Expected to make a name as a basketball conference this year, the SEC is loaded with top teams. Always known as a football conference, there has been a lot of competitive play. Florida and Kentucky are almost always good. But who else is crashing the part this season? Let’s take a look.
Vanderbilt Commodores: After some early season miscues, Vanderbilt seems to have gotten back on track. A win against Mississippi St. would have been great, but a one-point loss in overtime is not a backbreaker. With road wins against Marquette and Alabama, the Commodores have been given more national attention. John Jenkins, arguably the best shooter in the country, is averaging 19.8 points and shooting .453 from behind the arc. Jeffery Taylor, the athletic big man, has garnered 17.1 points and 5.6 rebounds a game. Lance Goulbourne has really stepped up on the glass, grabbed 7.4 boards, and although he has started slow, Festus Ezeli is beginning to put it together. This team has the look of one that could make a deep tournament run. The only problem is, they’ve been ousted in the first round time after time. Vanderbilt will need to prove doubters wrong that they can win a game in March Madness, and this may be the squad to do so.
Florida Gators: The Gators have had a great season so far thanks to their especially talented backcourt. Although Erving Walker has been a bit quiet, he still averages 4.9 assists and Kenny Boynton has made up for that by scoring at 18.3 a clip. The real x-factor, however, is freshman Bradley Beal, who is averaging 14.1 points and 6.1 rebounds, eye-opening numbers for a 6’ 3” guard. Transfer Mike Rosario has also been solid and Patric Young and Erik Murphy form a nice frontcourt. Florida is incredibly deep and has only had a couple of slip ups-this season. They haven’t had a quality win yet, but they certainly have the firepower to compete with the best, and that includes Kentucky. It will be a treat both times the two play, and I wouldn’t be surprised if they split the games. Although they lost some key players from last year’s Elite Eight run, they have the kind of team who can duplicate it, and maybe get even farther.
Ole Miss Rebels: Mississippi was playing some pretty good basketball, starting off the season 9-1, but since then have dropped five of nine. Their recent win over Mississippi St. is nice, but losses to Auburn and LSU are brutal hits to their resume. The Rebels have gotten help from several places, as Dundrecous Nelson, Terrance Henry, Jarvis Summers, and Murphy Holloway are all scoring in double figures. However, their real strength is rebounding; they’re 15th in the nation in that category and are led by Holloway (9.6 per game) and Reginald Buckner (8.8) per game. Their ability to control the glass gives them a shot in nearly every game, but their recent slump tells us that something is missing on this team.
Arkansas Razorbacks: Arkansas has had a surprisingly good season, with two of their four losses coming to Connecticut and Kentucky. They also hold wins over Michigan and Mississippi St. The player who should have been the main reason for their success, junior Marshawn Powell, tore a ligament in his knee earlier on in the year and has played in only two games. He averaged 19.5 points and 6 rebounds a game. The College Court picked Powell as the player to watch on Arkansas, but the team has carried on without him. B. J. Young has stepped up his scoring, and the team has many players who contribute. With the way the Razorbacks have played without Powell, they show no signs of slowing down and are aiming for a tournament berth.
LSU Tigers: Transfer Justin Hamilton has been a nice surprise, averaging 14.1 points and 7.5 rebounds and leading the Tigers in both categories. Andre Stringer has performed well too, but Ralston Turner, a player who was expected to have a big impact on this team, has disappointed. The Tigers have done a nice job at rebounding, as they have been good for 39th in the country. Their most notable win was over Marquette, and they really only have one bad loss, so there is still some hope for the season. However, they have yet to prove that they are ready to compete in the SEC, so it looks like it will be at least another year before the LSU Tigers return to relevance.
Auburn Tigers: It’s been a bit of a rough road for the Tigers, but they have certainly improved from last season. Kenny Gabriel has done a stellar job for Auburn, averaging 11.6 points and 8.1 rebounds. He’s received help from a decent starting squad that has Frankie Sullivan, Chris Denson, Rob Chubb, and Varez Ward. Auburn has begun its climb out of the SEC basement, and is hoping for good things to come in the near future. A strong finish to the season will go a long way to how this squad develops next year.
Tennessee Volunteers: The Vols are an interesting team. Despite the fact that they are under .500, they have wins over Florida and Connecticut, and have played Mississippi St. and Kentucky extremely close. The best thing to take from this is that although they may not be going too far this season, Tennessee is on the right track and is an extremely dangerous team. Trae Golden leads the team with 13.6 points and 5.2 assists, while Jarnell Stokes and Jeronne Maymon have built an outstanding frontcourt, averaging 12 points and 8 rebounds and 11.4 points and 7.7 rebounds respectively. The Volunteers will be competitive this season, which is a breath of fresh air after last year’s debacle. They may not have a great overall record, but expect a strong finish and maybe another upset or two.
