It’s too early to project how many SEC teams will make the NCAA Tournament field in men’s basketball.
After all, a year ago at this time, you would have said Kentucky had little chance. The Wildcats lost at home to Gardner-Webb and San Diego, but then went 12-4 in a watered down league to earn a postseason berth.
But based on early returns, the SEC hasn’t been very impressive on the court. Tennessee is the only team ranked in the Top 50 of the RPI, and the Vols are #25.
Florida is #58, followed by 67 Kentucky, 82 Vanderbilt, 87 Ole Miss and 88 Auburn. Ole Miss is sure to fall out of the Top 100 after losing point guard Chris Warren and two other perimeter starters.
That’s just six SEC teams in the Top 100.
That means six others are not in the Top 100, with Alabama at 220 despite a 7-3 record. LSU is 10-1 but only 120 in the RPI because of a weak schedule.
The SEC is ranked #7 among conferences, trailing the Big Ten, the Big East, the Pac-10, the ACC, the Big 12 and the Atlantic 10 (in no particular order).
The SEC is only 3-18 against teams in the Top 50 of the RPI. The wins: Tennessee over Georgetown, Auburn over George Washington and Kentucky over West Virginia.
While Tennessee has a win over ranked Marquette and Auburn has a nice victory against Virginia, Marquette and Virginia are not in the Top 50 of the RPI.
With the majority of non-conference play over in a week, it’s going to be hard for some SEC teams - and the conference as a whole - to climb out of this treacherous hole.
Only 4 Teams Have Clearly Improved
This marks the second consecutive season that the SEC is down.
In 2007, Florida won the national championship, Tennessee and Vanderbilt reached the Sweet 16 and eight teams won at least 20 games.
Last season, Florida didn’t make the NCAA field, only Tennessee reached the Sweet 16, and six teams won 20 games. Only Tennessee and Mississippi State were clearly better. Vanderbilt won four more games but had the same SEC record and lost in the first round of the NCAA tournament by 20 points to Siena. Arkansas won two more games. Every other team was about the same or worse.
Entering SEC play, it appears Kentucky, Florida, South Carolina and LSU will be improved over last season. Auburn and Alabama might be better. The others will be about the same or worse.
By The Numbers
Mississippi State leads the nation in blocked shots per game (10-2) and Bulldog Jarvis Varnado is first at 6.0 blocks per game. Kentucky is second in blocks (8.3) and LSU is fourth.
South Carolina is second in the country in steals per game (11.8) with Devon Downey #3 at 3.4 steals. Florida is eighth in steals (10.5).
Kentucky ’s Jodie Meeks is the nation’s #6 scorer (24.1) and the Wildcats’ Patrick Patterson is fourth in field goal percentage (.685).
LSU is fifth in field goal defense (34.9) while Vanderbilt is 10th (36.0), Mississippi State 12th (36.2), Kentucky 16th (36.7) and Alabama 10th (37.0). Alabama is 12th in 3-point defense (26.9).
LSU is first in rebound margin (13.3) with Arkansas third (12.4).
Tennessee is eighth in scoring (84.1).
Florida and Tennessee are tied for 10th in assists (18.3).
Arkansas’ Michael Washington is 10th in rebounds per game (11.1).
Nick Calathes of Florida is fifth in assists (7.1).
Free Throws
Alabama has held seven opponents to less than 40 percent shooting.
Arkansas has started 8-1 three consecutive seasons; the Hogs were 9-1 entering the Oklahoma game December 30th.
Florida’s Alex Tyus has had a seven-game stretch in which he averaged 16.4 points, 7.9 rebounds and shot 65 percent from the field. He averaged 4.3 points and 2.6 rebounds as a freshman.
Jodie Meeks’ 46 points were the most by a Kentucky player since Dan Issel’s 47 in 1970. Meeks has the top three scoring games in the SEC this season.
Ole Miss has just nine healthy scholarship players, four of them guards.
Mississippi State sophomore guard Ravern Johnson has made more 3-pointers (27) than he attempted all of last season.
South Carolina (9-1) combined for just 28 wins the last two seasons.
Tennessee has started nine different players and had six different starting lineups.
Vanderbilt is 23-2 when junior guard Jermaine Beal scores in double figures.