2015-16 SEC NCAA Basketball Primer, Power Rankings Heading into Conference Play
Conference play is about to begin in the Southeastern Conference, and the outlook is a lot different than it was at this time last season.
A year ago, Kentucky came into conference play unbeaten and was the overwhelming favorite to win the SEC title. The Wildcats not only won the conference championship but finished the regular season unbeaten and ranked No. 1.
No such SEC juggernaut has emerged this season.
Again an SEC team is unbeaten as conference play approaches, but surprisingly it's South Carolina, picked to finish seventh in the SEC this season.
Does South Carolina's 11-0 record earn it the No. 1 spot in the conference power rankings, or is Kentucky or Texas A&M more deserving despite having two losses apiece?
Our rankings are based primarily on the teams' records and the quality of the teams they faced. Then we projected how each team might fare as conference play progresses and whether its power ranking is likely to rise or fall.
Statistics and records are based on games through Dec. 28.
14. Missouri (5-6)
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What Has Gone Right so Far
The Tigers won their first two games of the season and stayed competitive in their third, a road game against a Xavier team that is now 11-0 and ranked No. 6 in the country. Missouri led that game early in the second half before wilting. Missouri later had a three-game winning streak that brought its record to 5-3.
Freshman forward Kevin Puryear (pictured above) has emerged as the Tigers' best player. Not highly rated by recruiting services coming out of high school, Puryear leads Missouri in scoring (12.1 points per game) while shooting 51.6 percent from the floor and collecting 4.3 rebounds a game.
All of Missouri's key players have remained healthy.
What Has Gone Wrong so Far
Since that 2-0 start, the Tigers are 3-6. They have lost their last three games, including lopsided losses to Arizona and North Carolina State and a neutral-court loss to Illinois. The Illini went scoreless for the first 13 minutes of the second half and still won by five.
The Tigers have not beaten any team from one of the major basketball conferences, and they do not rank among the nation's top 80 teams in any of the NCAA's 31 statistical categories. Missouri averages only 68.3 points and shoots just 33.2 percent on three-point shots.
Puryear is the only player on the team averaging more than 9.0 points per game. He is a poor perimeter shooter (21.4 percent on three-pointers), and he has not reached his scoring average in any of the past three games.
Potential for Movement During SEC Play
The Tigers' basketball program has slipped precipitously in the last two seasons. In 2013-14, Missouri won at least 23 games for the sixth straight season before coach Frank Haith left to take the head coaching job at Tulsa. Last season, the team went 9-23 overall and 3-15 in the SEC in Kim Anderson's first season as coach. Similar results are expected this season, and it might even be worse.
Anderson's status as head coach will become shaky as the losses mount. His success at the Division II level with Central Missouri is simply not translating to success in a major Division I conference.
Missouri can't go anywhere but up in the power rankings, but it is unlikely to budge from its No. 14 spot.
13. Mississippi State (6-5)
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What Has Gone Right so Far
Mississippi State's 2015-16 season got off to a good start nine months ago when it hired Ben Howland as its head coach. Howland has had success at Northern Arizona, Pittsburgh and UCLA, and there is no reason to think he can't have success at Mississippi State.
The season-opening game against Eastern Washington drew 9,931 fans, the Bulldogs' largest home crowd since a game against Kentucky four seasons ago. It suggests Howland's presence has brought some optimism to Starkville.
The Bulldogs have shown improvement since the start of the season, and enter conference play on a two-game winning streak. A 10-point win over Tulane on Dec. 19 demonstrated the team's toughness, as Mississippi State trailed by nine points with less than 13 minutes left, but ended the game on a 24-5 run.
Senior forward Gavin Ware has increased his scoring output from 10.0 points last season to 17.8 this season. He has scored at least 12 points every game.
Freshman guard Malik Newman seems to be getting better. He missed the season opener with a toe injury, but has averaged 16.3 points over the past four games, making 46.4 percent (13-of-28) of his three-point shots in that span.
