(AP photo/Mark J. Terrill)
Through Dec. 14, here’s how we would rank the SEC basketball teams thus far.
Click here for SEC basketball results in an Excel file using Google Docs.
1. Kentucky (10-0): John Calipari’s Cats have climbed to No. 3 in both polls. In an eight-day stretch they beat North Carolina, Connecticut and Indiana in Bloomington. Plus, they have John Wall.
2. Tennessee (7-1): Purdue is the only team to have beaten Bruce Pearl’s Vols, and that was by one point on a neutral floor. The Volunteers meet Wyoming tonight. According to Pomeroy, Tennessee has the No. 8 offense in the nation.
3. Ole Miss (8-1): Villanova is the only team to have beaten Andy Kennedy’s Rebels. Still think this is the best team in the West. Ole Miss has good guards, and you need good guards. The Rebels are currently the top-rated SEC team in the Sagarin Ratings at No. 9.
4. Mississippi State (7-2): The Bulldogs are starting to play better, and are on a four-game winning streak. That win over the weekend over UCLA in Anaheim is undercut somewhat by the fact the Bruins are very un-Bruin like. Still, State has the talent if it can put it all together. And who knows what’s going on with Renardo Sidney.
5. Florida (8-1): Was ready to climb aboard the Gators’ bandwagon until we saw Florida’s loss to Syracuse. Billy Donovan’s inside game didn’t look much better, as the Gators let the Orange score at will underneath. Interesting game upcoming with Richmond, which beat Mississippi State earlier this year.
6. LSU (6-2): On the good side, LSU’s two losses were two Connecticut and Arizona State in the NIT in New York. On the bad side, the rest of the Tigers schedule has been pretty weak.
7. South Carolina (6-2): The Gamecocks are making progress, but didn’t present much in the way in opposition during a loss at in-state rival Clemson. South Carolina meets Richmond on Wednesday night.
8. Vanderbilt (6-3): The Commodores followed a nice win over Missouri with losses to Illinois and Western Kentucky. The latter one especially hurt. But Kevin Stallings’ team has played the toughest SEC non-conference schedule thus far, clocking in at No. 40 on Sagarin’s strength of schedule.
9. Alabama (6-3): Like Anthony Grant and the way he coaches, but Tide blew a 15-point second-half lead over Purdue in the second half. All three of Bama’s losses have come against Top 50 teams via Sagarin.
10. Auburn (5-4): Auburn is Auburn, but Jeff Lebo’s club is coming off a one-point win over Virginia.
11. Georgia (4-4): Saw Georgia in-person last Wednesday in a 66-56 loss to St. John’s at Madison Square Garden. Looked like the same old Georgia. Have to give Mark Fox time. And players.
12. Arkansas (4-5): John Pelphrey’s Razorbacks are a disaster at this point, losing by 20 at Oklahoma, and drawing flies at Bud Walton Arena.
Going down Glory Road again is going to be fun. What a difference a year makes!