George Bagwell provides his SEC basketball power rankings heading into week 12 of the 2024 season.
People seemed to like the versions of these rankings where their team would get compared to a music album or painting or other non-related creation or object. So, this week, the author will be assigning each team a marine animal. Buckle up. Or not, I’ve never seen seat belts on a boat. So buckle up y’all’s life vests. One thing that has always irked me is that none of the SEC schools are aquatically located, even slightly. The Gulf of Mexico and the Atlantic coast have played vital roles in the cultural and societal evolution of the Southeast and yet all 16 of these institutions are relatively far from either coast.
Baton Rouge is our best bet, but they’re still two and a half hours away from Port Fourchon and and hour and a half away from Avery Island, home of Tabasco hot sauce. If I were to count bayous as extensions of the gulf, they’d be closer, I suppose. But the physical geography of Louisiana’s coast line is slightly brackish, not really a pure marine environment. I won’t tell that to the gators, though.
Speaking of the gators, Florida can moonlight as a marine institution in some people’s imaginations but they are not. Alachua County is pretty much as far away from a marine environment that you can find in the state of Florida. It’s over an hour away from Cedar Key, and it’s almost two hours away from Palm Coast on the Atlantic. Starkville is four hours away from Biloxi, Tuscaloosa is over three hours away from Mobile, and Columbia is almost three hours away from Myrtle Beach. I insist, continually, for Greg Sankey to bring Tulane back to the SEC where they belong, but my requests fall on landlubber ears.
Without further ado, we’ve got the SEC Basketball Power Rankings: Volume 3, Episode 12.
Matchup of the week: Auburn vs. Tennessee (Jan. 25 – 8:30 p.m.)
Sneaky good matchup of the week: Missouri vs. Ole Miss (Jan. 25 – 6 p.m.)
All games listed are EST.
1. Auburn Tigers
Last week’s ranking: 1 (-)
Record: 17-1 (5-0)
Last week: W at No. 23 Georgia (70-68)
Next week: vs. No. 6 Tennessee (Jan. 25 – 8:30 p.m.)
Quality wins: vs. Iowa State, vs. Houston, vs. Memphis, vs. Purdue, vs. Ohio State, vs. Missouri, at Texas, vs. Mississippi State, at Georgia
Bad losses: N/A
Auburn as a marine animal: Red lionfish (Pterois volitans)
The lionfish is invasive in Atlantic waters after not being a part of the Atlantic ecosystem forever. Auburn was not relevant in the SEC for quite some time, until, all of a sudden, they were. Just like the red lionfish. All of a sudden, the lionfish population exploded and it impacted the native ecosystem and other fish. Is there a fish that can take out the lionfish? It could be Tennessee this week.
2. Alabama Crimson Tide
Last week’s ranking: 4 (+2)
Record: 15-3 (4-1)
Last week: W at No. 8 Kentucky (102-97)
Next week: vs. Vanderbilt (Jan. 21 – 7 p.m.), vs. LSU (Jan. 25 – 8:30 p.m.)
Quality wins: vs. Houston, vs. Illinois, at North Carolina, vs. Creighton, vs. Oklahoma, at Texas A&M, at Kentucky
Bad losses: N/A
Alabama as a marine animal: Atlantic sailfish (Istiophorus albicans)
The sailfish is regarded as the fastest fish in the sea. Just as well, Alabama plays basketball at the fastest pace in the SEC. Turns out, you can give up 97 points to a top-ten opponent and still win. That happens when a team shoots 29-34 from the free-throw line. Amari Williams and Otega Oweh both fouled out, and Andrew Carr, Jaxson Robinson, and Ansley Almonor all ended up with four fouls. If Alabama can draw fouls at that rate, and Mark Sears and Grant Nelson can reliably score a combined 49 points, this is a team that can go far. But let’s get that defense better.
3. Kentucky Wildcats
Last week’s ranking: 3 (-)
Record: 14-4 (3-2)
Last week: L vs. No. 4 Alabama (102-97)
Next week: at Vanderbilt (Jan. 25 – 2:30 p.m.)
Quality wins: vs. Duke, vs. Gonzaga, vs. Louisville, vs. Florida, at Mississippi State, vs. Texas A&M
Bad losses: N/A
Kentucky as a marine animal: Nassau grouper (Epinephelus striatus)
The Nassau grouper is named after the capital of The Bahamas, Nassau. At the time of writing, I believed that Kentucky had played in The Bahamas this year. Turns out that they didn’t. But the grouper can fill in as a nice marine animal for Kentucky. They’re reef fishes with a large appetite. Kentucky is hungry for wins. But they couldn’t beat Alabama. Maybe the Wildcats can take out Vanderbilt. Tennessee couldn’t do it.