What Has Gone Wrong so Far
The Bulldogs have had a fairly soft nonconference schedule, yet they are just 6-5.
Mississippi State has had three embarrassing losses: a 23-point loss to Florida State in which the Bulldogs gave up 30 points in the final nine minutes; a 105-79 loss to Miami in which Mississippi State yielded 50 points in the first 15 minutes; and a 76-72 home loss to Southern. The ease with which opponents are scoring has to be disappointing for Howland, whose hallmark at Pitt and UCLA was an effective, physical defense. The Bulldogs have allowed opponents to shoot 46.9 percent from the field, which is among the worst in the country.
Although Newman is putting up decent numbers (13.1 points, 3.1 rebounds), the Bulldogs were hoping for more from a player rated the nation's No. 10 freshman recruit by ESPN.com. He is shooting just 39.4 percent from the floor.
Starting point guard I.J. Ready has been slowed by turf toe, forward Travis Daniels missed a game with a concussion and Ware was bothered by a bruised knee, although he did not miss any games.
Potential for Movement During SEC Play
By season's end, the Bulldogs may begin to have the look of a Ben Howland team, but at the moment the Bulldogs are simply too accommodating on defensive. There is little chance the Bulldogs will finish in the top half of the conference, and a berth in any postseason tournament seems doubtful.
It takes awhile for the Howland style to take hold, as evidenced by his first-year records at his previous three schools: Northern Arizona was 9-17 in year one, Pitt was 13-15 and UCLA was 11-17.
12. Auburn (6-5)
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What Has Gone Right so Far
Point guard Kareem Canty, a transfer from Marshall, has been a major offensive force in his first season with Auburn. Canty (pictured above) is averaging 19.3 points and 6.1 assists, both of which are improvements over his 2013-14 numbers at Marshall. Against Xavier, the best team Auburn has faced, Candy had 25 points on 5-of-9 three-point shooting and added four assists and four rebounds.
Four players are averaging at least 12 points: Canty, Tyler Harris, Cinmeon Bowers and T.J. Dunans. The 6'7" Bowers is a monster on the boards again this season, averaging 9.7 rebounds per game.
Auburn got off to a good start, winning four of its first five games, including a one-point win over UAB and a three-point road victory over Coastal Carolina.
The Tigers are taking, and making, a lot of three-point shots. They are averaging 9.8 made treys per game on 37.8 percent shooting. They have hit at least six three-pointers in every game.
Freshman guard Bryce Brown got his second start in the Dec. 25 game against Hawaii and scored a season-high 20 points, hitting six three-pointers in the process.
What Has Gone Wrong so Far
Auburn has played poorly on defense. The Tigers have yielded 77.8 points per game, but a bigger concern is that they are allowing opponents to shoot 44.5 percent from the field, which ranks 247th in the country.
Guard Tahj Shamsid-Deen, who started 15 games last season, suffered a separated shoulder in preseason practice and has yet to play in a game this season. Dunans suffered a knee injury during the Dec. 23 game against Harvard. He was limited to 13 minutes in that game and did not score, and he did not play in the 12-point loss to Hawaii on Christmas Day.
When Canty had his worst game, the Tigers lost by 18 points to a Harvard team that is 4-7 against the rest of its schedule. Canty was 1-of-15 from the field and scored just three points in a 69-51 loss to the Crimson. The 51 points were by far Auburn's lowest point total of the season. If Canty struggles, so does Auburn.
Harris, a 6'10" forward who is averaging 14.0 points and 8.4 rebounds, virtually disappeared against Xavier, the only ranked team Auburn has faced. Harris had four points and four rebounds in that game before fouling out after just 18 minutes of playing time.
Potential for Movement During SEC Play
Auburn, now in its second season under coach Bruce Pearl, does not figure to move up in the SEC until it starts playing better defense. The loss of its top two scorers from last season, KT Harrell and Antoine Mason, hurts a team that relies on scoring a lot of points to win games.
