SEC Preview

Long hailed a football conference, the SEC has made great strides in basketball recently. With traditional football schools such as Tennessee, Auburn, and Alabama continually improving, this is one of the deepest and most competitive conferences in America.

Team Previews

1. Kentucky

Best Case Scenario: Stop me if you’ve heard this before: Kentucky has one of the best recruiting classes in the nation (it’s #2 according to 247Sports) and they’ll have a variety of options at every position. It’ll be a typical year in Lexington, which is to say a successful one. The major difference is Kentucky has some players returning from last season’s team, which is typically unheard of for the Wildcats. PJ Washington, Nick Richards, and Quade Green all return for another go round with Coach Calipari. Washington was a potential NBA draft pick but decided to come back. He is a bruising power forward, and he should get lots of minutes in the frontcourt. Richards was very inconsistent last season but he looked improved during their trip to the Bahamas. He profiles as a good rim protector and a rim runner with a developing set of post moves and he has a nice breakout year. Green is a good scoring guard and he should help turn around some poor shooting They also add experience in the shape of Reid Travis, a graduate transfer from Stanford who is a pretty similar player to Washington. He had an excellent year scoring nearly 20 points with roughly 9 rebounds. He’ll come in and get major minutes for Kentucky given his skill in the paint. Don’t forget about Jemarl Baker either, a shooter who missed last year with an injury. The freshman class great, as mentioned, and will take up a lot of minutes in the backcourt. Austin Hagans and Immanuel Quickley will see lots of minutes at the point guard position, along with Green, and they bring different dynamics. Quickley is more of a past first player, while Hagans is a better finisher and defender. Tyler Herro and Keldon Johnson will come in on the wing and should be very good. Herro is a deadeye shooter and very good offensively, while Johnson is an excellent athlete who is an alright shooter but a great slasher and should be a plus defender. Finally, EJ Montgomery comes into the frontcourt, with freakish length and athleticism and the ability to step out onto the wing and drive past a man. With one of the most talented roster in the country, Kentucky establishes themselves as the number one team in the country.
Worst Case Scenario: As we’ve seen from some Kentucky teams in the past, minute allocation and roster fit can be potential issues for the Wildcats. Calipari has been known to run “platoons” and not maximize some of his player’s minutes. There are also problems with how players share the court. For instance, Washington and Reid are very similar and not excellent shooters, which could hurt the floor spacing. Can you play Green, Herro, and Quickley together? It provides good scoring- especially from deep- in the backcourt, but very questionable defense. Calipari needs to find the right combinations in order to have the Wildcats live up to their potential, and if he isn’t able to do that, the Cats could fall outside of the top 10.

My Take: This is one of my favorite teams in the country, and I think their ceiling is the highest in the country. Starting with the bad: I’m not a big fan of PJ Washington and I’m not buying him having an outside shot this year. I think he’s the least talented player in the frontcourt, but he’ll probably be better than Richards and he is certainly not bad by any stretch of the imagination. I’m also not a Quade Green fan and I don’t think he should get as many minutes as he should since he’s not a good defender. Other than that, I love this whole roster. The entire freshman class is excellent and I’m super high on Herro and Montgomery. I think Montgomery could be the best player on this team, and I think their defense will be elite, and they will be much better shooting the ball. This should be a top 5 team, no question, with number 1 potential.

2. Tennessee

Best Case Scenario: With basically the entire rotation returning for the co-SEC champions, Tennessee is going to be very good once again. Led by one of the most imposing frontcourts in the nation featuring reigning SEC Player of the Year Grant Williams. Williams isn’t the most athletic player, but he is very talented and will carry a large load for the Vols. He’ll be involved in a lot of pick and rolls as well as get post touches. There will be lots of size around him, with Kyle Alexander, a great rebounder and shot blocker, and Admiral Schofield, an absolute tank who has improved to become a good outside shooter. DJ Burns come into the frontcourt as a highly regarded recruit who will give depth to the frontcourt and give them an even bigger advantage on the boards. They also have a very nice backcourt rotation with the Jordans, Bone and Bowden, along with Lamonte Turner. All three are good shooters, which is vital to helping Williams have the space he needs to operate, along with being solid on the other end of the floor. Yves Pons breaks into the rotation, capitalizing on his immense physical gifts, and he offers a different look from the rest of the guards. With lots of roster continuity and an excellent defense, plus a pretty good offense, Tennessee is a top 3 team in the country.