South Carolina Gamecocks: The season has been one to forget for the Gamecocks. With losses to Elon, Tennessee St., and Auburn, they have not produced an impressive resume. Also, they have yet to pick up a quality win. Malik Cooke has done a decent job as the lead man, averaging 12.2 points, 4.9 rebounds, and 1.9 steals per game, but there’s not much to like otherwise. With games against Florida and Kentucky coming up, things will only get worse for South Carolina. A finish at the bottom of the conference is imminent.
Here is the College Court’s prediction for the final SEC standings:
- Kentucky Wildcats
- Florida Gators
- Vanderbilt Commodores
- Mississippi St. Bulldogs
- Alabama Crimson Tide
- Arkansas Razorbacks
- Ole Miss Rebels
- Tennessee Volunteers
- LSU Tigers
- Georgia Bulldogs
- Auburn Tigers
- South Carolina Gamecocks
Duke Blue Devils: One of the top scoring teams in the nation, Duke is on a tear despite losing Kyrie Irving and Nolan Smith. As usual, they are dominant at home (undefeated so far), and Coach K has them playing at a very high level. Despite his inconsistent play, Austin Rivers is still leading the team at 14.2 points per game and is its most explosive player. Rivers is a special talent that will only get better as the season goes on. The most amazing part about the Blue Devils’ success is their shooting. Duke, always know to live and die by the three, have four players who specialize in launching from behind the arc in Rivers, Ryan Kelly, Seth Curry, and Andre Dawkins. Despite the fact that they shoot so many threes, they still have a .498 field goal percentage as a team, good for sixth in the nation. Mason Plumlee has been a terror on the boards and gives the team the balance it needs. Duke has a nice mix of young players and veterans, and if they stay hot shooting, they will have a long postseason run.
Florida St. Seminoles: As usual, the ‘Noles are making noise in the ACC because of head coach Leonard Hamilton’s defensive philosophy. As I mentioned above, they crushed North Carolina and held them to only 57 points. Florida St. has played a tough schedule so far and should be happy with its 12-6 record. In the absence of Chris Singleton, other players have stepped up. Bernard James has been a beast, averaging 10.4 points and 8.9 rebounds. Michael Snaer and Ian Miller have both increased their play big time, averaging 13.5 and 13 points per game respectively. Florida St. is always a tough team to beat, as last year’s Sweet Sixteen run showed everyone, so don’t be surprised if they continue upsetting teams in the ACC. The best is still yet to come for this Seminoles, as they should string together a 20-win season.
Miami (FL) Hurricanes: Miami has had an interesting season. Expected to be one of the better teams in the ACC, they have yet to really pick up a quality win. Malcolm Grant and Durand Scott, both players expected to lead the team, have had a drop-off from last season. Transfer Kenny Kadji has been a nice surprise, averaging 11.4 points and 5.1 rebounds. However, the Hurricanes need to step up their play if they want to make it to the tournament. They haven’t been bad so far, but their best win is against Rutgers. Opportunities await them in the ACC schedule, they’ll just have to make the most of them.
Virginia Tech Hokies: We end the conference with the struggling Hokies who are 0-4 in conference play. After only losing to Syracuse, Minnesota, and Kansas St. in nonconference play, they are still looking for their first ACC win. It hasn’t been too easy so far, but they have lost close games to Wake Forest and Boston College. Erick Green has been the top Hokie, averaging 16.1 points per game. For a team that has really wanted to make the tournament this season,they must play better. They should escape from the basement of the conference, but a tournament berth is too far out of reach.
Kansas Jayhawks: The Jayhawks have an all around solid team that is led by a frontrunner for national player of the year, Thomas Robinson. Robinson has been an absolute terror for opposing teams, averaging 17.8 points, 12.3 rebounds, and over a steal and a block per game, and making everyone forget about the Morris twins. He’s also shooting .544 from the field, showing his efficiency. Kansas has also received big contributions from Tyshawn Taylor, Travis Releford, Elijah Johnson, and Jeff Whitey. Having a starting five that talented has propelled the Jayhawks to the top of the Big 12 with wins over Georgetown, Ohio St., Kansas St., and Baylor. It’s no secret that Kansas is dominant at home, so a couple road losses could be in their future, especially at Baylor. I still think they’ll finish behind Baylor, but they are a top-ten team and a national title contender.
Iowa St. Cyclones: A popular sleeper pick, Iowa St. has moved its way out of the basement of the Big 12. Coach Fred Hoiberg has turned them into a quality team, as they have defeated mostly everyone in their path. They have played Kansas, Missouri, and Michigan close. It’s clear that the reason they have had so much success is because of their star player, Royce White, who leads the team in scoring, rebounds, and assists. White is 250 pounds of muscle on the boards and that is evident in his six double doubles this year. With so much of the Big 12 schedule still left to play, a lot remains to be seen, but the Cyclones have already proven that they have what it takes to be a tournament team. If they string together some more wins and upset one of the teams mentioned above, they should find themselves playing in March.