The Tigers have lost three of their last four games heading into conference play and have no quality wins. It suggests they are apt to replicate last year's 4-14 conference record.
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11. Arkansas (6-5)
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What Has Gone Right so Far
Senior guard Anthlon Bell and sophomore forward Moses Kingsley (pictured above) both have increased their production significantly from last season. After not averaging more than 7.9 points in any of his first three seasons, Bell is up to 17.1 points this season while improving his shooting percentage both overall and from long range. Kingsley, who averaged 3.6 points and 2.5 rebounds as a freshman, is up to 16.1 points and 10.3 boards this season.
Guard Dusty Hannahs, a transfer from Texas Tech, has had an impact in his first season with the Razorbacks, averaging 16.5 points and hitting 46.7 percent of his three-point attempts.
Arkansas played perhaps its best game of the season in its most recent game, a 97-72 rout of a North Florida team that was 10-4 and took LSU to overtime.
The Razorbacks are an excellent long-range shooting team, hitting 43 percent of their three-pointers.
What Has Gone Wrong so Far
The Razorbacks lost a lot with the departure of SEC Player of the Year Bobby Portis and second-leading scorer Michael Qualls, and it shows.
Point guard Anton Beard, a member of the SEC all-freshman team last season, was suspended for the first nine games this season following an arrest on forgery charges over the summer.
The Razorbacks lost all three games to teams from one of the major basketball conferences, none of which was ranked.
Although they are a good three-point-shooting team, the Razorbacks don't take many of them, averaging just 6.5 made three-pointers per game.
Coach Mike Anderson's style depends on forcing a lot of turnovers, and Arkansas has been just moderately successful in that regard, with its opponents averaging 15.3 turnovers per game.
The Razorbacks have been unable to win close games, losing all three games decided by three points.
Potential for Movement During SEC Play
The return of Beard should help some, but the Razorbacks should be setting their sights on the NIT, not the NCAA tournament.
The impressive showing against North Florida and the three close losses suggest Arkansas could move up the SEC ladder a bit as players such as Bell, Kingsley and Hannahs get used to the prime roles they are playing this season. However, the loss of Portis limits how high the Razorbacks can go. A .500 conference record would be considered a successful season.
10. Tennessee (6-5)
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What Has Gone Right so Far
Adding Rick Barnes as head coach provides optimism for long-term success. He has been a winner at George Mason, Providence, Clemson and Texas.
Senior guard Kevin Punter has developed into a star. After averaging 10.3 points last season following two seasons of junior college, he is putting up 22.1 points this season. Punter scored at least 23 points in games against Tennessee's three best opponents, George Washington, Butler and Gonzaga.
Senior guard Armani Moore has increased his scoring nearly as much as Punter. After averaging 10.3 points as a junior, Moore is up to 15.6 points this season. His rebounding has also improved and stands at 7.5 per game this season.
The Vols average just 10.3 turnovers per game with their guard-oriented attack.
The Vols have played consistent basketball. They won four of their first five games and have been competitive in virtually every game in a pretty tough nonconference schedule.
Tennessee was within one with less than two minutes left before losing by three on a neutral court to George Washington, which is currently ranked No. 20. The Vols trailed by just four points with less than four minutes left on the road against Butler, which currently is ranked No. 9. They were tied with Gonzaga with less than two minutes left in Seattle before losing by seven, and they lost a road game against Georgia Tech by just two points.
What Has Gone Wrong so Far
Tennessee has not been able to close out games. The Vols won a four-point game against UNC Asheville in their opener, but missed chances to win several close games against quality opposition, losing to Georgia Tech, George Washington, Butler and Gonzaga after putting themselves in position to win.
The Vols lack size, and they were badly out-rebounded in the losses to Butler, George Washington and Gonzaga.
In September, freshman guard Lamonte Turner was ruled ineligible this season by the NCAA. He originally planned to begin his college career in 2016, then changed his mind and attempted to play this year after graduating from IMG Academy in Florida. Though not a highly rated recruit, Turner would have helped at the point guard spot.
