SEC Basketball Preview

The non-conference basketball season is over (for the SEC at least), with a few exceptions. And before I actually start the "real" preview, let's recap what has happened to this point for each team.

SEC STANDINGS (I've put them into categories)

TOP TIER
1. Kentucky (14-1, #2 AP)- Kentucky. That's about all you need to know about this team. They look like Kentucky. They play like Kentucky. They win like Kentucky. Their only loss came this buzzer beater to now #12 Indiana.  Other than that, they have just taken care of business.

2. Mississippi State (13-2, #15 AP)- A surprise team to most, Mississippi State has had some quality wins (Texas A&M, Arizona, West Virginia) and a (semi?) disappointing loss to Akron.

3. Florida (12-3, #13 AP)- Florida has had a great non-conference season, adding some good resume-building wins(Arizona, Texas A&M). Their three loses were all (mostly) understandable (@ then #3 Syracuse, @ then #3 Ohio State, and 2OT to Rutgers).

4. Alabama (11-3, received 1 vote in AP poll)- If you want to see a team that was over-hyped in the preseason, take a good look at Alabama. They were ranked as high as 12th. They lost to now #9 Georgetown, and seemingly started an uncontrollable spiral downward (3 losses in 4 games). They now seem to have that under control.

MEDIOCRE AND/OR UNDERACHIEVING

4. Arkansas (11-3)- This team has played a rather soft- preseason schedule. They were not expected to win any of their 3 losses (Houston, then #10  UCONN, Oklahoma). They have lost team-leaders PF Marshawn Powell to injury and Rotnei Clarke to transferring to Butler.

5. Auburn (10-4)-  Auburn is mediocre and overachieving. Losses include Seton Hall, (a good) Long Beach State University, UTEP (UGLY!!!), and a 29 point loss to Florida State. Notable Wins: South Florida, Hawaii (Do those even count?).

5. LSU (10-4)- An all-around inconsistent team. I can't decide if they're on the rise or if they just get lucky every now and then. Losses: Coastal Carolina, Northwestern, University of South Alabama in OT, then #23 Virginia. Good Wins: then #10 Marquette.

5. Ole Miss (10-4)- Just a plain, old mediocre team. With losses to then #19 Marquette, Southern Miss, Middle Tenn. State University, and Dayton, it is not going to get any easier to win for Ole Miss now. As of today, Ole Miss's leading scorer Dundrecous(sp?) Nelson was booted from the team for, as he stated under oath,  "unlawfully and willfully used paraphernalia to ingest or inhale a controlled substance." Notable wins include: Miami, Penn State, TCU.

5. Vanderbilt (10-4)- If you want to see another over-hyped team, look no further than Vandy. A consensus top-10 basketball team in the preseason. Losses: Cleveland State, then #11 Xavier, then #6 Louisville, Indiana State Sycamores (yes, they are the sycamores). Wins: BLOWOUT @ then #13 Marquette.

THOSE EASTERN TEAMS THAT WILL BE LUCKY TO ACCOMPLISH ANYTHING

6. Georgia (9-5)- Inconsistent. Notable Wins: Notre Dame, USC. Losses: then #18 CAL, then #12 Xavier, Colorado, Cincinnati, Georgia Tech

7. South Carolina (8-6) Even more inconsistent than Georgia. Bad losses, but hung with then #2 Ohio State until after halftime. Notable Wins: Clemson. Losses: then #1 UNC, USC, Providence, then #2 Ohio State, Elon, Tennessee State(!!!!!!!!).

8. Tennessee (7-7)- Just bad. Dealing with the NCAA doesn't help either. Notable Wins: none. Losses: then #6 Duke, then #8 Memphis, Oakland, then #17 Pittsburgh, Austin Peay, College of Charleston. It may be a long year for the Vol faithful.

PREVIEW

Well now that our recap is complete, I'm gonna preview the SEC season. Complete with best and worst case scenarios, NCAA tournament and NIT chances, and my Pre-SEC season- ALL SEC- Team.

1. Kentucky. This is not a hard choice. Easily the most talent in the SEC.

Best Case Scenario: 16-0. Hey, it could happen.

Worst Case Scenario: 12-4. Are there even 4 teams in the SEC that could hang with Kentucky?

NCAA TOURNAMENT? Yes, 1 seed. 2 seed at worst.