4. Missouri Tigers
Last week’s ranking: 7 (+3)
Record: 15-3 (4-1)
Last week: W vs. Arkansas (83-65)
Next week: at Texas (Jan. 21 – 9 p.m.), vs. No. 21 Ole Miss (Jan. 25 – 6 p.m.)
Quality wins: Kansas, at Florida, Vanderbilt
Bad losses: N/A
Missouri as a marine animal: Great barracuda (Sphyraena barracuda)
The barracuda is a fish that is feared. It is an apex, ambush predator. Arkansas, Florida, LSU, and Vanderbilt have all been ambushed. Not bad for a team (fish) that played Eastern Washington and Cal close. Also, humans can’t eat barracudas. Ciguatera poisoning can be contracted from eating a barracuda, a particularly evil form of food poisoning. It can affect the nervous and cardiovascular systems. Just like Missouri basketball. If Missouri is a barracuda, Texas and Ole Miss can be classified as mullets, herrings, sardines, and other small fish.
5. Florida Gators
Last week’s ranking: 8 (+3)
Record: 16-2 (3-2)
Last week: W vs. Texas (84-60)
Next week: at South Carolina (Jan. 22 – 7 p.m.), vs. No. 23 Georgia (Jan. 25 – 3:30 p.m.)
Quality wins: at Florida State, vs. Tennessee
Bad losses: N/A
Florida as a marine animal: Blue whale (Balaenoptera musculus)
I want to establish that alligators are not marine animals. Marine, by definition, is “of, found in, or created by the sea.” If that classification were to include alligators, the American alligator would be the obvious choice here. I have actually seen, with my two eyes, an alligator in salt water before. It happens. But since alligators are typically not saltwater animals, we’re going with the blue whale for reasons unknown. This week, Florida could be victim to a trap game, either against South Carolina on the road (less likely) or Georgia at home (a little more likely).
6. Tennessee Volunteers
Last week’s ranking: 5 (-1)
Record: 16-2 (3-2)
Last week: W vs. No. 23 Georgia (74-56), L at Vanderbilt (76-75)
Next week: vs. No. 15 Mississippi State (Jan. 21 – 7 p.m.), at No. 1 Auburn (Jan. 25 – 8:30 p.m.)
Quality wins: at Louisville, vs. Baylor, at Illinois, at Texas, vs. Georgia
Bad losses: N/A
Tennessee as a marine animal: Atlantic horseshoe crab (Limulus polyphemus)
The horseshoe crab has been around forever. Maybe not forever, but they are over 400 million years old. That’s crazy, y’all. Tennessee is running back the same Rick Barnes modus operandi this year, running Zakai Zeigler at point and getting Chaz Lanier to step into Dalton Knecht’s shoes. But it works. And as the horseshoe crab hasn’t really evolved at all over hundreds of millions of years, they’re still thriving. So is Tennessee. The loss to Vanderbilt doesn’t change that. But it will drop them one place in these rankings. It’s tough sledding this week, with Mississippi State and Auburn on the schedule.
7. Mississippi State Bulldogs
Last week’s ranking: 10 (+3)
Record: 15-3 (3-2)
Last week: W vs. No. 21 Ole Miss (84-81)
Next week: at No. 6 Tennessee (Jan. 21 – 7 p.m.), at South Carolina (Jan. 25 – 1 p.m.)
Quality wins: at SMU, at Memphis, at Vanderbilt, vs. Ole Miss
Bad losses: vs. Butler
Mississippi State as a marine animal: Loggerhead sea turtle (Caretta caretta)
The loggerhead turtle is the state reptile of South Carolina. It is also the state reptile of Florida. It isn’t the state reptile of Mississippi (that would be the American alligator), but it does represent the Mississippi State basketball program pretty well. They’re tough animals, but also fan favorites and quite a show. Against Ole Miss, the Bulldogs had one play in overtime where RJ Melendez had a chase-down block, then Cameron Matthews passed out of an alley-oop to hit Riley Kugel in the corner wide-open for three. It was electric.
8. Ole Miss Rebels
Last week’s ranking: 2 (-6)
Record: 15-3 (4-1)
Last week: L at No. 15 Mississippi State (84-81)
Next week: vs. No. 11 Texas A&M (Jan. 22 – 9 p.m.), at Missouri (Jan. 25 – 6 p.m.)