Starting guard Robert Hubbs III missed two games in December following minor knee surgery, and he has not been as productive since his return. He had a season-low three points against Gonzaga in his first game back.
Freshman Jabari McGhee, who was averaging 3.8 points and 3.2 assists, decided in late November to transfer from Tennessee.
Potential for Movement During SEC Play
The Vols have shown they are capable of being competitive with top-notch teams, so they have the tools to improve and move up the SEC ladder. It remains to be seen whether Punter can maintain his scoring average when conference foes start game-planning to stop him. But if he can, the Vols will be a threat nearly every game.
The problem may be Tennessee's lack of size. Rebounding deficits may prevent the Vols from beating the SEC's top teams.
9. LSU (7-4)
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What Has Gone Right so Far
LSU began the season ranked No. 22 in the Associated Press poll, and won its first three games convincingly.
Freshman Ben Simmons has been even better than the hype. Rated the nation's No. 1 recruit by ESPN.com, the 6'10" Simmons is averaging 19.1 points on 56.1 percent shooting to go along with 5.8 assists and 13.1 rebounds, which ranks second in the country. He is expected to be the No. 1 overall pick in the 2016 NBA draft, according to ESPN.com.
The Tigers have won three of four games with guard Keith Hornsby in the lineup, and they are riding a three-game winning streak heading into SEC play. Hornsby is averaging 17.3 points, up nearly 4.0 points a game over last season.
Guard Tim Quarterman, a preseason second-team all-conference selection, is averaging 12.5 points and hitting 37.1 percent of his three-point attempts, both of which are an improvement over last season.
The Tigers average 9.4 steals per game, which ranks 12th in the country.
What Has Gone Wrong so Far
The Tigers have beaten no team of note, and all four of their losses were to unranked teams. They even had to go to overtime to beat North Florida at home.
LSU dropped out of the Top 25 and was not even one of the 42 teams receiving votes in this week's AP poll.
Hornsby, LSU's top returning scorer, missed the first seven games following sports hernia surgery, according to the Advocate. His absence may have contributed to the Tigers' three-game losing streak that ended with a 12-point loss to the College of Charleston on Dec. 1.
Despite the steals, the Tigers are not a very good defensive team. Opponents are shooting 43.4 percent from the field against LSU.
Potential for Movement During SEC Play
As the team gets more comfortable with Hornsby being back in the lineup, the Tigers could rise in the power rankings. Coach Johnny Jones has plenty of offensive weapons at his disposal. However, the defensive shortcomings may limit how far the Tigers rise.
Teams sometimes struggle when one player is asked to fill so many roles, as is the case with Simmons, who is virtually a point guard in a power forward's body.
The bottom line is that this LSU team is not as good as expected.
8. Alabama (7-3)
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What Has Gone Right so Far
Early results suggest Alabama may prosper under the direction of new coach Avery Johnson, who took Dallas to the NBA Finals in 2006 and led the Mavericks to the NBA's best regular-season record the next season.
Alabama showed it could be a factor in the SEC when it upset Wichita State and Notre Dame, both of whom were ranked at the time, in consecutive games on a neutral court.
All three of Alabama's losses were to good teams: Dayton, Xavier and Oregon.
The Crimson Tide have won five of six games heading into Tuesday's game against Jacksonville State. The only loss in that span was a four-point defeat at the hands of Oregon, a game in which the Tide held a 12-point lead early in the second half.
What Has Gone Wrong so Far
Two of Alabama's three losses were blowouts, a 32-point road loss to Dayton and a 19-point neutral-court loss to Xavier. In fact, despite their 7-3 record before Tuesday, the Tide had scored fewer points than their opponents, a negative-0.9-point scoring margin.
Alabama does not score many points, and it is a poor rebounding team, averaging just 66.2 points and getting out-rebounded by 3.8 boards per game.
Freshman guard Dazon Ingram, who started the first seven games, suffered a fractured foot in practice on Dec. 8 and is out the rest of the season.