Worst Case Scenario: Tennessee has basically the same roster as last season, which given their success last year, shouldn’t be a bad thing. However, there are a few things that leave the Volunteers worse off. For one, the hunter becoming the hunted is a real phenomenon, as we saw with Northwestern last year. Tennessee undergoes something like that with higher expectations this season, as they don’t play with the same chip on their shoulder and regress a bit this year. There is also the lack of areas of growth for Tennessee. It’s hard to see any individual players, with the exception of Pons, who doesn’t break out this year. There are also some concerns about shooting, which regresses this year. Tennessee finishes as a mid-tier top 25 team this season without improvement.

My Take: Tennessee might have the highest floor in the country. They play excellent defense and have some excellent players. Schofield is one of my favorite players in the country and I could see him being the best player on the roster. Williams will once again be excellent, Alexander plays his role well, and the backcourt are all really good. They should be a top 10 team this season and I believe they’ll challenge for the SEC title.

3. LSU

Best Case Scenario: The Bayou Bengals had a disappointing year last season, but they bounce back in a big way this year. They are led by star sophomore point guard Tremont Waters, who had a great year that no one talked about as a freshman, scoring 16 points a game, with 6 assists and 2 steals. He’ll lead a deep backcourt where he will be joined by returners Skylar Mays- a do it all glue guy who will play defense and shoot the ball well- and Daryl Edwards, a floor spacer. They also bring in top 50 recruit Javonte Smart, who can run in dual point guard systems thanks to his size, along with Marlon Taylor, a JuCo import wing who should contribute right away after a great season last year (17 ppg, 9.5 rpg, 44 % from 3) and he’s an excellent athlete. He could also see minutes in the frontcourt, although that is also a deep unit. It’s an entirely new group, headlined by top 26 recruits Naz Reid and Emmitt Williams. Reid has an excellent season as a point forward type, with the ability to bring the ball up and shoot the ball from deep, along with being an absolute force in the paint. Williams is a little undersized, but contributes immediately on the defensive end with his great athleticism and he should provide some highlight reel plays. The freshman class also features Darius Days, another undersized 4 who has athleticism, although he is a much more natural scorer than Williams. Kavell Bigby-Williams comes in from Oregon and he should act as a rim running big and prolific shot blocker. LSU has great depth, balance, and talent and they break into the top 10 nationally en route to an SEC title.
Worst Case Scenario: Will Wade has a tough challenge ahead of him, needing to integrate lots of new faces onto his team. The returning backcourt of Waters, Mays, and Edwards all take a step back with all the new faces vying for shots. Waters especially has to take a backseat with tons of new players and he seems uncomfortable without as much free reign as he had last season and he tries to adapt to more of a facilitator role. Taylor doesn’t live up to his JuCo hype, and neither does Smart. The frontcourt is a mess, with so many new faces unclear about their role. The questions about Reid motor remain, as he takes entire games off and looks disinterested in playing half the time, especially on the defensive end. Despite Williams and Days physical gifts, they struggle to defend SEC frontcourt members since they are undersized for the power forward position. Bigby-Williams was a role player at Oregon, and not much changes in Baton Rouge. LSU struggles- especially on the defensive end- as players aren’t happy with their roles, and they end up on the bubble this year.  

My Take: I would like to take a moment to mention Wayde Sims, who was tragically shot and killed this offseason. Obviously, this is bigger than basketball and I don’t want to contextualize his life purely as being a member of the LSU basketball team. However, he projected to be a solid role player this season, and I’m sure his loss will be felt both on and off the court. I can only wish the best and my condolences to his family and wanted to make sure his legacy was preserved, even if in this small way. As for the team, I really, really like them. I’m a huge Tremont Waters fan, and the same can be said for Naz Reid. Those two are a large reason I’m really high on the Tigers and I’m really excited to see what they can do this season. The freshman class is outstanding, and I think Taylor could shock people with how talented he is coming from the JuCo ranks. I think they will be somewhere in the 8-15 range this season with an extremely talented team.

