We’ve officially reached the start of SEC play, which means that teams around the conference are hoping to get things started with a victory.
There are five big games to tip off league play, and as usual, each matchup should provide plenty of entertainment.
Let’s get to the picks.
Season Predictions Record (straight up): 132-31
No. 13 Kentucky at Alabama – 1 p.m. EST, ESPN
It feels like Kentucky is starting to turn a corner, as John Calipari has his team playing its best basketball of the season.
Meanwhile, the Crimson Tide are also playing very well due to getting good contributions from pretty much the entire rotation.
Rebounding will be crucial to each team’s success, and I think the Wildcats will find enough extra chances to earn the road victory.
Prediction: Kentucky 74, Alabama 70
Georgia at No. 3 Tennessee – 3:30 p.m. EST, SEC Network
While Georgia is making strides in Tom Crean’s first season on the job, the inconsistencies are still a little concerning entering the grind of conference play.
The Bulldogs rank 319th nationally in turnover percentage (22.4 percent), and that’s not an ideal setup on the road against one of the most reliable teams in the country.
This just isn’t the type of game that the Vols should lose, so they’re the pick here.
Prediction: Tennessee 79, Georgia 65
Arkansas at Texas A&M – 6 p.m. EST, SEC Network
There are probably going to be trust issues with both of these teams throughout the SEC portion of the schedule, and that makes this a tough game to predict.
While winning on the road will once again be difficult in the SEC, the Hogs looked like the considerably better team during non-conference play, even if there were some struggles along the way.
Daniel Gafford should be the difference, so I’ll go with Mike Anderson’s team to secure the close win.
Prediction: Arkansas 77, Texas A&M 74
South Carolina at Florida – 7 p.m. EST, ESPN2
We’re never exactly sure which Florida team is going to show up right now, but that’s not all that different from the current situation for Frank Martin’s team.
The Gamecocks simply have not been good offensively, and with the Gators ranking sixth nationally in defensive efficiency, it’s hard to see the visitors finding enough points in this one.
Florida has had its own issues scoring the ball, but it should find enough to pull away down the stretch in this one.
Prediction: Florida 70, South Carolina 58
Ole Miss at Vanderbilt – 8:30 p.m. EST, SEC Network
These are two of the most fascinating teams in the league right now, as both have shown the potential to make things tough on SEC opponents moving forward.
Offensively, Ole Miss has been very good, ranking eighth nationally in effective field-goal percentage (57.7 percent) while sitting in the top 35 in the country in both 2-point and 3-point percentage.
The Rebels have played pretty well away from home this season, and this is essentially a toss-up. In those types of scenarios, it typically makes more sense to go the home-court advantage route.
I’ll take the Commodores to pick up the win.
Prediction: Vanderbilt 80, Ole Miss 77
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