Shannon Hale, the team's No. 2 scorer at 12.9 points per game, missed the past two games with what Avery called a "private medical situation," according to AL.com. He was listed as questionable for the Jacksonville State game, and the Tide suffer when he is sidelined.
Potential for Movement During SEC Play
For all the good that Johnson seems to have brought to the program, the Tide may be headed for a downturn in conference play.
Alabama's chief asset has been its ability to win close games, going 4-1 in games decided by four points or less. It makes you wonder whether Alabama is a clutch team or simply living on the edge.
The Tide's inability to score a lot of points could cause problems, especially on the road. In its three nonconference games on its opponent's home court, Alabama averaged 52.3 points and did not reach 60 points in any of them.
7. Georgia (6-3)
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What Has Gone Right so Far
Georgia is one of the nation's top defensive teams again. Opponents are shooting just 36.4 percent from the floor, which ranks seventh in the country. Much of that is due to the Bulldogs' two shot-blockers, 6'8" Yante Maten, who is averaging 2.11 blocks per game, and 6'3" guard Kenny Gaines, who is blocking 1.25 shots per game.
Maten has made significant improvement as a sophomore, averaging 15.9 points and 7.4 rebounds after getting 5.0 points and 4.3 rebounds per game as a freshman.
Junior guard J.J. Frazier (pictured above) demonstrated his offensive potential when he scored 35 points in the impressive win over Georgia Tech.
The Bulldogs were in position to win all three of the games they lost. They trailed Seton Hall by a point with just over two minutes left before losing by seven, and lost to Chattanooga and Kansas State by two points.
Georgia has won three straight heading into Tuesday's game against Robert Morris, so the Bulldogs should be riding a four-game winning streak heading into SEC play. The Bulldogs' two most impressive performances of the season came recently, in a 14-point victory over Georgia Tech on Dec. 19 and a 23-point win over Clemson on Dec. 22.
What Has Gone Wrong so Far
Georgia has played only one game away from home, and the Bulldogs lost that one to Seton Hall. The Bulldogs have yet to play a ranked team but still have three losses. Georgia struggled to beat High Point and Oakland at home, winning by three and four points, respectively.
Losing the opener at home to Chattanooga did not get the season off to a good start.
The Bulldogs don't score a lot of points, and they have committed more turnovers than they have forced, owning a negative-2.1 turnover margin.
Potential for Movement During SEC Play
The Bulldogs figure to stay just about where they are, with perhaps a little upward movement. They are on a roll at the moment, and their defense will keep them in games. But they don't score enough points to beat some of the top teams in the conference.
Keeping the score down means Georgia will have to win close games, and it has not yet shown it can do that consistently.
6. Vanderbilt (7-4)
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What Has Gone Right so Far
Vanderbilt was ranked No. 18 in the preseason Associated Press poll, and looked better than that in winning its first four games, including blowouts of St. John's and Wake Forest. The Commodores led Kansas by four points early in the second half of their fifth game before losing that game by seven points.
Sophomore guard Wade Baldwin IV showed significant improvement offensively. His current scoring average of 14.6 points per game is up more than five points from last season, and he is hitting 50 percent of his three-point shots.
The Commodores have a size advantage on virtually any team in the country with two 7-footers in the starting lineup: 7'0" Damian Jones, projected to be the No. 13 pick in the 2016 NBA draft by DraftExpress, and 7'1" Luke Kornet, whose 2.75 blocks per game would rank 19th in the country if he had enough games to qualify.
The presence of those two rim protectors is one of the chief reasons Vanderbilt ranks fourth in the country in field-goal percentage defense, allowing opponent to shoot just 35.7 percent from the field.
What Has Gone Wrong so Far
Vanderbilt has lost four of its past six games, and lost all four of its games against quality opponents: Kansas, Baylor, Dayton and Purdue. The road loss to Purdue was particularly disappointing because the Commodores limited the Boilermakers to 36.2 percent shooting and held a five-point lead with 12 minutes left, but lost by 13 points.
