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SEC Notebook: The state of the league, weekend preview, and more
Hello, friends.
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Hello, friends.
Before we jump into the column, I just want to say thanks to the many people who have subscribed thus far. The response has been awesome.
If you haven’t subscribed and want to learn more about what I’m doing, read this story.
Here are some thoughts on SEC basketball and other fun stuff heading into the weekend.
What’s wrong with the SEC?
If you’ve watched a lot of SEC basketball this season, surely you’ve noticed it.
What’s it? The fact that the conference just hasn’t been as impressive as some expected to this point in non-conference play.
Kentucky lost to Evansville. South Carolina lost to Boston University. Missouri lost to Charleston Southern. Texas A&M lost to Fairfield. Alabama lost to Penn. Mississippi State lost to Louisiana Tech (it’s may be a reach to put this one in here because Eric Konkol’s squad is pretty good).
Some of those losses aren’t terrible, but they aren’t exactly ideal.
The conference was always going to take a step backward this season. Nine of the SEC’s top 10 scorers and eight of the top 10 in minutes played exited from a season ago, leaving many teams with some production to replace.
That’s typically the case each season, but four teams had legit Final Four potential. It has been a while since we’ve been able to say that about the league.
Six SEC teams finished in the top 26 in KenPom last season:
Kentucky (8)
Tennessee (10)
Auburn (11)
LSU (19)
Mississippi State (21)
Florida (26)
Here are the top six teams and their KenPom ranking this season:
Kentucky (8)
Auburn (12)
Tennessee (21)
Arkansas (28)
Florida (31)
LSU (32)
The numbers aren’t all that different. Yes, it’s a much smaller sample size, and KenPom data isn’t perfect this early in the season.
But this was something I pondered on multiple radio shows and podcasts in the preseason: I’m just not sure 1-5 in the SEC will be as strong as it was in 2018-19.
Kentucky and Florida still have a lot of work to do to be national title contenders. Auburn, Tennessee, and LSU have all started well, but we probably need more games to know exactly how they replace some of the best players in program history. Arkansas is undefeated and ranks 10th nationally in adjusted defensive efficiency, but the Hogs have yet to play a true contender.
Obviously, it’s more about how you finish than how you start. There are teams that will get better, and the league should still have an opportunity to get at least six teams in the tournament.
However, whereas a season ago I felt pretty confident about five teams winning multiple games in March, I’m not there yet with this group. And I’m not sure I’ll get there at all.
Then again, as a wise philosopher says, it is ONLY December.
The best team in the SEC to this point is...
Early on in this new project, I’m fairly certain I have more Alabama subscribers than any other fanbase (love you guys).
So, consider my choice for best SEC team through eight or so games a bad business move.
Spoiler alert: I think it’s Auburn.
Sure, Bruce Pearl’s team had 19 turnovers and went 4 of 25 from 3-point range while needing overtime to beat Furman.
But rallying from a 14-point second-half deficit to beat a quality team tells us what we need to know about the Tigers’ resiliency.
Some will make the argument for Kentucky as the league’s best since the Wildcats are ranked highest in the AP poll (don’t get me started on the AP poll). Some will make the argument for Tennessee, who has the best pair of wins.
I’ll make the argument for Auburn.
Let’s consider what Pearl had to replace. Jared Harper was the best point guard and arguably one of the best on-court leaders in school history. Bryce Brown made more 3-pointers than anyone in school history. Chuma Okeke was a top 20 pick in the NBA Draft.
Yet the same qualities that allowed for a Final Four fun are still on display. The confidence and swagger? Check. Pressure defense? Check. Playmaking guards? Check. Defensive stopper? Check.
The only thing that’s lacking is not having a true sharpshooter like Brown on the court, which could eventually become an issue. For now, the Tigers have made up for it by ranking fourth nationally in 2-point field goal percentage (59.9 percent).
Samir Doughty is offering his own unique skill set that fits perfectly with the players around him. Issac Okoro has been as good as advertised in that he’s a tremendous defender who has proven to be more than that. Austin Wiley is manning the paint. Danjel Purifoy is playing well. J’Von McCormick and Anfernee McLemore offer versatility.
Some are already trying to find comparisons between this team and the Final Four team. It may be fun to do, but the two are different in a lot of ways.
However, there is a common denominator: Winning.
Consider this: The Tigers haven’t lost to a non-national champion team since Feb. 23 of last season. The program just keeps finding ways to win.
If Auburn keeps doing that, the potential is there for another special season.