4. Auburn

Best Case Scenario: Auburn brings back most of the group that tied for the SEC title last season, along with a few new additions. The frontcourt loses Desean Murray, but gains Danjel Purifoy and Austin Wiley, who were both ruled ineligible last season in relation to the FBI investigation. With both of them back in the fold, the frontcourt is loaded with depth and talent. Both Purifoy and Wiley could come back right into starting roles, with Purifoy a 3 and D type who can help space the floor, which Auburn loves to do, while being a very switchable piece on defense, and Wiley as a skilled post player. Chuma Okeke can play on the wing on offense while giving good post defense, and Horace Spencer will provide good rebounding along with a solid mid-range game. The most important piece may be Anfernee McLemore, who can shoot from deep, but is also a prolific shot blocker and one of the best rebounders on the team. Auburn looked much worse after he went out injured at the end of last season and he should be a key frontcourt piece. The backcourt will continue to provide lots of scoring and playmaking, led by Jared Harper and Bryce Brown. Each can score from deep as well as attack the rim, although Harper is a much better ball handler and facilitator. They do lose Mustapha Heron, their best defender in the backcourt, but VCU transfer Samir Doughty should help offset his loss. He’s another skilled isolation scorer and will be a great bench scorer. Malik Dunbar will also be a solid bench option, particularly on the defensive end. The Tigers have lots of potential on both ends of the court and once again compete for a top 10 spot and SEC title.
Worst Case Scenario: Auburn was able to have unexpected success last season largely thanks to Bruce Pearl’s coaching and motivational tactics. After Wiley and Purifoy were suspended, he adopted a mentality of  “us against the world” for his team and it worked beautifully, leading them to the top of the SEC. Without that chip on their shoulder this season, it’s fair to wonder how well Auburn will play, especially against lower tier teams where they may not be fully engaged. The addition of Purifoy and especially Wiley may also ahrm the team. Auburn was very effective last season with lots of athletic wings attacking the rim and making shots from deep, while being very switchable defensively. Wiley is a traditional post player that isn’t able to space the floor or switch defensively, so he could hurt the cohesiveness the team had last year. Additionally, the losses of Heron and Murray hurt big time on the defensive end, leaving Auburn weak in that area. Many of the isolation threes that Harper and Brown take don’t fall as often this year, leaving the team searching for new offensive channels, and Auburn falls to be a borderline top 25 team.

My Take: Auburn comes into the season in a great position to have a lot of success. They return a very talented group of players, headlined by Brown and Harper, who are both high level shot makers. Purifoy and Wiley should come right back into the starting lineup and make a big impact, along McLemore, who is one of the best shot blockers in the conference. I do worry about how motivated Bruce Pearl can get this team and how Wiley will fit into the pace and space style of the team, but I still think Auburn is borderline top 10 nationally and will be very competitive in the SEC.

5. Mississippi St

Best Case Scenario: The Bulldogs are coming off a NIT semifinals appearance, and they should be much improved this year. Led by talented brothers Nick and Quinndary Weatherspoon, The two guards carry the scoring load for Mississippi State, and they both improve from last season. They were both very bad shooters last year- under 30% bad- but they both improve this season while still keeping up their onslaught on the basket. Quinndary shot very well his first two seasons, and reverts back to the form, making him one of the best scorers in the conference. Lamar Peters takes the role of table setter and tough defender, although he is a capable scorer himself with an improved deep shot. Tyson Carter continues to provide a scoring punch off the bench, aided by the fact he was seemingly the only player who could shoot on the team last year. Freshmen Robert Woodard and DJ Stewart provide good minutes on the wing, with their excellent physical gifts and defensive prowess. There is a three-headed frontcourt monster made up of Aric Holman, Abdul Ado, and Reggie Perry. Holman provided most of the frontcourt scoring last year with his ability to post up as well as step out past the three point line. Ado is less talented offensively- although he possesses good footwork and is a capable low post scorer- and is instead a very good defender and rebounder, although Holman is no slouch in those areas either. Perry is a borderline 5 star freshman who might be the most talented player on the roster, and is a high level scorer who can play on the wing despite being 6’10”. He is a difference maker in the SEC and leads the Bulldogs to the top 10.
Worst Case Scenario: Ben Howland has been able to get talent for a long time, but he hasn’t been able to put it all together for a really good season since 2008. The three point shooting doesn’t improve for Mississippi State, limiting their ceiling offensively. The Weatherspoons are much easier to guard knowing that they are going to attack the basket since they can’t shoot. Peters continues to struggle with turnovers, hurting the offense as a whole. Woodard and Stewart aren’t day one contributors, and Perry, like so many other freshmen under Howland (Malik Newman, Shabazz Muhammad, etc.), doesn’t live up to his pedigree. Holman regresses from deep, further hurting the floor spacing, and Ado isn’t as polished offensively as was thought. They are still good defensively and on the glass, but their offensive woes keep Mississippi State out of the top 25.