Vanderbilt has dropped out of the Top 25 and resides deep among the other teams receiving votes.
Kornet suffered an MCL tear in his left knee during practice in early December and was projected to be sidelined four to six weeks. The Commodores have lost two of the three games they played without Kornet, and he is expected to miss at least the first three conference games and could miss as many as eight.
Jones is putting up solid numbers, averaging 12.5 points, 6.5 rebounds and 2.0 blocks, but his scoring is down more than 2.0 points per game from last season. He had just six points in 15 minutes against Purdue before fouling out.
Potential for Movement During SEC Play
The Commodores have no bad losses, so there is every reason to believe they could be the team they were expected to be before the season began. They could move up several slots in the conference's power rankings, especially after Kornet returns.
With its frontcourt size, Vanderbilt could end up being Kentucky's toughest challenge. Jones, a junior, has already said he plans to enter the 2016 NBA draft, so he will be motivated to play his best.
5. Mississippi (10-2)
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What Has Gone Right so Far
Mississippi's 10-2 record matches their best start since the 2000-01 Rebels began the season 11-1. That 2001 Mississippi team finished 27-8 overall and 11-5 in the conference and reached the third round of the NCAA tournament.
The Rebels have won seven straight coming into SEC play, and their two best wins came within the past two weeks, against Louisiana Tech and Memphis.
Guard Stefan Moody (pictured above) has developed into a star, averaging 23.8 points and 4.3 assists. He has scored at least 13 points in every game this season and more than 20 in all but two.
Tomasz Gielo, a transfer from Liberty, has contributed 9.2 points and 4.6 rebounds in his first season with Mississippi.
One thing that has gone right in terms of recruiting attractions is the opening of a new basketball facility. The Rebels played their final game at Tad Smith Coliseum when they beat Troy in overtime on Dec. 22. They move to their new $95 million arena for the start of SEC play in January.
What Has Gone Wrong so Far
The Rebels have not played a ranked team, much less beat one. The early-season loss to a George Mason team that is 6-7 at the moment does not inspire a lot of confidence, and the Rebels were forced into overtime before getting past Troy at home in their most recent game.
Mississippi does not shoot well, making just 31.1 percent of its three-points tries. In fact, Mississippi does not do anything particularly well and doesn't have any particularly impressive wins.
Potential for Movement During SEC Play
There is a reason the Rebels were picked to finish ninth in the SEC this season. Moody is an outstanding player, but it remains to be seen how long he can keep this team afloat by himself.
Because of their outside shooting woes and their lack of talent throughout the lineup, the Rebels are likely to slide down the power-rankings ladder by the end of the season.
4. Florida (8-3)
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What Has Gone Right so Far
The Gators started off well under new coach Mike White, winning six of their first seven games and losing only to Purdue, which is ranked No. 14 this week.
All three of Florida's losses were to teams currently ranked among the nation's top 15 teams: Purdue, Michigan State and Miami. The Gators gave No. 1 Michigan State a scare on the Spartans' home court on Dec. 12, losing by six points after holding a lead with less than eight minutes remaining.
The Gators have been an excellent defensive team, allowing opponents to shoot just 37.3 percent from the field through 11 games.
John Egbunu, a 6'11" center who transferred from South Florida, has been a significant contributor in his first season at Florida. He is averaging 11.5 points, 6.6 rebounds and 1.5 blocks heading into Tuesday's game against Florida State.
Senior forward Dorian Finney-Smith is putting up the solid numbers that were expected of him: 14.0 points, 7.8 rebounds.
What Has Gone Wrong so Far
The Gators don't have any great wins heading into Tuesday's game against Florida State. Their best victory was a 74-63 neutral-court win over St. Joseph's.
Florida is not a good shooting team in general, converting 42.4 percent of all field-goal attempts, and it is one of the worst three-point shooting teams in the country, hitting 28.6 percent of its long-range shots. The poor shooting is also evident from the foul line, where the Gators are making just 62.3 percent of their shots.
