George Bagwell provides his SEC basketball power rankings heading into week 18 of the 2024-25 season.
Somehow, SEC basketball is almost over. We only have one more episode of Power Rankings this season! That’s good news for people who love bad news. Because y’all will have to wait months for a new volume/season. And that’s tragic, truly. But we’ll have more SEC content as March rolls on, because plenty of these teams will be in the NCAA tournament.
Without further ado, we’ve got the SEC Basketball Power Rankings: Volume 3, Episode 18.
Matchup of the week: Auburn vs. Alabama (Mar. 8 – 2:30 p.m.)
Sneaky good matchup of the week: Missouri vs. Kentucky (Mar. 8 – Noon)
All games listed are EST.
1. Auburn Tigers
Last week’s ranking: 1 (-)
Record: 27-2 (15-1)
Last week: W vs. Ole Miss (106-76), W at No. 17 Kentucky (94-78)
Next week: at No. 22 Texas A&M (Mar. 4 – 9 p.m.), vs. No. 7 Alabama (Mar. 8 – 2:30 p.m.)
Quality wins: vs. Iowa State, vs. Houston, vs. Memphis, vs. Purdue, vs. Missouri, at Texas, vs. Mississippi State, at Georgia, vs. Tennessee, at Ole Miss, at Vanderbilt, at Alabama, at Kentucky
Bad losses: N/A
Auburn is unquestionably the top of the conference. Before the last week of the season, the Tigers have already clinched not a share, but the outright SEC title. At this point, they’re arguably not even playing for seeding, either. Auburn could lose all of their remaining games and still be a 1 seed. So at this juncture, the Tigers are playing for the love of the game and preparing for a deep (NCAA) tournament run.
2. Florida Gators
Last week’s ranking: 2 (-)
Record: 25-4 (12-4)
Last week: L at Georgia (88-83), W at No. 12 Texas A&M (89-70)
Next week: at No. 7 Alabama (Mar. 5 – 7 p.m.), vs. Ole Miss (Mar. 8 – 6 p.m.)
Quality wins: vs. Tennessee, vs. Georgia, vs. Vanderbilt, at Auburn, at Mississippi State, vs. Texas A&M
Bad losses: N/A
Florida was oh-so-close to one of the most impressive comebacks in modern conference history. Down 39-13 early against Georgia, the Gators fought tooth and nail to shorten the deficit. Thomas Haugh’s layup with under two minutes to go put Florida ahead, 79-78. But that lead would not last. Georgia ended the game on a 10-4 run to take back their previous lead. That loss ended Florida’s chances for a share of the SEC title, though they followed it up with a convincing win over Texas A&M in which the Gators had 21 assists to the Aggies’ three. This week, a tough road test in Tuscaloosa is followed up with a less difficult home game against an Ole Miss team that seems not to be able to win the big games.
3. Tennessee Volunteers
Last week’s ranking: 6 (+3)
Record: 24-5 (11-5)
Last week: W at LSU (65-59), W vs. No. 6 Alabama (79-76)
Next week: at Ole Miss (Mar. 5 – 9 p.m.), vs. South Carolina (Mar. 8 – 2 p.m.)
Quality wins: at Louisville, at Illinois, at Texas, vs. Georgia, vs. Mississippi State, at Missouri, vs. Vanderbilt, at Texas A&M, vs. Alabama
Bad losses: N/A
Tennessee is, once again, heating up at the right time. The Vols have won seven of their past eight games, including picking up victories against Alabama, Texas A&M, Florida, and Missouri in that span. If that’s not impressive, I don’t what is. They’re not playing perfect, (see loss to Kentucky, trailing at home to Vanderbilt, struggling offense against LSU) but this team is playing with grit and determination. A deep three from Jahmai Mashack epitomized that, with the senior hitting a buzzer-beater from Sevierville to send Alabama home sad. This week, Tennessee gets a slate that is very much not murderers’ row. Games against Ole Miss and South Carolina give Rick Barnes’s squad a chance to improve their chances at a top four seed in the SEC tournament.
4. Alabama Crimson Tide
Last week’s ranking: 3 (-1)
Record: 23-6 (12-4)
Last week: W vs. No. 24 Mississippi State (111-73), L at No. 5 Tennessee (79-76)
Next week: vs. No. 5 Florida (Mar. 5 – 7 p.m.), at No. 1 Auburn (Mar. 8 – 2:30 p.m.)
