2023-24 SEC Basketball Power Rankings: Week 18

George Bagwell gives his SEC basketball power rankings heading into week 18 of the 2023 season.

Matchup of the week: South Carolina vs. Tennessee 

Sneaky good matchup of the week: Florida vs. Alabama 

All games listed are EST.

We’ve reached the last week of the often-imitated yet never-fully-replicated SEC Basketball Power Rankings. At this point in the season, I’m ready for March. I’m also exhausted, but we have to power through. We’ve got articles about Len Bias, Dražen Petrović, conference previews, art, March Madness, Arch Madness, and everything in between to write about. But before that, we have the season 2 finale of SEC Power Rankings, episode 18 of this series. 

Tennessee reigns supreme atop the standings, the ‘Cocks are up near the top of the conference, Missouri (still) needs a hug, Alabama gave up 80+ points and still looked better on defense than before, and Kentucky’s offense is Danny Glover levels of lethal. Ole Miss’s bubble is on the verge of bursting, Auburn is back (maybe?), Florida was oh-so-close to moving up in this final edition of the year, Georgia moves up a spot, and Vanderbilt is back, at the expense of Arkansas, who could see the bus leave the station. The Aggies are, just like the Beard, on the edge of the bubble cliff, while Mississippi State needs just one more win to solidify themselves as a member of the tournament. LSU sweeps the weekend, to the delight of the author and fans of good basketball. Welcome to the SEC Power Rankings, season 2, episode 18. 

1) Tennessee Volunteers

Last week’s ranking: 1 (-)

Record: 23-6 (13-3)

Last week: W vs. #11 Auburn (92-84), W at #14 Alabama (81-74)

Next week: at #18 South Carolina (Mar. 6 – 7 p.m.), vs. #16 Kentucky (Mar. 9 – 4 p.m.)

Quality wins: at Kentucky, Illinois, Alabama (x2), Auburn, at Wisconsin

Bad losses: N/A

Who else but the most complete team in the conference? Tennessee entered the week with four games remaining and four games against ranked opponents, and left the week with two victories against ranked opponents and two more opportunities to go. Facing deficits against Auburn and Alabama, the Vols simply showed their opponents who the better team was, whether Dalton Knecht was playing at an elite level (Auburn) or not so much (Alabama). 

This week, it’s off to Columbia to face off against the Gamecocks in a matchup that could end up settling the winner of the conference. After the rematch against Lamont Paris, they’ll travel back to Knoxville to take on Kentucky in the season finale. There’s a good chance the Vols end up being favored by 2+ points in both matchups, but they can’t afford to step lightly if they want to win the conference. 

2) South Carolina Gamecocks

Last week’s ranking: 4 (+2)

Record: 24-5 (12-4)

Last week: W at Texas A&M (70-68), W vs. #24 Florida (82-76)

Next week: vs. #4 Tennessee (Mar. 6 – 7 p.m.) at Mississippi State (Mar. 9 – 2:30 p.m.)

Best wins: at Tennessee, Kentucky, Florida, Grand Canyon

Bad losses: Georgia, LSU

It’s a thing of beauty to watch Lamont Paris simply outcoach his opponent. That’s precisely what he did, not just once, but twice last week against Texas A&M and Florida. Both games had late deficits erased, with the second game being particularly impressive, a six-point victory following a 46-56 deficit with under 12 minutes to go. Meechie Johnson is inevitable. 

This week, two difficult tasks await. First, a rematch against Tennessee after the Gamecocks have already beaten the Vols in Knoxville. Then, a road matchup to finish the year against the same team that South Carolina started the SEC slate against, a rematch, this time in Starkville. It’s unlikely that the ‘Cocks go 2-0 this week, but if they do, they’ll clinch at least a share of the SEC title, and maybe an outright title. 

3) Kentucky Wildcats

Last week’s ranking: 2 (-1)

Record: 21-8 (11-5)

Last week: W at Mississippi State (91-89), W vs. Arkansas (111-102)

Next week: vs. Vanderbilt (Mar. 6 – 9 p.m.), at #4 Tennessee (Mar. 9 – 4 p.m.)

Quality wins: North Carolina, at Auburn, at Florida, Alabama, at Mississippi State

Bad losses: UNCW

This offense simply never rests, which could be a result of the team’s defense also never resting. The ‘Cats won an instant classic against Josh Hubbard early in the week, mostly due to fellow freshman Reed Sheppard having a career day. By the time the dust settled, Hubbard had 34 and Sheppard tallied 32. Later on in the weekend, Kentucky survived a bit more of a test than they had bargained for against Arkansas, marking the second time the team had given up 100+ points but the sixth time they had reached the mark on offense. 