2. Mississippi State. One reason I have MSU over Florida is the easier schedule. The second reason wears jersey #3.

Best Case Scenario: 13-3. MSU will drop some close ones and maybe one they aren't supposed to.

Worst Case Scenario: 9-7. Another late-season collapse leads to a disappointing season.

NCAA TOURNAMENT? Yes, anywhere from a 3 seed to a 7 seed.

3. Florida. Just continues to be a solid basketball team under Billy Donovan.

Best Case Scenario: 14-2. All wins except two close ones to either Kentucky, Mississippi State, Vandy, Alabama

Worst Case Scenario: 8-8. An injury to Kenny Boynton would kill UF.

NCAA TOURNAMENT? Yes, 3 seed to a 9 seed.

4. Alabama- Will hopefully improve since the non-conference schedule.

Best Case Scenario: 13-3. This Alabama team is known to play great defense. If they get hot... LOOK OUT!

Worse Case Scenario: 8-8. A lack of effort can become contagious on a team.

NCAA TOURNAMENT? On the bubble, could be anywhere from a 8 seed to a 13 seed

NIT? If they don't get an NCAA berth, look for Alabama to host a NIT region.

5. Vandy- I think they will get better.

Best Case Scenario: 12-4. They basically return all the key clogs from an excellent team last year.

Worst Case Scenario: 8-8. Ezeli could get reinjured. That would be very bad.

NCAA TOURNAMENT? On the bubble, Vandy as a 9 seed is very possible. Heck, Vandy as a 7 seed is very possible.

NIT? Well if they don't make the NCAA, look for Vandy to host.

6. Arkansas. We're gettin' on down the list.

Best Case Scenario:11-5. They play a very potent full-court defense. They could get hot.

Worst Case Scenario: 7-9. Injuries could stack up on a team that already only plays 9 scholarship players.

NCAA TOURNAMENT? If they make a run in the SEC season and go fairly deep in the SEC tourney, they could be anywhere from a 10 seed to a 13 seed.

NIT? Very likely.

7. LSU. A team that has definitely improved from last season.

Best Case Scenario: 10-6. Trent Johnson could finally wake the sleeping Tigers.

Worst Case Scenario: 6-10. Another LSU basketball season.

NCAA TOURNAMENT? Probably not, but if they make a (unlikely) run in the SEC tourney, it IS possible.

NIT? Extremely likely.

8. Ole Miss. Andy Kennedy will probably be on the hot seat by the end of the season.

Best Case Scenario: 11-5. Jelan Kendrick could step and be the star he's capable of being.

Worst Case Scenario: 6-10. Lack of depth could hurt the Rebs.

NCAA TOURNAMENT? Probably not, they would probably have to win the SEC tourney to grasp a 12 seed.

NIT? Almost definitely.

9. Georgia. They have a tough schedule.

Best Case Scenario: 10-6. They could get lucky. That's all I've got.

Worst Case Scenario: 4-12. Like I said, they have a tough schedule. Kentucky X2, Florida X2, MSU, Vandy X2

NCAA TOURNAMENT? No.

NIT? Probably.

10. Auburn. Just a inconsistent team.

Best Case Scenario: 9-7. They could win most of their home games and maybe two or three more.

Worst Case Scenario: 4-12. It's Auburn basketball.

NCAA TOURNAMENT? No.

NIT? Maybe. I'm leaning towards no.

11. Tennessee. The only thing that separates UT from South Carolina is the talent level.

Best Case Scenario: 10-6. They DO have talent. Just some poor coaching.

Worst Case Scenario: 4-12. Bad coaching. It happens.

NCAA TOURNAMENT? No.

NIT? Maybe. They would have a better chance of making it than Auburn just for their namesake.

12.South Carolina. Just bad. Just really, really bad.

Best Case Scenario: 8-8. They could win the easy ones.

Worst Case Scenario: 2-14. Now THAT would be bad. Like fire your coach midseason bad.

NCAA TOURNAMENT? No.

NIT? Nothing is impossible.

Pre-SEC season-ALL SEC-Team

PG: Dee Bost, Mississippi State

SG: John Jenkins, Vanderbilt

SF: Doron Lamb, Kentucky

PF: Arnett Moultrie, Mississippi State

C: Anthony Davis, Kentucky

Any comments/ thoughts/ questions? Thanks for reading!