My Take: I think Mississippi State will be one of those teams that are good all year, but never as good as they can be. The Weatherspoons can be streaky, leading to off nights for the entire team offensively, and while I think they’ll be better shooting, especially Quinndary, I don’t know how much better they’ll be. I also don’t love Peters, and I think he will continue to turn the ball over too much. Carter is good for what he is, a bench scorer, and he’ll continue to fulfill that microwave role this year. I can see Woodard taking Peters starting role and moving Nick Weatherspoon to the 1 since he is very physically gifted and may improve the defense despite Peter’s ability to get steals. Holman and Ado should continue to do what they did last year, which isn’t a bad thing, but I don’t see either improving massively. Perry will be key, and if he can play at the level that made him an All-American in high school, he should take this team to new heights. I see the Bulldogs firmly inside the top 25, but never quite pushing into the top 10.

6. Florida

Best Case Scenario: The Gators come into the year with the loss of two key players, point guard Chris Chiozza and forward Egor Koulechov. However, they have ready made replacements in freshman Andrew Nembhard and returning big Keith Stone. Nembhard is known as an elite passer and he should orchestrate the offense very well in his first season. Stone, like Koulechov, is a threat from deep although he won’t provide the same type of defense. That will fall more upon Chase Johnson, fully recovered from his concussion, although he doesn’t possess the same shooting ability. Either way, their frontcourt partner will provide a shot blocking and rebounding threat in either Kevarrius Hayes, Gorjok Gak, or Isaiah Stokes. The offense shouldn’t miss a beat, however, as stars Jalen Hudson and Kevaughn Allen are back. They are both great scorers from all three levels, although Allen took a step back last season, he returns to his 2016-17 form. They are also solid defenders and Allen acts as a secondary ball handler, and his turnaround takes the offense to new heights. Also joining the fray on the wing are talented freshmen Keyontae Johnson and Noah Locke, each of whom is a capable scorer and lessens the blow of taking the two stars off the court. With a high-powered offense featuring plenty of shooters, the Gators put themselves into the upper echelon of the SEC and the country.

Worst Case Scenario: The frontcourt is very weak, especially offensively. None of Hayes, Gak, or Stokes has an advanced offensive game, and only Hayes has played significant minutes prior to this year. Johnson also missed most of last season concussed and is a non-factor shooting the ball, while Stone doesn’t offer the same ability to get to the rack as Koulechov, and is a serious downgrade on the defensive end. The entire team struggles on that side, especially Nembhard, who has to fill Chiozza’s huge shoes. He was excellent on both sides of the ball, and Nembhard simply isn’t able to replicate that. His fellow freshmen are also not able to make an impact off the bat, and depth is an issue all year for Florida. Allen is unable to become the player he had previously shown, which leaves the offense painfully low on creators. Without a talented offense and some real defensive concerns, Florida is a bubble team.

My Take: I’m once again a really big fan of Florida and I think they’ll be quite good this year. Losing Chiozza is going to hurt, but I really like Nembhard, and the rest of the freshman class for that matter. They should slot right into the backcourt rotation, and they could lead to Jalen Hudson playing at the 4 in order to get everyone on the court. I also fully expect Allen to produce at his previous levels, and Hudson should be one of the best scorers in the country. I don’t love the frontcourt, which will be a weakness, but I think Chase Johnson is a sneaky option to be really good this season. Look for the Gators to be in and around the top 25 all season.