Kentucky could still somehow end up with a share of the SEC regular season title, but it would take a lot of work and a lot of luck. It’s really about seeding and securing a double-bye at this point. First, an easier game, a home matchup against the ‘Dores. Then, however, a rematch against Tennessee, who already beat the ‘Cats at Rupp. A 2-0 week could go a long way towards improving Cal’s tournament seed once mid-March comes around. 

4) Auburn Tigers

Last week’s ranking: 3 (-1)

Record: 22-7 (11-5)

Last week: L at Tennessee (84-92), W vs. Mississippi State (78-63)

Next week: at Missouri (Mar. 5 – 9 p.m.), vs. Georgia (Mar. 9 – 6:30 p.m.)

Quality wins: Alabama, South Carolina, Mississippi State, Texas A&M

Bad losses: at App State

Auburn, bless their hearts, had a golden opportunity to grab control of the SEC when they played Tennessee last week. Unfortunately, they didn’t win, which means, even though they beat Mississippi State over the weekend, they also drop a spot in the SEC Power Rankings and don’t get a chance to make up that ground, ever, because this is the last week of publication this season. Oh well. Tough. Quick reminder that Auburn is 1-7 in Q1 games.

It’s a quite easy slate, knock on wood, for Auburn to end the season. A road trip to Columbia, Missouri, where the winless variant of the Tigers wait, and then another game against Georgia, this time at home. Auburn has already defeated the Bulldogs by 21 on the road this season, just a couple weeks ago. 

5) Alabama Crimson Tide

Last week’s ranking: 5 (-)

Record: 20-9 (12-4)

Last week: W at Ole Miss (103-88), L vs. #4 Tennessee (74-81)

Next week: at Florida (Mar. 5 – 7 p.m.), vs. Arkansas (Mar. 9 – Noon)

Quality wins: Auburn, South Carolina, Florida, at Mississippi State, Indiana State

Bad losses: Ohio State

Congrats, Alabama defense. They didn’t give up 90+ points once last week, the first time that hasn’t happened in a two-game stretch since January. Rough. But the Tide did defeat Ole Miss on the road, not that the author can call that a quality win anymore, and then they lost to Tennessee at home in the safety of Coleman. Not the best week for ‘Bama, but since Florida lost to the ‘Cocks in Columbia, Nate Oats and Co. didn’t move down this week and secured a top-5 finish in the last edition of the SEC Basketball Power Rankings.

Speaking of Florida, there’s a big test on the horizon, that being Florida in Gainesville. Any hope of ‘Bama securing at least a share of the title pretty much rests on them winning that game. If they do, they’re sitting pretty, considering their next game is against Arkansas at home. It’s not automatic, (ask Kentucky) but one has to think the Tide have that one in the bag. It’s another conference year of exceeding expectations, I suppose. 

6) Florida Gators

Last week’s ranking: 6 (-)

Record: 20-9 (10-6)

Last week: W vs. Missouri (83-74), L at #18 South Carolina (76-82)

Next week: vs. #16 Alabama (Mar. 5 – 7 p.m.), at Vanderbilt (Mar. 9 – 4:30 p.m.)

Quality wins: at Kentucky, Auburn

Bad losses: N/A

Florida, as the author mentioned above, was oh-so-close to moving up in these rankings. A road win in Columbia (SC) would have been fantastic. Unfortunately, Todd Golden was flummoxed by a 1-3-1 zone, so the Gators stayed, and finished, in 6th this season in the SEC Power Rankings. A home win against Missouri typically doesn’t do much to move the needle, at least not this year. 

In terms of SEC standings, Florida still has a slim chance of securing a bye to the quarterfinals in the SEC tournament, which I’m sure they’ll be aware of. But in terms of seeding for the NCAA tournament, they also have a big week ahead. Florida could still end up anywhere between a 5-8 seed, realistically, and I’m sure that the Gators don’t want to match up with Houston in the second round of the tournament. Who are they playing this week? Alabama at home, then Vanderbilt in Nashville. Two varying degrees of difficulty for sure. 

7) Mississippi State Bulldogs

Last week’s ranking: 7 (-)

Record: 19-10 (8-8)

Last week: L vs. #16 Kentucky (89-91), L at #11 Auburn (63-78)

Next week: at Texas A&M (Mar. 6 – 9 p.m.), vs. #18 South Carolina (Mar. 9 – 2:30 p.m.)