Quality wins: vs. Houston, vs. Illinois, vs. Creighton, at Texas A&M, Kentucky (x2), vs. Vanderbilt, Mississippi State (x2), at Texas
Bad losses: N/A
Alabama needs to hope their offense shows up six times in a row once the Big Dance rolls around. Because there is roughly a 0% chance that their defense can do that. The 111 points against Mississippi State was elite. The Tide even looked really good in the loss to Tennessee. But the losses to Auburn and Missouri sting, from a defensive perspective. Do y’all remember the last time a team gave up 110+ points in a game in the season they won the championship? I don’t.
There should be a happy medium in between the “Alabama’s defense sucks because they give up a lot of points” crowd and the “actually, Alabama has a very good defense and gives up those points because of their tempo” crowd. Because the answer is definitely somewhere in between. Alabama does allow more defensive possessions because of their preferred tempo. However, even on a per-possession basis, this is not a good defense. It’s stunningly average, actually. It’s not good enough to win a championship unless Mark Sears can drop 50 in the Final Four. This week, Bama has to navigate a tough slate if they want a top four seed in the SEC tournament. The Tide have to face off against Florida and Auburn, the top teams in the conference.
5. Missouri Tigers
Last week’s ranking: 5 (-)
Record: 21-8 (10-6)
Last week: W vs. South Carolina (101-71), L at Vanderbilt (97-93)
Next week: at Oklahoma (Mar. 5 – 8 p.m.), vs. No. 19 Kentucky (Mar. 8 – Noon)
Quality wins: vs. Kansas, at Florida, vs. Vanderbilt, vs. Ole Miss, at Mississippi State, at Georgia, vs. Alabama
Bad losses: N/A
Missouri had a phenomenal chance to vie for a top four seed in the SEC tournament, if they had just held off Vanderbilt. They still have a chance, but it’s much smaller. The Tigers led by four points with 12 seconds left. Somehow, the ‘Dores ended up winning in Nashville. Maybe that’s some Broadway magic. And watching it live, it certainly felt that way. But that doesn’t erase the fact that it was a very tough loss for Missouri, especially in terms of seeding for the NCAA tournament. Win that game, and the Tigers are likely in the four seed range entering this week. But there’s time to atone with two games this week, a road game against an off-the-bubble Oklahoma and a home date against a Kentucky team that definitely doesn’t deserve to be ranked.
6. Vanderbilt Commodores
Last week’s ranking: 10 (+4)
Record: 20-9 (8-8)
Last week: W at No. 12 Texas A&M (86-84), W vs. No. 14 Missouri (97-93)
Next week: vs. Arkansas (Mar. 4 – 10 p.m.), at Georgia (Mar. 8 – Noon)
Quality wins: vs. Tennessee, vs. Kentucky, vs. Ole Miss, at Texas A&M, vs. Missouri
Bad losses: N/A
Speaking of that Broadway magic, here it is. Since the ‘Dores took an absolute beating at the hands of Oklahoma of all teams, they’ve looked like a totally different program. But the past three games have had the team really turn the corner. Three ranked opponents, three ranked wins. That includes close victories over Texas A&M and Missouri, two wins that’ll hold a lot of weight on Selection Sunday. Big time props to Mark Byington this year. He should go home as SEC Coach of the Year, no questions asked. (Maybe Dennis Gates, too. But he’s the only other contender.)
Arkansas at home? Georgia on the road? Let’s take care of business this week, Vandy. Arkansas is coming off a performance in which they score 14 points *in a half*. Avoiding landmines is the best way to secure a good seed in March.
7. Kentucky Wildcats
Last week’s ranking: 8 (+1)
Record: 19-10 (8-8)
Last week: W at Oklahoma (83-82), L vs. No. 1 Auburn (94-78)
Next week: vs. LSU (Mar. 4 – 7 p.m.), at No. 15 Missouri (Mar. 8 – Noon)
Quality wins: vs. Duke, vs. Gonzaga, vs. Louisville, vs. Florida, at Mississippi State, vs. Texas A&M, vs. Tennessee (x2), vs. Vanderbilt
Bad losses: vs. Arkansas, vs. Ohio State
Kentucky is 5-7 in their past 12 games. That includes losses to Texas, Ole Miss, and Arkansas. Gross. Yet, due to the fact that no other mid-tier SEC team wants the seven spot, apparently, the Wildcats get it. More bad news? Jaxson Robinson is out for the season. It’s not like this team will miss the NCAA tournament. They did beat Duke after all, even if that feels like years ago. But a .500 record in the SEC isn’t going to impress the Kentucky faithful. This week, games against the Tigers, both the LSU and Missouri variety, await. A 9-9 conference record seems imminent, which, all things considered, isn’t horrible. The issue is that the expectations in Lexington are unreasonably high. And why is this team ranked? Someone answer that, please.
