close to perfect as an offense could get. Blue Cain was shooting like Larry. It’s only a matter of time before this team breaks out. It’s just that, since they haven’t yet, they’re stuck at 11th. It’s not personal, it’s solely business like Shoe Carnival.
This week, Georgia has to hit the road twice, but it’s not a super difficult trip by SEC standards. First, it’s off to Starkville, where the other Bulldogs have looked formidable. Then, it’s the ultimate get-right game, a road matchup against Arkansas. Does that qualify as a Q3 game? I don’t know how to calculate that, so here we are. I think there is a real possibility of this team going 2-0 this week, at least a better chance than Georgia going 0-2. If this team ends up 19-12, (9-9), that could (should) be an NIT team or better. The road ahead is positive. I know that.
12) Vanderbilt Commodores
Last week’s ranking: 14 (+2)
Record: 6-15 (1-7)
Last week: L at #16 Auburn (54-81), W vs. Missouri (68-61)
Next week: vs. #17 Kentucky (Feb. 6 – 6 p.m.), at #15 South Carolina (Feb. 10 – 3:30 p.m.)
Quality wins: None
Bad losses: Presbyterian, Western Carolina, Boston College
Seed Projections: OUT (Waldo’s Watchlist, Matty Brackets, ESPN, CBS)
Break open the champagne. They’ve done it. I’m only going to be discussing the victory of Missouri for this segment. The entirety of Vanderbilt’s section is dedicated to the home win and first Power 6 win since last year’s NIT win against Michigan and Hunter Dickinson. That’s not meant to be patronizing, it’s just that being joyous feels more rewarding when you haven’t had a lot to celebrate in a while. Facing an early 17-6 deficit, Vandy outscored the Tigers 62-44 the rest of the way, with Ezra Manjon, Tyrin Lawrence, Ven-Allen Lubin, and Isaiah West all scoring in double-figures. Yeah, that’s right, I said Isaiah West. (Insert the Patrick Star “I thought you said ‘weast’” GIF.) The freshman guard, who was held to two or less points in 7 of his last 9 appearances dating back to November, shot 4-5 from deep in 20 minutes of action, his most minutes since November.
And that’s what separates this Vanderbilt team, currently, from Arkansas. Jerry Stackouse is giving it his all, throwing the kitchen sink, dryer, dishwasher, blender, and other kitchen appliances in an attempt to right the ship and anchor down. He’s giving more minutes to players who haven’t received as much playing time, and done everything he could to get that conference win. Guess what? He’s got it! Vanderbilt didn’t score a single fast break point but won the rebounding margin by 11. Yeah, I understand the future is murky in Nashville. I understand that most of the Vanderbilt fan base isn’t happy with a 6-15 record. I also understand the next sentence the author is about to write may seem inwardly cynical despite an outwardly positive spin. If it comes across as such, I apologize. (Not that sentence, but the next one.) At this point in the season, let the kids celebrate as much as they want. Most of the team are underclassmen that are possibly (probably) experiencing their first “bad” seasons of their lives. They’re hearing about the hot seat rumors and overall uncertainty about the only college program they’ve ever been at. That’s all while mired in a seven-game losing streak. And despite all that, they played 34 minutes of great basketball at their home arena, felt the buzzer sound with a lead on the scoreboard for the first time all year, and got to the locker room with a smile on their face and tons of weight off their shoulders.
That’s got to feel good. Yeah, I know winning is cooler in bunches, but if you’ve ever experienced loss after loss after loss, etc., and then finally got that win, in whatever aspect of life, not just on the court, it feels so much better. It brings hope.
13) Arkansas Razorbacks
Last week’s ranking: 12 (-1)
Record: 11-11 (2-7)
Last week: W at Missouri (91-84), L at LSU (74-95)
Next week: vs. Georgia (Feb. 10 – 6 p.m.)
Quality wins: Duke, Texas A&M
Bad losses: UNCG
Seed Projections: OUT (Waldo’s Watchlist, Matty Brackets, ESPN, CBS)
Arkansas won a game! But also moved down a spot? Well, yes. Because Vanderbilt won a game, and that takes precedence. But don’t fret, Razorback fans. The win did prevent extra slippage. Had Missouri beaten Arkansas, this team would be in the cellar. Instead, it’s the Tigers at the bottom and Arkansas in the penultimate spot. Makhi Mitchell had an off-the-bench birthday double-double, which is objectively the best type of double-double, and Tramon Mark led the way with 22 points. Arkansas had a good day, and secured their first road win since February 7, last year.