7. Vanderbilt

Best Case Scenario: The Commodores disappointed last season after a heartbreaking tournament loss the previous year, and they’ll look much different this season. The conversation around Vandy starts with their freshman class, the third best in the SEC according to the 247Sports composite. With two All-Americans, point guard Darius Garland and big man Simi Shittu, Scott Drew will certainly have enough talent. Garland has some excellent vision and speed, making him a menace in the open court, as well as a good jump shot. Shittu is recovering from an ACL tear, but he should be a great compliment to Garland, given his athleticism and skill in the open court. He is also a load in the post and a talented rebounder, making him one of the best freshmen bigs in the country. The class also features Aaron Nesmith, a talented wing that should see minutes immediately. The ‘Dores also welcome two transfer in the frontcourt in Matt Ryan from the Atlanta Falcons Notre Dame and Yanzi Wetzell from D-II. Both possess floor spacing abilities, which is key for the Commodores, and especially useful at their size. Both should see minutes alongside Shittu or more defensive presences Ejike Obinna and Clevon Brown. Garland will be joined by Saeban Lee in the backcourt, who will slide over and play off the ball, which coincides with a better season shooting the ball. Joe Toye will continue to provide good shooting and defense on the wing as a prototypical glue guy, and behind a talented group of newcomers, Vanderbilt emerges as a top 25 team.

Worst Case Scenario: As with any team relying on lots of new players, Vanderbilt has a lot of uncertainty heading into the year, and the season doesn’t provide many answers. Shittu doesn’t ever look fully healthy, and his lack of finesse makes his finishing ability a major question mark. Garland struggles without a talented supporting cast, and Nesmith isn’t ready to play in the SEC. Neither is Wetzell, and his fellow bigs don’t develop offensively, making the frontcourt a huge question on that side of the court. Lee isn’t able to slide off the ball effectively, and instead of a dual point guard system, it looks like two players trying to be the alpha in the backcourt. The defense is also shaky, with players like Lee and Ryan struggling on that end. Vanderbilt doesn’t pan out once again and misses out on March.

My Take: I’ve seen a lot of people putting Vanderbilt on the bubble, but I think they’re pretty clearly a tournament team. Garland is going to be really good, and so will Shittu once he’s healthy. I also really like Nesmith, especially playing the two, and I think the best lineup includes all three freshmen, Ryan, and Wetzel. It might not be the best defensively, but the floor spacing around Shittu would be excellent and that offense would be dynamic. I’m not super high on Lee, and I think he’d be better off the bench, and the same goes for Toye. To me, the Commodores should have no problem going dancing this year.

8. Alabama

Best Case Scenario: The Crimson Tide were led by star point guard Collin Sexton, who was the spark on offense as well as a stellar defender. He is gone to the NBA now, but Alabama should be alright without him. They will once again sport tons of length and athleticism, making them a very good defensive team. They’ll be led on that end by Herb Jones on the wing and the stout defensive duo of Donta Hall and Daniel Giddens in the paint. They also have a surplus of length in the backcourt, with starters Dazon Ingram and John Petty checking in at 6’5”, and Tevin Mack at 6’6”. Off the bench, freshmen Kira Lewis and Diante Wood are ready to contribute, and Riley Norris comes back for a fifth year. The defense will continue to be stout, and the offense continues to be good even without Sexton. Ingram is able to go back to the playmaking role in which he is more comfortable and he’ll look to penetrate and get to the rim. Petty is a knockdown shooter and improves on his consistency in his second season. The frontcourt isn’t super talented offensively, although Hall is a very talented rebounder and will get easy buckets that way, as will Giddens. Norris should provide a good scoring option, as will Wood, but the main offensive catalyst will be Mack. After transferring from Texas, Mack should be a talented scorer who provides good shooting and adds a new dimension to Bama. Without Sexton, Alabama’s secondary options emerge on offense and the defense remains stout, putting them back into the tournament.
Worst Case Scenario: The offense suffers massively without Sexton. It lacks the creative spark and scoring ability to compete against SEC defenses. Ingram has always been more of a scorer than a facilitator, and he is hurt by a lack of shooting around him. Petty remains super inconsistent, and outside of him and Mack, there are no options to space the floor. Jones is a non-factor offensively, as is the entire frontcourt. None of the freshmen are contributors and Mack has off the court issues like he did at Texas. Without the leader on both ends of the floor from last season, Alabama regresses massively and misses out on the postseason.