Quality wins: Tennessee, Auburn, Washington State, Northwestern

Bad losses: Southern, at Georgia Tech

This team is very good, let’s be honest with ourselves. But they need one more victory to secure their spot in the tournament field, and they didn’t get that last week, not against Kentucky at home, and not against Auburn on the road. Josh Hubbard tried his best, and seemingly made every shot down the stretch against Kentucky, but it wasn’t enough, mostly because of Reed Sheppard’s exploits. And the Auburn game was a bit of a sleeper, but considering that no one besides Kentucky and Auburn has won at Neville this year, I’m not putting too much stock in that. 

Does Mississippi State get that elusive final win this week? They play in College Station then at home against South Carolina, so there’s about a coin flip both times. According to my math, that’s a 75% chance they get another win this week and cement themselves as the 7th (and final) SEC team in the field. 

8) LSU Tigers

Last week’s ranking: 9 (+1)

Record: 16-13 (8-8)

Last week: W vs. Georgia (67-66), W at Vanderbilt (75-61)

Next week: at Arkansas (Mar. 6 – 7 p.m.), vs. Missouri (Mar. 9 – 8:30 p.m.)

Quality wins: at South Carolina, Kentucky, Wake Forest

Bad losses: Nicholls State

How ‘bout that? How about LSU being level with Mississippi State in the SEC standings, and being ahead of Texas A&M and Ole Miss? Yeah, how ‘bout that? That is what I’m talking about. When people look back to earlier this season, when I started talking about how this team is a work of art when at its best, I want them to apologize. Not to me, but to the Bayou Bengals. They deserve their flowers. They just beat Georgia and Vanderbilt last week, improved to 16-13 on the year, and .500 in conference games. This team, if it weren’t for the loss to Nicholls and Syracuse, probably would be a hot name in the bubble discussion with wins over Wake, South Carolina, and Kentucky. I am so excited to see what Matt McMahon is able to do next year, and this team is more than deserving of finishing above Texas A&M and Ole Miss in the final edition of SEC Basketball Power Rankings.

This week, the Tigers have a brilliant opportunity to improve to 10-8 on the year, a winning record in the SEC in McMahon’s second year. They just have to beat Arkansas on the road and Missouri at home in what could be the Tigers’ (Columbia variant) last chance to win in the SEC this year. Imagine thinking before the season that a team named the Tigers would be 0-16, then realizing it wasn’t LSU, and was actually Missouri. Crazy how this works. Quick question: if LSU wins the next two games, then loses in the championship of the SEC tournament, ending with a 21-14 record before Selection Sunday, do they get a bid? I would endorse that. 

9) Texas A&M Aggies

Last week’s ranking: 10 (+1)

Record: 16-13 (7-9) 

Last week: L vs. #18 South Carolina (68-70), W at Georgia (70-56)

Next week: vs. Mississippi State (Mar. 6 – 9 p.m.), at Ole Miss (Mar. 9 – 2 p.m.)

Quality wins: Tennessee, Iowa State, Kentucky, Florida

Bad losses: Arkansas (x2), LSU, at Vanderbilt

A win over South Carolina could’ve saved this team’s bubble profile. Now they’re in major trouble if they want to make the tournament, even with their handful of Q1 wins on the season. That’s what happens when a team loses to Memphis, Vanderbilt, and Arkansas, twice. Tough. 

How does the schedule ahead look? Mississippi. The Aggies host the Bulldogs in the week before traveling to Oxford in their season finale. One figures that the loser of that game is banished to the NIT, permanently. Or at least until next season rolls around. 

10) Ole Miss Rebels

Last week’s ranking: 8 (-2)

Record: 20-9 (7-9)

Last week: L vs. #14 Alabama (88-103), W at Missouri (84-78)

Next week: at Georgia (Mar. 5 – 7 p.m.), vs. Texas A&M (Mar. 9 – 2 p.m.)

Quality wins: N/A

Bad losses: N/A

Ole Miss is the model bubble team. Basically zero quality wins, (seriously, they’re one of four teams in the conference without a ranked win this year) and basically no bad losses. Only two of the team’s nine losses were by single digits, and they almost lost to Detroit Mercy, Sam Houston, Temple, Memphis, Missouri (twice), and UCF. They’re ranked 75th in KenPom. This is not a tournament team. 

But they do have a chance to make it. It starts with beating Georgia and Texas A&M this week and churning out 3-4 wins in Nashville. Does it happen? I don’t think so. But can it happen? Yeah, for sure. 