The only issue is the next game. Arkansas met a well-rested LSU team and just got absolutely jumped from…the jump. The Hogs were absolutely boat-raced, which is one of my favorite sport-centric past participles to use in my writings, and I’d highly suggest using it in everyday situations. Spilled coffee on your computer before 10 a.m.? Your Tuesday just boat-raced you. Got a 30% on a true-false test? That’s a boat-race, man. The final score doesn’t really do due justice to just how out-of-hand the game got. By the third media timeout just 12 minutes in, LSU led 32-14. The Tigers led 93-65 with under two minutes to go before a few late trips to the line (coincidentally, a few late trips to the line is my typical late night routine to the Cookout drive-thru) gave a slight edge of respectability to the final score.
LSU shot better from deep (52.2 3PT%) than Arkansas did from the field (43.6 FG%), while the quartet of Jalen Cook, Will Baker, Jordan Wright, and Mike Williams III combined for 71. Arkansas’s entire roster combined for 74. Despite LSU committing 25 total fouls, they still ended up winning the free throw battle by a slight 25-23 margin, in part due to an 89.3 FT% from the Tigers and a 69.7 FT% from the Hogs. Of course, that really didn’t impact the result. Arkansas was destined from the start to limp to the finish.
But it’s not over. Devo Davis is coming back, which should help things. As the author mentioned earlier, anything is possible in the SEC tournament. This week, Arkansas faces off against Georgia at home. Georgia will be a tough out, and they have a very talented backcourt, much like Arkansas has the potential to have a talented backcourt. Being back in Bud Walton should provide a boost, but will that boost be enough? I personally don’t think so, but that’s ok. We’ll see.
14) Missouri Tigers
Last week’s ranking: 13 (-1)
Record: 8-14 (0-9)
Last week: L vs. Arkansas (84-91), L at Vanderbilt (61-68)
Next week: vs. Texas A&M (Feb. 7 – 9 p.m.), vs. Mississippi State (Feb. 10 – 8:30 p.m.)
Quality wins: N/A
Bad losses: Jackson State, Arkansas, at Vanderbilt
Seed Projections: OUT (Waldo’s Watchlist, Matty Brackets, ESPN, CBS)
For the first time all season, we have a new team in the cellar. And, believe it or not, it’s not Arkansas. It’s Columbia, Missouri, who, today, received $62 million dollars for the athletic department from an anonymous donor. That’s over $7 million per conference loss. (It’s still early February.) The author is currently counting down the hours until the inevitable “Dennis Gates is deliberately tanking so our mysterious benefactor feels a more pressing need to donate tens of millions of dollars to the department prior to the 2024-25 season” conspiracy theory hits Twitter. In the same vein, Missouri, I’m not a huge fan of bribery usually, but could some of that money be sent to a certain SEC hoops writer if he were to write about the Tigers in a particularly glowing way? Maybe if he suggested Missouri would win some games this week? I already mentioned the possibility of Mizzou making the tournament today so I think I’ve already hit the criteria.
If, mysterious benefactor, you are reading this episode of the Power Rankings, just tune out. I have to talk about last week. Missouri played the No. 12 and No. 14 teams in these rankings and still lost both. They’ve fallen to a not-so-great conference record of 0-9, and there’s a real chance they hit double-digit SEC losses before getting single-digit SEC wins. As a reminder, this team was favored to win their first SEC game of the year against Georgia. They even had a 64% chance to win with four minutes left. Since then, they’re (obviously) 0-9 with three outright losses as favorites, including their last two contests. It’s a shame, but much like Rutgers over in the Big Ten, this is a team that will be (should be) much-improved next year. Can’t get worse, right? However, big shoutouts are needed for Sean East II and Tamar Bates, who are shooting 52/84/47 and 55/95/44, respectively. Tamar Bates is having one of the best under-the-radar conference seasons in recent memory, averaging 19.8 PPG in nine SEC games.
This week, Missouri returns to Columbia with $62 million in hand. They will take on both Texas A&M and Mississippi State. If there’s room for optimism in the coffee cup, those two teams are a combined 1-7 in SEC road games this year. Unfortunately, Missouri is 0-4 in SEC home games. But something’s got to give. Something besides the mysterious benefactor, of course. Is there a non-zero chance that it’s Stan Kroenke? Or Sam Walton? I don’t want to guess, but if I had to put money on it, I’ll say Sheryl Crow, because I love Sheryl Crow.