Texas A&M Aggies: What was supposed to be a promising season for the Aggies is spiraling out of control. Khris Middleton, a player who expected to be one of the best in the nation, may still be playing hurt. His numbers are down from last year and Texas A&M has been 3-6 in games he has played in his return from injury. Middleton is a solid player, as is the rest of the Aggie team, so don’t be surprised if they pull off some upsets here and there and finish strong. However, as a Seton Hall fan, this reminds me of last year when Jeremy Hazell returned from injury last year and the team still struggled. Middleton will have the ability to return next year for his senior season.
Syracuse Orange: What more can you say about the Orange that hasn’t been said already? They are an incredibly deep team and have beaten all comers. Jim Boheim has done a good job at keeping the focus of the team off of Bernie Fine and on basketball. Kris Joseph paces the top team in the country that has good guards (Scoop Jardine, Dion Waiters, and Brandon Triche), good forwards (James Southerland and C. J. Fair), and good centers (Fab Melo and Rakeem Christmas). If you had to pick a week spot, it would be rebounding, as the Orange are 96th in the country and have no one averaging six per game. Syracuse will probably drop a road game or two in conference play, but they should win the Big East tournament and cruise to a #1 seed in March Madness.
Cincinnati Bearcats: Cincinnati has turned into the team everyone thought they would be at the beginning of the season. Although they have some bad losses, they have only lost one game since that brawl with Xavier. Sean Kilpatrick and Dion Dixon are doing a tremendous job and although Yancy Gates has had a production drop from last year, he still brings solid play. While I’m still not sold on the Bearcats, their road win against Georgetown was huge. However, with a tough remaining schedule (games against Connecticut, West Virginia, Syracuse, Seton Hall, Louisville, and Marquette twice), they will most likely drop from the number two spots.
Seton Hall Pirates: The Pirates have been a pleasant surprise and have shown they are for real. With blowout wins over West Virginia and Connecticut, it’s clear that Seton Hall is no joke. With only three losses so far, they look like one of the top teams in the Big East. Although he has slowed down a bit in conference play, Herb Pope has been a monster both on the boards and in the post. He is one of, if not the best big man in the conference, and is the anchor to this team. Senior point guard Jordan Theodore is a catalyst for this team. He is great at passing and ball handling and has a silky smooth jump shot. If the team starts to struggle, it’s usually Theodore righting the ship. However, the biggest key is forward Fuquan Edwin. Edwin leads the nation in steals and has brought a new element to the team’s defense. He is always active tipping passes, and gets everyone else to play hard-nosed defense. Earlier in the year, I questioned the depth of Seton Hall, but with Aaron Cosby emerging as a solid fourth scoring option, and Patrik Auda and Brandon Mobley also playing well, this team is built to succeed. They should get some more big wins this season especially at home (Seton Hall is undefeated at the Prudential Center), and finish right around where they are now.
West Virginia Mountaineers: Kevin Jones has finally broken out and is having the kind of season that may win him the Big East Player of the Year award. A double-double machine, Jones averages 20.1 points and 11.6 rebounds. What has been key is getting that second scoring option in Daryrl “Truck” Bryant who not only is the key in the ignition of the offense, but also averages 17.8 points per game. Deniz Kilicli, who is a mountaineer himself, rounds out the big three by giving West Virginia a solid option in the post. While there isn’t too much behind these three, they are a force to be reckoned with. The Mountaineers have the firepower to finish in the top half of the conference without a doubt.
Louisville Cardinals: Right now, it doesn’t seem like Rick Pitino’s Cardinals are able to compete in the Big East. A great nonconference record has been followed by a 2-4 start in the Big East. The loss to Providence was extremely ugly, and after only beating St. John’s and DePaul, it seems like Louisville cant hang with the big dogs. They have a chance to prove me wrong with some big games coming up, but right now they seem like frauds. Gorgui Dieng has paced what is one of the best rebounding teams in the NCAA, but the underachieving Peyton Siva has really hurt the team. If Siva were playing at his normal level, Louisville would really be elite. I expect them to improve, but not enough to get near the top of the conference.
Pittsburgh Panthers: It’s fitting we end with Pitt, because they have been arguably the biggest disappointment in the nation this season. Expected to finish in the top-ten, they are 0-6 in the Big East and on a seven game losing streak. Losses to Notre Dame, DePaul, and Rutgers in that span show that they haven’t even faced the cream of the crop yet in the conference. The blame can go to many places, but you can look no further than Ashton Gibbs. Gibbs passed up the draft to return to school and is having a down year. Gibbs makes his money from behind the arc, where he shot nearly 50% last year. This year, he is at .383. That is a huge dropped and has hurt the overall production of the team. The Panthers aren’t as bad as they seem, and they should be able to climb out of the cellar, but a postseason berth may not be in their future.