8. Mississippi State Bulldogs
Last week’s ranking: 7 (-1)
Record: 20-9 (8-8)
Last week: L at No. 6 Alabama (111-73), W vs. LSU (81-69)
Next week: vs. Texas (Mar. 4 – 8 p.m.), at Arkansas (Mar. 8 – Noon)
Quality wins: at SMU, at Memphis, at Vanderbilt, vs. Ole Miss (x2), vs. Texas A&M
Bad losses: vs. Butler
Where would this team be without Josh Hubbard? At least a few spots lower on this list. After a 4-15 performance from the field against South Carolina back in January, he’s scored 16+ points in his past nine games, averaging 23.1 PPG and shooting 35.2% from deep. The sophomore currently is second the SEC with 91 made threes this season, trailing only Chaz Lanier. As a team, the Bulldogs need to continue to find reliable offensive threats that aren’t Hubbard. Also, the defense not giving up 111 points in 40 minutes would help. This week, two very winnable games await Chris Jans and crew. Knocking Texas and Arkansas off the bubble would help this team’s seeding.
9. Texas A&M Aggies
Last week’s ranking: 4 (-5)
Record: 20-9 (9-7)
Last week: L vs. Vanderbilt (86-84), L at No. 3 Florida (89-70)
Next week: vs. No. 1 Auburn (Mar. 4 – 9 p.m.), at LSU (Mar. 8 – 4 p.m.)
Quality wins: vs. Creighton, vs. Texas Tech, vs. Purdue, at Ole Miss, at Missouri
Bad losses: at UCF
Texas A&M was once 20-5 (9-4) and ranked 7th in the AP poll. That was two weeks ago, but it feel like months ago. Since then, they’ve lost four straight, been outscored by a margin of 12 points per game, shot 27.2% from deep, and overall not looked like an NCAA tournament team. Obviously, the Aggies will make the tournament. But it’s never a good idea to enter the tournament on a losing streak. The doctors are prescribing a win against LSU later this week, and Texas A&M better follow orders.
10. Ole Miss Rebels
Last week’s ranking: 9 (-1)
Record: 20-9 (9-7)
Last week: L at No. 1 Auburn (106-76), W vs. Oklahoma (87-84)
Next week: vs. No. 4 Tennessee (Mar. 5 – 9 p.m.), at No. 5 Florida (Mar. 8 – 6 p.m.)
Quality wins: at Louisville, vs. Georgia, at Alabama, vs. Kentucky
Bad losses: N/A
Ever since beating Kentucky, this team has been astonishingly mid. Close wins over SEC bottom feeders? A 30-point loss? Getting swept by an in-conference rival? Mid. Does the road get any easier? No. The Rebels have to face Tennessee and Florida this week. Good luck, because they’ll need it.
11. Georgia Bulldogs
Last week’s ranking: 12 (+1)
Record: 18-11 (6-10)
Last week: W vs. No. 3 Florida (88-83), W at Texas (83-67)
Next week: at South Carolina (Mar. 4 – 6 p.m.), vs. Vanderbilt (Mar. 8 – Noon)
Quality wins: vs. St. John’s, vs. Kentucky, vs. Florida, at Texas
Bad losses: at Arkansas
How about a shoutout to Mike White? It takes talent to build a 26-point lead over Florida. It takes resiliency to blow that lead completely away and still win the game. No other bubble teams from the Power Five want to win a game, and Georgia is taking advantage of that by entering the tournament picture again. And that earlier win over St. John’s? It’s looking more and more impressive by the day. Beating South Carolina and Vanderbilt and notching that 20th win should cement Georgia’s tournament resume if the Bulldogs can manage that this week.
