As of the most recent AP College Basketball Rankings, the SEC has six teams in the Top 10 and nine total teams ranked in the Top 25. Tennessee is No. 1 overall, followed by Auburn at No. 2, Alabama at No. 5, Kentucky at No. 6, Florida at No. 8, and Texas A&M at No. 10. Mississippi State, Oklahoma, and Ole Miss sit a bit farther down the list at No. 14, No. 17, and No. 23, respectively. For a conference known for its football prowess, they are dominating college basketball this year.
Many expected the Big 12 to be the strongest conference in college basketball this season. They only have four teams ranked in the top 25, which Iowa State highlights as No. 3 overall. The Big 10 conference has six teams in the top 25, followed by the Big East with two teams and the ACC with one.
The Volunteers are the only undefeated college basketball team and deserve that first overall ranking. As of January 6th, they are scoring 79.8 points per game while only giving up 55.9 on the defensive side. Led by Chaz Lanier’s 20.3 points per night on 45.5% shooting, Tennessee has the highest point differential in the country at +23.8.
They are also 10th in the country with a +10.3 rebounding advantage and are second in opponents shooting percentage at 34.9%. The Volunteers have had a relatively easy strength of schedule so far, but most recently beat Arkansas by 24 points to open up SEC play. As things stand now, with their first overall ranking, Tennessee is the team to beat.
The Auburn Tigers are the second-ranked team in the country and are playing at a similar level to the Volunteers. They are sixth in points per game at 88 a night, sixth in assists per game with 19.3, and right behind Tennessee with a 22.9-point average margin of victory. Johni Boone is the team’s leading scorer at 18.6 points per game and is fifth in the country with 11.1 rebounds.
The Tiger’s only loss of the season came against Duke when they were ranked No. 7 overall, but since then, they have dominated their schedule, with their closest game being a 16-point win against Missouri on Saturday. Along with Tennessee, Auburn looks as strong as ever and has a real chance at winning its first national championship in school history.
The Crimson Tide currently leads college basketball with 91.1 points per game while shooting the fifth most three-pointers per game. Highlighted by point guard Mark Sears’ 18.3 points, 3.1 rebounds, and 4.4 assists per game, Alabama is picking up right where it left off last year. They are giving up an average of 77.4 points per game but are leading the country in rebounds at 45.5 a night.
With a 12-2 record, their two losses have come to Purdue and Oregon, but they also have four top-25 wins against Houston, Oklahoma, North Carolina, and Illinois. Under head coach Nate Oates, the Crimson Tide have had a strong team in the last few years; they’ve just struggled once they get to the NCAA March Madness Tournament. Like Tennessee and Auburn, if they can keep up this pace and step up their defense in conference play, they’ll be another favorite to win it all.
Kentucky, Florida, and Texas A&M are also in the top 10 in the most recent AP Rankings.
In their first year under head coach Mark Pope, the Wildcats are right behind Alabama at second in scoring with 90.2 points per game. After the departure of John Calipari, many were unsure if Kentucky could keep their college basketball status as a blue-blood team, but so far, they are still getting the job done. So far, they only have two losses on the year, both coming in disappointing games against Clemson and Ohio State.
Sticking with the theme of offensive performances, the Florida Gators are fifth in the country in scoring at 88.3 points per game. They are also third in a margin of victory at +21.7 and are third in rebounding, with an average of 45.1 per night. Florida’s only loss in the year came from Kentucky, where they scored a season-high 100 points but ended up losing by four.
In opposition to the rest of the SEC, the Texas A&M Aggies are winning games with their defense. So far this year, they are only giving up 62.4 points per game and are holding their opponents to 37.7% shooting from the field and 28.7% from three-point range. Led by Wade Taylor IV’s 15.7 points and 4.8 assists per game, the Aggie’s only losses have come against UCF and Oregon.
Mississippi State, Oklahoma, and Ole Miss are the three other teams ranked in the top 25, and all are playing fantastic basketball this season, too. With only four combined losses for all three, keep an eye out on each of them as conference play ramps up.
With the SEC having somewhat of a down year in football, seeing their success in basketball this season is slightly surprising. Yes, many of these teams have been suitable for the past decade, but seeing nine teams in the top 25 for what is known as a ‘football conference’ wasn’t expected. Tennessee and Auburn look like they’ll have a real chance to make the Final Four and possibly win the national championship, but Alabama’s offense could also help them make a run in March.
All of these teams will have to play each other in conference play, so some might drop out of the rankings, but the SEC is a must-watch basketball, and as it stands today, they are the best conference in the country.
If you enjoyed this article, subscribe to our newsletter here. Check out Stadium Rant Original shows on our Youtube channel and subscribe! Give our socials Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, TikTok a follow for more great content!
