What a difference a week makes in the SEC.
Back on Jan. 12, when I released my last power rankings, Vanderbilt looked invincible and Alabama was searching for its identity. Fast forward through a chaotic mid-January slate, and things have certainly changed quite a bit.
We have a new No. 1, and a few of the top teams are starting to look like themselves again.
Here’s how the 16 SEC men’s hoops teams stack up as of Tuesday, January 20:
16. South Carolina (10-8, 1-4)
Previous ranking: 14
The Gamecocks are struggling to find consistent scoring. After being crushed by Arkansas and failing to close out Auburn, South Carolina sits at the bottom. The Gamecocks are doing enough to keep games close, but in a league this deep, “close” doesn’t keep you out of the cellar.
15. Oklahoma (11-7, 1-4)
Previous ranking: 15
The struggles are real in Norman. The Sooners have lost 4 straight, including home losses to Florida and Alabama this past week. Oklahoma fought hard against Alabama, losing by 2 points. But hey, like I just said about South Carolina, you don’t get much credit for “close” in the SEC. Oklahoma heads to Columbia on Tuesday night to face South Carolina in a battle for the basement.
14. LSU (13-5, 1-4)
Previous ranking: 16
The Tigers got off the mat with a gritty home win over Mizzou. It wasn’t pretty, but it worked. LSU moves up a spot simply because it proved it can actually win a conference game.
13. Mississippi State (10-8, 2-3)
Previous ranking: 12
A heartbreaking 1-point loss to rival Ole Miss has the Bulldogs reeling. This team has the talent to be in the top half of the league, but Mississippi State is currently on a 3-game skid and needs to find a way to win close games in the final 2 minutes.
12. Auburn (11-7, 2-3)
Previous ranking: 8
Auburn stopped the bleeding with a win over South Carolina, but it hasn’t looked like the juggernaut many expected. The Tigers have struggled on the road (0-3), and while Neville Arena remains a fortress, they need to prove they can win away from the Plains to climb back up in my rankings.
11. Texas (11-7, 2-3)
Previous ranking: 9
The Longhorns handed Vanderbilt its first loss of the season on Jan. 15, which should have been a launching pad. Instead, the Longhorns immediately dropped a rivalry game to Texas A&M at home. The inconsistency makes it tough to rank this Texas squad.
10. Tennessee (12-6, 2-3)
Previous ranking: 7
The Vols are elite defensively, but the offense disappears for long stretches (where have we heard that story before?). A win against Texas A&M was followed by a disappointing home loss for the Vols. Now below .500 in league play, Rick Barnes’ Tennessee squad is in an unfamiliar spot in the bottom half of the rankings.
9. Ole Miss (11-7, 3-2)
Previous ranking: 13
Chris Beard has the Rebels moving in the right direction. An important road win at Mississippi State extended the Ole Miss winning streak to 3. AJ Storr is starting to look like the superstar the Rebels thought they were getting in the portal.
8. Kentucky (12-6, 3-2)
Previous ranking: 11
“The Shot” happened. Malachi Moreno’s buzzer-beater to sink LSU on Jan. 14 might be the moment Kentucky’s season turned around. The Wildcats have won 3 straight and are playing with a newfound confidence that makes them very dangerous.
7. Mizzou (13-5, 3-2)
Previous ranking: 6
Another confusing week for Mizzou. The Tigers look great one night while beating Auburn and then lose to an LSU team that had been winless in the SEC. Still, their overall body of work and perfect home record keep them in the top half of the league for now. Mizzou has wins over Florida, Kentucky and Auburn. Mizzou losses to Ole Miss and LSU. The Tigers are officially the SEC’s most-confusing team.
6. Arkansas (13-5, 3-2)
Previous ranking: 3
The Hogs got humbled in Athens, losing by 14 to Georgia. John Calipari’s squad is still very dangerous, but the defensive lapses on the road are a major concern. Meleek Thomas continues to be a bright spot, but Arkansas needs more from its front-court.
5. Alabama (13-5, 3-2)
Previous ranking: 10
Nate Oats was frustrated a week ago; he’s a lot happier now. Alabama went into Norman and took care of business after demolishing Mississippi State in Starkville earlier in the week. This Alabama team still has a lot of room for improvement, but things are trending in the right direction.
4. Georgia (15-3, 3-2)
Previous ranking: 4
The Georgia Bulldogs are for real. They dismantled No. 17 Arkansas on Saturday in impressive fashion. Stegeman Coliseum is becoming one of the toughest places to play in the conference, which is something I didn’t expect to be writing.
3. Texas A&M (14-4, 4-1)
Previous ranking: 5
“Bucky Ball” is a massive success already. The Texas A&M Aggies went into Austin and beat the Longhorns for the first time in over 20 years. Texas A&M is currently tied for the lead in the SEC standings and looks like the most disciplined team in the conference. Yes, the Aggies lost to Tennessee midweek last week, but losing on Rocky Top isn’t a death sentence. A&M is positioned well for a run at the NCAA Tournament.
2. Vanderbilt (16-2, 3-2)
Previous ranking: 1
The dream of an undefeated season is over. The Commodores lost to Texas and then got out-dueled by Florida at home. Mark Byington still has a top-tier team on his hands, but the star has faded a bit in this past week. Vanderbilt will need to bounce back quickly to stay in the regular-season title race.
1. Florida (13-5, 4-1)
Previous ranking: 2
The Florida Gators are the hottest team in the SEC. Behind SEC Player of the Week Rueben Chinyelu, Florida went on the road and handed Vanderbilt its first home loss of the year. Todd Golden has this team playing at an elite level on both ends. With a 4-game winning streak and a share of the SEC lead, the Gators take over the top spot.
SEC Basketball Power Rankings, Jan. 20: A new No. 1 emerges, Tennessee tumbles Saturday Down South.
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