SEC play officially gets started on Saturday, with three intriguing matchups on the schedule.
And as I’ve talked about all throughout non-conference play, we’re sure to see plenty of competitive games around the league this season. Anyone can beat anyone on any given night, and that’ll make for a lot of entertaining action.
But where does each team stand now? And what are some key stats and trends to watch for when things tip off this weekend?
Let’s dive into one key stat for each team as we prepare for the unpredictable ride that is SEC basketball.
Alabama
66.0 percent from the free-throw line
The Crimson Tide will enter league play as the worst free throw shooting team in the SEC and rank 301st in the nation in that category. Combine that with the fact that KenPom ranks Alabama as the fifth-most inexperienced team in the country, and there will continue to be obvious concerns about the Tide’s ability to win close games against quality competition.
Arkansas
10.4 turnovers per game
Not only are the Razorbacks forcing turnovers and converting that into points, but they’re also limiting their own mistakes. The turnover number above ranks 10th nationally, and with the plethora of experience and proven playmakers in the backcourt, Arkansas may prove to be a legit SEC title contender.
Auburn
+8.3 rebounding margin
Improved defense and rebounding has been the biggest catalyst in the Tigers’ 11-1 start. Auburn has outrebounded 11 of its 12 opponents and should do so again on Saturday against an undersized Cornell squad. Bruce Pearl and his staff deserve a lot of credit for keeping this team on track with all the off-the-court distractions, and I think the Tigers can still go dancing even if Austin Wiley and Danjel Purifoy remain sidelined for the rest of the season.
Florida
0-5 record against Vanderbilt since Mike White’s arrival
The Gators’ recent struggles against their Saturday foe have been well-documented at this point, but this is a crucial game for White’s team. Vanderbilt has not won a game away from home this season and doesn’t pack the type of offensive punch that it has in recent years. But given Florida’s lackluster play recently, there’s no guarantees that the streak ends here. I’d feel a lot better about this team’s ability to stay in the upper tier of the SEC if they come out with a chip on their shoulder this weekend.
Georgia
Two players averaging double figures in scoring
In a league filled with depth, the Bulldogs need to find a consistent third scoring option. Turtle Jackson has emerged as a solid option behind the always reliable Yante Maten, but beyond that, Georgia doesn’t have a clear offensive playmaker. That could allow SEC opponents to key in on Maten and Jackson, and then take a chance with letting someone else on the roster try to beat them.
Kentucky
Hasn’t lost more than six SEC games since 2008-09 season
I said before the season that it wouldn’t be all that surprising if the Wildcats finish fourth in the SEC. And while I’d still lean towards Kentucky being one of the teams in the mix for a regular season title, this doesn’t seem to be one of those years where the teams at the top finish 15-3 or 14-4 in conference play. Winning on the road will not be easy, and this may be a year where John Calipari’s team runs into challenges both in and away from Rupp Arena.
LSU
30-5 combined record of first three SEC opponents
The Tigers will finish up non-conference play at Memphis on Thursday before embarking on a brutal start to conference play. LSU will host Kentucky and then play back-to-back road games at Texas A&M and Arkansas to open league action, with those three teams being among the four best in the conference right now. So, while Tremont Waters and company have been excellent on offense, they’ll need to keep making strides on defense to get through a tough opening stretch of games.
Mississippi State
7 of 12 SEC losses last season came by seven points or less
Yes, Mississippi State’s non-conference schedule has been largely filled with inferior competition. However, one reason it was designed that way was to help this team find an edge in close games. The Bulldogs have to find that edge against SEC competition, and the talent is there to make it happen. But will the lack of quality opponents thus far keep this team from getting over the hump in competitive league games?
Missouri
25 3-point field goal attempts per game
The Tigers are relying on a lot on the outside shot this season and have made and attempted more than any other SEC team. If those shots keep falling, everything will be fine. But the occasional 5 of 27 from 3-point range that we saw against Illinois – and the 7 of 47 we saw in back-to-back November games against Utah and Emporia State – is certainly possible throughout the year. Mizzou also hasn’t fared particularly well against defensive pressure (300th nationally with 15.4 turnovers per game), so these two offensive trends will be worth watching in trying to gauge this team’s ceiling.
Ole Miss
58th in the country and first in the SEC in experience
While KenPom projects Ole Miss to tie for the worst record in the league this season, the experience statistic lands in the Rebels’ favor. There are a lot of upperclassmen in Andy Kennedy’s rotation, and perhaps that will serve as an advantage against lesser experienced teams in the league. To win those games, the Rebels will need to get better at making plays in close games, as they went 1-3 in games decided by five points or less in non-conference play.
South Carolina
Allowed more than 70 points only twice this season
We know exactly what we’re getting with South Carolina’s defense. The Gamecocks are going to be physical and aggressive on that side of the court, and there’s been very little drop off even with the loss of several key players from last season’s Final Four team. But this is not an elite offensive team by any stretch of the imagination, so South Carolina is going to have to bring it every single night on defense if it wants to be in the NCAA Tournament picture come March.
Tennessee
Four wins away from home against power conference opponents this season
The Vols will open conference play at Bud Walton Arena in Fayetteville, but they’ve already proven to have the toughness needed to win on the road. Nearly half of this team’s wins have come outside of Knoxville, with Tennessee earning road/neutral wins over Purdue, NC State, Georgia Tech, and Wake Forest. That stat makes me feel comfortable about trusting this team heading into the grind of SEC play.
Texas A&M
Five rotation players have missed games due to suspension
Robert Williams, D.J. Hogg, Admon Gilder, J.J. Caldwell, and T.J. Starks have all missed action this season due to suspensions of some sort. Hogg is out for Texas A&M’s first two SEC games (at Alabama, vs. Florida), which isn’t ideal with Gilder sidelined due to injury. The good news is that the Aggies have managed to compile a top five ranking even with these issues. The bad news is that there are no easy games left on the schedule, so further off-the-court problems will cause a bigger impact than they did in out-of-conference action.
Vanderbilt
31.9 percent shooting from 3-point range
One of the main reasons for the Commodores’ 5-7 start has been poor shooting. That was expected to be the strength of this perimeter-oriented team, but a combination of tough competition and missing open shots has left Bryce Drew searching for answers on offense. On a positive note, Vanderbilt has posted season-highs from 3-point range in back to back games, with the Commodores hitting 12 against Houston Baptist and 17 against Alcorn State.
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