Quality wins: at Louisville, vs. Georgia, at Alabama
Bad losses: N/A
Ole Miss as a marine animal: Yellowfin tuna
For the record, for those who read last week’s edition, I said I’d throw Mississippi State above Ole Miss if the Bulldogs took care of the Rebels at home. And that’s just what Mississippi State did. So Ole Miss slots in at the number eight spot. And it’s a tough week ahead. First the Aggies come to Oxford. Then, the Rebels have to go to Columbia to take on a really good Missouri team. Speaking of really good, have y’all ever had yellowfin tuna? It’s good eating.
9. Texas A&M Aggies
Last week’s ranking: 9 (-)
Record: 14-4 (3-2)
Last week: W vs. LSU (68-57)
Next week: at No. 21 Ole Miss (Jan. 22 – 9 p.m.), at Texas (Jan. 25 – 2:30 p.m.)
Quality wins: vs. Creighton, vs. Ohio State, vs. Texas Tech, vs. Purdue, at Oklahoma
Bad losses: at UCF
Texas A&M as a marine animal: Southern kingfish (Menticirrhus americanus)
I decided to go with the kingfish since it’s a fish found in the Gulf of Mexico and along the Texas coast. Historically, the kingfish would probably be a better fit with LSU, given the existence of Huey Long, but it fits Texas A&M, too. The kingfish is a fish that is good eating, for sure. But it won’t get picked over a good tuna or mahi. I would take kingfish (a.k.a. “whiting”) over salmon, but that’s just me. There’s a lot of bones in a kingfish and it takes some getting used to in order to eat. The Aggies are good, but they’re not playing like the best team in the SEC. Let’s see if getting Wade Taylor IV back to full strength can turn kingfish to a mahi.
10. Vanderbilt Commodores
Last week’s ranking: 14 (+4)
Record: 15-3 (3-2)
Last week: W vs. South Carolina (66-63), W vs. No. 6 Tennessee (76-75)
Next week: at No. 4 Alabama (Jan. 21 – 7 p.m.), vs. No. 8 Kentucky (Jan. 25 – 2:30 p.m.)
Quality wins: vs. Tennessee
Bad losses: vs. Drake
Vanderbilt as a marine animal: Caribbean spiny lobster (Panulirus argus)
The lobster, at least in the U.S., used to be a food that was not held in a high regard. Until around the 1900s, the lobster was seen as low-grade meat. It was seen as a meat that was not at the same level of steak or chicken. But as we know now, the lobster is a delicacy. Even the Caribbean spiny lobster, Florida’s response to the American lobster, is quite good. I’d even select it over a Northern lobster.
The SEC did not respect Vanderbilt coming into this season. Even I selected the ‘Dores last in the preseason SEC poll. But like the lobster, Vanderbilt defied expectations and has risen into an above-average basketball team. Beating Tennessee? Only Florida (so far) can say that they’ve also accomplished that feat. But this week, challenges arise. If Vanderbilt is a lobster, Alabama and Kentucky have the potential to be octopuses.
11. Georgia Bulldogs
Last week’s ranking: 6 (-5)
Record: 14-4 (2-3)
Last week: L at No. 6 Tennessee (74-56), L vs. No. 1 Auburn (70-68)
Next week: at Arkansas (Jan. 22 – 9 p.m.), at No. 5 Florida (Jan. 25 – 3:30 p.m.)
Quality wins: vs. St. John’s, vs. Kentucky, vs. Oklahoma
Bad losses: N/A
Georgia as a marine animal: Bottlenose dolphin (Tursiops truncatus)
The bottlenose dolphin is the best dolphin. That’s an opinion. The Georgia Bulldogs are a good basketball team. That’s a fact. Maybe it wasn’t clear during the loss to Tennessee, but the Dawgs kept it close against the best team in the conference and arguably the nation. Georgia will make this year’s tournament. For the first time since the Mark Fox era. This is the longest drought currently in the SEC, and it’s due to end, barring a collapse à la Ole Miss last season.
12. Texas Longhorns
Last week’s ranking: 13 (+1)
Record: 12-6 (1-4)
Last week: W at Oklahoma (77-73), L at No. 5 Florida (84-60)
Next week: vs. Missouri (Jan. 21 – 9 p.m.), vs. No. 11 Texas A&M (Jan. 25 – 2:30 p.m.)