My Take: Despite how good Sexton was last season, I think Bama will be alright this year. They have an excellent defense, which should keep them in games. Partner that with the addition of Mack, who will help with scoring, and improved consistency from Petty, which I believe will happen, and the offense should be good enough to win them those games. Keep an eye on Kira Lewis, who reclassified from the 2019 class and is still 17. He could be someone who breaks out in the second half of the season as he gets more acclimated to Division I competition. I like a lot of the pieces here and I think they should end up on the right side of the bubble thanks to the strength of their defense.

9. South Carolina

Best Case Scenario: South Carolina shocked the world by making a run to the Final Four two seasons ago, and although they missed out on March last year, they return this season. Chris Silva leads Frank Martin’s group on both ends of the floor. He exemplifies what Martin wants on the defensive end, with high energy and good rebounding, while attacking the rim and getting to the foul line, which the team as a whole excels at. Joining him in the frontcourt will be Maik Kotsar, who has a breakout junior year, finally fulfilling his potential. Stretch forward Felipe Haase also has a good year, and 7’1” sophomore Jason Cudd and bruising freshman Alanzo Frink all factor into the rotation. The backcourt gets lots of reinforcements to go along with returners Hassani Grant and Justin Minaya. Both are good shooters, and Grant is freed up to score more by the addition of Georgetown transfer Tre Campbell, who takes over the point guard role. Martin also brings in for big freshmen guards in AJ Lawson, TJ Moss, Jermaine Couisnard, and Keyshawn Bryant. Lawson in particular has a great year after reclassifying from the class of 2019, and he steps up immediately. The Gamecocks tough defense partners with offensive improvement to get them into the tournament.
Worst Case Scenario: Outside of Silva, there are few scoring threats on the team. None of the other big men take a step forward, and too much of the load falls on Silva on both ends, leaving him overtaxed. Campbell does little to address the turnover issues that Grant had and point guard play is still a question mark. Minaya doesn’t improve as a sophomore, and none of the freshmen are ready to make an offensive impact. This scenario is pretty simple: the offense remains pretty bad and defense isn’t enough to win South Carolina games.

My Take: Similar to Alabama, the defense should keep the Cocks competitive in the SEC. However, I don’t think their defense is as good as the Crimson Tide, and the offense is much worse. Chris Silva is very good, and he’ll lead them this year. I also like Minaya a decent amount and I like a lot of the freshman class. However, I’m not convinced Campbell is the answer at point guard and I don’t think the frontcourt pieces around Silva are that good, especially offensively. I’m also not convinced the freshmen are ready to have a big impact, so this is a team that should continue to get better in future season, but I don’t think they have the firepower to get onto the right side of the bubble.

10. Missouri

Best Case Scenario: Despite the loss of Kassius Robertson, Jordan Barnett, Michael Porter Jr and Jontay Porter from last year’s team, Mizzou bounces back. Jeremiah Tilmon emerges as a true low-post threat as a sophomore. He cuts down on his fouls and just being on the court more allows for him to do more of what worked so well last season. He steps into the hole left by Jontay’s ACL tear and shines. Kevin Puryear and UIC transfer KJ Santos fill in as stretch fours, helping offset the loss of Barnett, and they also see minutes on the wing. The backcourt is led by senior Jordan Geist, a strong defender and good facilitator, and he puts turnover issues behind him. Illinois transfer Mark Smith also gets minutes at the point, and he showcase the dynamic open-court play and shooting that made him a top recruit out of high school. He can also play off the ball, and should see major minutes this year. Freshmen Torrence Watson, Xavier Pinson, and Javon Pickett will also see lots of the court right away. Watson is a high-level shotmaker right away, and he is also good on the defensive end, making him invaluable to the Tigers. Pinson is another point guard and he’s an excellent passer and pushes Geist for minutes, while Pickett is a wing with lots of athleticism and he should immediately contribute defensively. Cuonzo Martin’s defensive principles and an improved backcourt lead the Tigers to another tournament appearance.
Worst Case Scenario: Mizzou lost too much production to remain competitive this year. Robertson, Barnett, and Jontay provided floor spacing that this team is missing. Smith is much more of the player he was with the Illini than he was in high school, which is not good. Geist continues to turn the ball over far too much, and Pinson isn’t ready yet, leaving Missouri without a reliable point guard. Watson also struggles in his first college season, and there are no players who can create their own shot. Santos doesn’t adjust to the higher level of competition, and Puryear doesn’t improve as a three point shooter. Tilmon still can’t defend without fouling, and given the paper thin frontcourt depth, that is a very bad thing. Depth overall is an issue, and Missouri’s offense lacks creators, leaving them watching March Madness from home.