11) Georgia Bulldogs

Last week’s ranking: 12 (+1)

Record: 15-14 (5-11)

Last week: L at LSU (66-67), L vs. Texas A&M (56-70)

Next week: vs. Ole Miss (Mar. 5 – 7 p.m.), at #13 Auburn (Mar. 9 – 6:30 p.m.)

Quality wins: at South Carolina, Wake Forest

Bad losses: at Arkansas

Credit to the Bulldogs. They were oh-so-close to beating LSU on the road, losing by one point in Baton Rouge. Unfortunately for Mike White’s group, they also lost to Texas A&M, at home, by 14. But, they didn’t lose to Vanderbilt. Arkansas did. That means that Georgia moves up in the final edition of SEC Basketball Power Rankings, ahead of Arkansas, Vandy, and Mizzou. Good job, Athens.

This week, Ole Miss comes to town, which could be a very good opportunity to win for Georgia. Then, a road game in Auburn, which could be a much more difficult task. A win this week would clinch a non-losing season for Georgia, which is cool. 

12) Vanderbilt Commodores

Last week’s ranking: 13 (+1)

Record: 8-21 (3-13)

Last week: W at Arkansas (85-82), L vs. LSU (61-75)

Next week: at #15 Kentucky (Mar. 6 – 9 p.m.), vs. Florida (Mar. 9 – 4:30 p.m.)

Quality wins: Texas A&M

Bad losses: Presbyterian, Western Carolina, Boston College, Arizona State, Georgia

Congrats, Vanderbilt. Sincerely, truly, genuinely. Beating Arkansas on the road, even this year’s edition of the Razorbacks, is an accomplishment. It was Vandy’s first road win since March of last year. Incredible. Ven-Allen Lubin, Ezra Manjon, and Tyrin Lawrence combined for 62 points, which is the blueprint for a 2023-24 Vanderbilt win. We don’t need to talk about the loss to LSU, but rather simply celebrate the spoils of victory against Arkansas. 

Vanderbilt has two tough games this week, one on the road against Kentucky and the final game at home against Florida. The ‘Dores have already lost to both teams by double-digits, and it’s unlikely they’ll pull off a win this week, but we never know. It’s the SEC, anything can happen. 

13) Arkansas Razorbacks

Last week’s ranking: 11 (-2)

Record: 14-15 (5-11)

Last week: L vs. Vanderbilt (82-85), L at #16 Kentucky (102-111)

Next week: vs. LSU (Mar. 6 – 7 p.m.), at #16 Alabama (Mar. 9 – Noon)

Quality wins: Duke, at Texas A&M

Bad losses: UNC Greensboro, Vanderbilt

If Arkansas had any possible chance of making the tournament before last week (no, they definitely didn’t) it all disappeared over the past several days, as well as dropping to below .500 yet again. Losing at home to Vanderbilt? That’s enough to banish a team to 13th or 14th in the SEC Basketball Power Rankings. That’s where Arkansas will end up this year, in the Power Rankings at least. It’s disappointing. I don’t remember where I put Arkansas in the SEC preview, but it was either 1st or 2nd. Now, they’re 13th. The author has no one to blame but himself. I can’t blame Arkansas. They didn’t put themselves on the pedestal. I did. 

Does Arkansas get another win this season? If they don’t beat LSU this week, probably not. They play Alabama on the road then go off to the SEC tournament. There is a very high chance that this team ends up below .500 on the season, and a near-100% chance they don’t have an above-.500 record this year. Arkansas has had a winning season every year since 2016, and haven’t finished below .500 since 2010. This is the same program that’s made the Sweet Sixteen three years in a row. Crazy how that works. 

14) Missouri Tigers

Last week’s ranking: 14 (-)

Record: 8-21 (0-16)

Last week: L at #24 Florida (74-83), L vs. Ole Miss (78-84)

Next week: vs. #13 Auburn (Mar. 5 – 9 p.m.), at LSU (Mar. 9 – 8:30 p.m.)

Quality wins: at Minnesota, at Pitt

Bad losses: Jackson State, Arkansas (x2), at Vanderbilt, Georgia

Missouri, I’m sorry. There’s just no other place to put this team other than 14th. Instead of pushing negativity, I will use the final space of the SEC Basketball Power Rankings this year to uplift. Missouri, there are good vibes ahead. There are elite recruits incoming, Dennis Gates is one of the better coaches in the SEC, and there is nowhere to go but up. There is nowhere to go but up. There is nowhere to go but up. Missouri, you will be ok. I promise. You will be ok.