Quality wins: at Oklahoma
Bad losses: N/A
Texas as a marine animal: Florida manatee (Trichechus manatus latirostris)
This is more-so a reference to nomenclature rather than connections to trends on the court. The manatee, often referred to as a “sea cow” by ocean lovers and cow lovers alike, matches up a bit with the longhorn, which does look just a little bit like a manatee. Congrats to the manatees for getting their first SEC win of the year, a road victory over a team that was ranked a short while ago. It’s Texas’s first quality win of the season, so it’s time to celebrate (by bumping them ahead of Oklahoma in the rankings).
13. Oklahoma Sooners
Last week’s ranking: 11 (-2)
Record: 14-4 (1-4)
Last week: L vs. Texas (77-73), W vs. South Carolina (82-62)
Next week: at Arkansas (Jan. 25 – 8:30 p.m.)
Quality wins: vs. Arizona, vs. Louisville, vs. Michigan
Bad losses: vs. Texas
Oklahoma as a marine animal: Green moray (Gymnothorax funebris)
The moray is not the prettiest fish in the sea. It moves in an odd way. It’s oddly designed. But it does get the job most of the time. Oklahoma got the job done against South Carolina, even if it wasn’t pretty for upwards of 30 minutes. They didn’t get the job done against Texas, but I’m sure Oklahoma fans won’t want to hear that again, so I won’t mention it further. The good news is that the Sooners play another winless-in-the-SEC-team this week, this time being the Razorbacks of Fayetteville. I’d expect Oklahoma to get this one done.
14. LSU Tigers
Last week’s ranking: 12 (-2)
Record: 12-6 (1-4)
Last week: L at No. 11 Texas A&M (68-57)
Next week: at No. 4 Alabama (Jan. 25 – 8:30 p.m.)
Quality wins: vs. Florida State
Bad losses: N/A
LSU as a marine animal: Eastern brown pelican (Pelecanus occidentalis carolinensis)
The Tigers are taking a small dive in the SEC basketball power rankings this week, just like the pelican. Losing a hard-fought contest on the road in College Station isn’t world-ending. I couldn’t bring myself to put LSU above Oklahoma, because the Sooners did manage to win this week, something the Tigers didn’t. And while these Tigers are likely better than Texas, the Longhorns defeated Oklahoma on the road last week, so I can’t move Texas below Oklahoma, who we’ve established is above LSU. So in short, the Tigers are stuck in the bottom three of the SEC basketball power rankings. Now, if they manage to beat Alabama this week? They’ll jump. I’ve seen a pelican jump before. It’s possible.
15. South Carolina Gamecocks
Last week’s ranking: 16 (+1)
Record: 10-8 (0-5)
Last week: L at Vanderbilt (66-63), L at Oklahoma (82-62)
Next week: vs. No. 5 Florida (Jan. 22 – 7 p.m.), vs. No. 15 Mississippi State (Jan. 25 – 1 p.m.)
Quality wins: vs. Clemson
Bad losses: vs. North Florida
South Carolina as a marine animal: Cannonball jelly (Stomolophus meleagris)
Cannonball jellies are (mostly) harmless. They go about their business floating around in the ocean, creeks, and estuaries. They don’t sting, but occasionally people do come into contact with their toxin, which can cause discomfort. South Carolina isn’t a lion’s mane, they’re not a sea nettle, but they do have the ability to sting. Auburn knows that, Vanderbilt knows that, and Oklahoma knew that for about 33 minutes of last weekend’s contest in Norman. The Gamecocks won’t be dancing, but they certainly have the opportunity to play spoiler, especially once Jamarii Thomas comes back.
16. Arkansas Razorbacks
Last week’s ranking: 15 (-1)
Record: 11-7 (0-5)
Last week: L at Missouri (83-65)
Next week: vs. No. 23 Georgia (Jan. 22 – 9 p.m.), vs. Oklahoma (Jan. 25 – 8:30 p.m.)
Quality wins: Michigan
Bad losses: N/A
Arkansas as a marine animal: Southern flounder (Paralichthys lethostigma)
This one is self-explanatory. The Razorbacks are floundering. And it’s sad to watch. Arkansas lost again this week, this time to Missouri on the road. That’s not a horrific result. It’s certainly not the worst event in recent Arkansas basketball history. But the losses are starting to stack. Coach Cal’s group is winless in SEC games, and they haven’t notched a victory since 2024, when they beat Oakland.
In the non-con portion of the Hogs’ schedule, they shot 51.5% from the field. That’s great, actually. But in five conference games, that mark is down to 37.8%, a mark that would rank 356th if extrapolated over the course of the season. That’s not good. Ready for a stat you might have to read twice? Arkansas’s loss against Missouri was the first time they’ve shot >40.0% from the field against an SEC opponent since March. And they still lost by 18 points.