My Take: The loss of Jontay Porter kills this team. He’s a legit stretch five with great vision, and he would’ve been a first team ALL-SEC player for me. I hope he recovers, but I wouldn’t be shocked if he’s played his final game in Columbia. I don’t know if Tilmon can avoid foul trouble, but if he can, he should be a good frontcourt presence on both ends. Puryear and Santos offer interesting potential if they can defend power forwards on defense, and they could make the Tigers’ offense more dynamic with improved floor spacing. I don’t love Geist, and I think Pinson could see some minutes at point guard almost immediately. Mark Smith is a huge addition, and he and Watson could be the type of scorers this offense desperately needs. I think Missouri can hang around on the bubble, but I don’t think they make it into the tournament.

11. Mississippi

Best Case Scenario: The Rebels hired Kermit Davis from Middle Tennessee State this offseason, one of the better coaches in the mid-major ranks. He transforms the team, pushing Mississippi to new heights this season. Led by Terence Davis, who should have NBA attention this year, Mississippi is really good on the offensive end. Davis is a talented scorer and a good rebounder for his size, as well as a good defender. He should lead the team on both ends of the floor. His partner in crime last season- Deandre Burnett- graduated, so Breein Tyree will take the reins at point guard. He is a high energy player that blossoms with more responsibility, and he becomes a reliable second scoring option. Sophomore Devontae Shuler, a similar player to Tyree, becomes a better shooter, allowing them to share the floor. They’ll be joined in the backcourt by Davis and JuCo import Brian Halums, who averaged 20 points in junior college last season. He’ll add some spacing to the team. The frontcourt has lots of new talent. They welcome another JuCo player, Zach Naylor, who plays as more of a stretch four than a physical big in the paint. The same can be said for freshmen Blake Hinson and KJ Buffen, although they are all solid defenders and good rebounders. Bruce Stevens can join them as another floor spacing big, while Dominik Olejniczak has a breakout sophomore season and contributes on both ends. With Kermit at the helm, he leads a prolific offense and improves the defense and gets the Rebels onto the bubble, and into the tournament.

Worst Case Scenario: Davis, while a great coach, isn’t a miracle worker, and he experiences a bit of a learning curve in his transition from Conference USA to the SEC. It doesn’t help that his roster isn’t loaded with talent. While Davis is an NBA prospect, he struggles without Burnett to draw the attention of defenses away from him. He sees more double teams this season and struggles to break through as a player. Tyree and Shuler can’t replace the production of Burnett, especially shooting the ball. With so much inexperience from new players coming in, the Rebels struggle in the frontcourt and on the wing. Neither one of the JuCo guys can handle SEC competition, and the freshmen don’t look ready physically to play in one of the most demanding conferences in America. The defense doesn’t get much better, even with a zone, which Davis likes to play, and Mississippi once again is one of the worst teams in the SEC.

My Take: I actually really like Ole Miss this season. Kermit Davis was an excellent hire, and he’ll be great in Oxford. He’s already got a talented freshman class along with some good, young pieces, so he should have the program turned around soon. This year, I think they

could be better than people think. Terence Davis is really good, and I think Breein Tyree can have a really good season. Like I said, I really like the freshman class, especially Hinson, and both JuCo recruits should help immediately. I can see Mississippi hanging around the bubble this year, although I can’t see them going dancing.

12. Arkansas

Best Case Scenario: Arkansas has been excellent under Mike Anderson, and his adapted 40 Minutes of Hell style has been a success in Fayetteville. However, they lose a ton of production in Daryl Macon, Jaylen Barford, and Anton Beard who were all integral pieces of the offense last season. The Hogs will rely on Daniel Gafford- a lottery prospect last season who elected to return to school- who is an excellent frontcourt player. He shines on the defensive end, with one of the best block rates in the country as well as cleaning up on the glass. He’ll be more involved on the offensive end as he has a very inexperienced supporting cast. Adrio Bailey and Gabe Osabuohien are the only other returners from last season’s team, and even they were role players at the most. They do have New Mexico transfer Jalen Harris, who started games for the Lobos as a freshman, and other than that, the rest of the roster will be made up of freshmen. With players like Keyshawn Embery, Isaiah Joe, Mason Jones, and Ethan Henderson emerging as legitimate options, Arkansas is able to compete in the SEC and stay around the bubble.  