12. Arkansas Razorbacks
Last week’s ranking: 13 (+1)
Record: 17-12 (6-10)
Last week: W vs. Texas (86-81), L at South Carolina (72-53)
Next week: at Vanderbilt (Mar. 4 – 10 p.m.), vs. No. 25 Mississippi State (Mar. 8 – Noon)
Quality wins: vs. Michigan, vs. Georgia, vs. Missouri
Bad losses: at South Carolina, vs. Oklahoma, at LSU
Arkansas had maybe the worst half I have ever witnessed in a college basketball. I was there, and I witnessed it with my own eyes. And I’m thankful for that, because I wouldn’t believe it had I not seen it live. A team shooting 12.5% from the field over a 20-minute span? Starting 0-17 from deep? That is not a tournament team. I’ve seen enough. It doesn’t matter what they do this week. The bad losses have piled up.
13. Texas Longhorns
Last week’s ranking: 11 (-2)
Record: 16-13 (5-11)
Last week: L at Arkansas (86-81), L vs. Georgia (83-67)
Next week: at No. 25 Mississippi State (Mar. 4 – 8 p.m.), vs. Oklahoma (Mar. 8 – 8 p.m.)
Quality wins: vs. Missouri, vs. Texas A&M, vs. Kentucky
Bad losses: vs. Arkansas (x2), at South Carolina
Much like Arkansas, Texas is now a member of the not-making-the-tournament club, along with LSU, Oklahoma, and South Carolina. Goodbye, hopes of a 14-bid superconference. When the team needed the win most, they disappeared. The Longhorns are 1-6 in their past seven games and have fallen off the bubble with a 16-13 overall record. The three combined losses to Arkansas and South Carolina were really damaging to a resume that otherwise included wins over Missouri, Texas A&M, and Kentucky. And don’t forget the latest setback, a blowout home loss to fellow bubble team Georgia.
14. Oklahoma Sooners
Last week’s ranking: 15 (+1)
Record: 17-12 (4-12)
Last week: L vs. No. 17 Kentucky (83-82), L at Ole Miss (87-84)
Next week: vs. No. 15 Missouri (Mar. 5 – 8 p.m.), at Texas (Mar. 8 – 8 p.m.)
Quality wins: vs. Arizona, vs. Louisville, vs. Michigan, vs. Vanderbilt
Bad losses: vs. LSU, vs. Texas
After a 30-point win over Vanderbilt, Oklahoma is 1-7 in their past eight games. That’s not enough to get them into the tournament. In fact, it’s as if they’ve been playing like they don’t even want to go. 12 conference losses? Unless the Sooners hit the 20-win mark via beating Missouri, Texas, and a to-be-determined SEC tournament opponent, they’re bound to go to the NIT (and not win it). Even if they do make the tournament, does Porter Moser stay in Norman this offseason?
15. South Carolina Gamecocks
Last week’s ranking: 16 (+1)
Record: 12-17 (2-14)
Last week: L at No. 14 Missouri (101-71), W vs. Arkansas (72-53)
Next week: vs. Georgia (Mar. 4 – 6 p.m.), at No. 4 Tennessee (Mar. 8 – 2 p.m.)
Quality wins: vs. Clemson
Bad losses: vs. North Florida
They’ve finally done it. In the last episode of SEC basketball power rankings this week, the Gamecocks have risen to No. 15 after going 2-1 in their past three games, overtaking LSU. Lamont Paris has this group playing relatively well, and it’s good to see the team reap the benefits of not giving up. Credit to the Gamecocks, who should have effectively knocked Arkansas and Texas off the bubble. They’ve got more chances to play spoiler upcoming.
16. LSU Tigers
Last week’s ranking: 14 (-2)
Record: 14-15 (3-13)
Last week: L vs. No. 5 Tennessee (65-59), L at No. 24 Mississippi State (81-69)
Next week: at No. 19 Kentucky (Mar. 4 – 7 p.m.), vs. No. 22 Texas A&M (Mar. 8 – 4 p.m.)
Quality wins: at Oklahoma
Bad losses: vs. Texas, at Arkansas
LSU falls into the cellar, more so because of South Carolina holding an SEC team to 14 points in a half rather than the Tigers doing something poorly. LSU has been competitive against good teams, but haven’t been able to close out games. It’s another season of stagnation in the bayou. But this year could have gone so differently. Imagine if Tyrell Ward and Jalen Reed were healthy for the season. That could have easily turned LSU into a tournament team. But alas, here we are, and here we must finish.