Worst Case Scenario: If it isn’t already obvious, relying on all freshmen isn’t really a recipe for success. None of them are able to establish themselves as legitimate scoring options and that doesn’t bode well for the Razorbacks outlook. It’s hard to run the offense through Gafford, a post player who isn’t really mobile and isn’t able to stretch the floor. They continually get burned defensively as they aren’t molded for Mike Anderson’s press yet. It isn’t a complicated scenario: they lose all of their offense from last season, and are relying on no top 100 freshmen and have to run their offense through a defensive big man. That’s a formula for finishing last.

My Take: I kinda like this team. I think the press can get them a few wins and Gafford is a legit player and lottery pick. He’s insanely good defensively and he’ll anchor this team. I like Embery a lot, actually, and I think he could put up crazy numbers as a freshman as a high level shot maker. I also like Jalen Harris and I think he’ll be pretty good, but there’s no way all of this comes together and perfectly and makes the NCAA Tournament. But I can see them being really fun this season and pulling off a few big wins.

13. Texas A&M

My Take: I tried to write up scenarios, but I couldn’t do it. I really, really hate this team. Their backcourt isn’t good, in my opinion, and I just remember watching both TJ Starks and Admon Gilder heave up bad shot after bad shot, and with the loss of a lot of good players, there’s just more of the same. The frontcourt loses everything and will be manned by Christian Mekowulu, a Tennessee State transfer, Josh Nebo, a Saint Francis transfer, and Savion Flagg, a role player and I don’t think he gets that much better. Wendell Mitchell will be a decent freshman, but man I am so down on this team and I don’t like this team at all.

14. Georgia

Best Case Scenario: The Bulldogs bring in Tom Crean to coach an inexperienced bunch, and it pays off. He takes a team full of role players last year, and turns them into a solid group. He helps improve the efficiency and decision-making of his guards, Tyree Crump, William Jackson, and Teshaun Hightower, which makes the offense run much smoother. Rayshaun Hammonds breaks out as a legitimate scoring option on the wing, and leads the team on both ends. He is aided by strong frontcourt play, from Derek Ogbeide, Nicholas Claxton, and freshman Amanze Ngumezi. Fellow freshman Ignas Sargunas emerges in the backcourt as a floor spacer, and Georgia breaks out of the bottom tier of the SEC.
Worst Case Scenario: As I mentioned earlier, this is an inexperienced team full of some not-so-great players. Crean has little to work with in his first year, and the whole team struggles. The backcourt is inefficient and struggles with turnovers, and the half court offense is especially anemic. Hammonds continues to be nothing more than potential, and the frontcourt struggles, especially offensively. None of the freshmen are able to make an impact, and Georgia has a really long year.  

My Take: Georgia is one of the teams I have seen the least in the Power 6 conferences, so I don’t have much to say. I like Hammonds and Jackson, and I think Sargunas could be a player to watch. Other than that, I don’t think Georgia will be good and I can’t see them doing much better than twelfth even if things go right.

Awards

Player of the Year: Tremont Waters, LSU
Coach of the Year: Will Wade, LSU

Freshman of the Year: Darius Garland, Vanderbilt

Newcomer of the Year: Reid Travis, Kentucky

First Team All SEC

G: Jared Harper, Auburn
G: Tremont Waters, LSU

G: Jalen Hudson, Florida
F: Grant Williams, Tennessee

F: Chris Silva, South Carolina

Second Team All SEC

G: Quinndary Weatherspoon, Mississippi St

G: Darius Garland, Vanderbilt

F: Daniel Gafford, Arkansas
F: Admiral Schofield, Tennessee
F: Reid Travis, Kentucky

Third Team All SEC
G: Bryce Brown, Auburn

G: Keldon Johnson, Kentucky

F: Simi Shittu, Vanderbilt
F: PJ Washington, Kentucky

F: Naz Reid, LSU