Forward Alex Murphy, who averaged 5.1 points last season, missed the first nine games with a partially torn plantar fascia in his foot.
Potential for Movement During SEC Play
Even though Florida looks like a solid team, this is probably as high as it is going to get. While people mourned Billy Donovan's departure to the NBA, they tended to forget that the Gators were 16-17 overall and 8-10 in the SEC last season. This is not the same talent pool that earned the Gators a No. 1 ranking at the end of the 2013-14 regular season.
In conference play, opponents will force the Gators to try to beat them from the perimeter, and the Gators have yet to show they can win with jump shots. Their 5-for-30 (16.7 percent) shooting in consecutive losses to Miami and Michigan State was telling.
3. Texas A&M (9-2)
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What Has Gone Right so Far
The Aggies started the season with a bang, winning their first six games, including consecutive victories over Texas and Gonzaga on a neutral court to finish off that winning streak. That boosted them from unranked in the preseason to No. 18 by the end of November. The first four wins came without Jalen Jones, the team's second-leading scorer last season.
Jones is one of two transfers who have been the driving force for Texas A&M. Jones, a 6'7" guard who started his college career at SMU, is averaging 15.4 points and scored more than 20 points in three of the past five games. Danuel House, a 6'7" guard who transferred from Houston, is averaging 15.5 points. House (pictured above) scored 19 points in each of the Aggies' wins against Texas and Gonzaga.
Tyler Davis, a 6'10" freshman center, has stepped in to contribute 11.7 points on 78.0 percent shooting from the field while adding 6.0 rebounds. He had made his last 12 field-goal attempts heading into Tuesday's game against Cal Poly.
The Aggies played their best basketball in the two games before Tuesday's contest, knocking off Kansas State by 10 points and brushing aside then-No. 16 Baylor by 19. Texas A&M should be feeling good about itself heading into conference play.
What Has Gone Wrong so Far
Texas A&M has played only one game on its opponents' home court, and the Aggies lost that one by 13 points to Arizona State.
Jones was suspended for the first four games this season by the NCAA for taking part in two closed scrimmages while at SMU, USA Today reported. That did not turn out to be a huge setback, as Texas A&M won all four games.
Freshman Elijah Thomas, rated the nation's No. 31 recruit by ESPN.com, decided in mid-December to transfer from Texas A&M. He was averaging 9.9 minutes and 3.8 points in his eight games with the Aggies.
The Aggies had some trouble handling their success early in the season. After starting 6-0, they lost to Syracuse and Arizona State, both of whom are currently unranked, in a span of nine days.
Davis' production has dwindled a bit since his fast start. Over the past six games, he is averaging 9.0 points and 4.8 rebounds.
Potential for Movement During SEC Play
The Aggies look like a serious challenger for the SEC crown, and they could move up a notch or two in the SEC power rankings by the time the NCAA tournament arrives. Not only do the Aggies have the requisite talent, but they share the ball (19.2 assists per game) and harry opponents into mistakes (16.5 turnovers forced per game).
A lot depends on Davis' progress and whether he can hold up in the physical SEC.
2. South Carolina (11-0)
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What Has Gone Right so Far
South Carolina has not lost a game, which is about all you need to know in terms of what has gone right for the Gamecocks. Being the only undefeated team in the conference when every other team has at least two losses earned South Carolina serious consideration for the top spot in these power rankings.
The Gamecocks are one of just five undefeated Division I teams and have pushed their way into the rankings at No. 24 this week. Perhaps more important is the fact that all but two of South Carolina's 11 wins were by double-digit margins. The only game in which the Gamecocks did not have complete control was the road game against Clemson, when South Carolina let most of a 20-point lead slip away before recovering to win by six.
Remarkably balanced scoring has been the basis of the Gamecocks' success. Nobody is averaging more than Michael Carrera's 12.7 points. However, five players are averaging at least 11.2 points. Three of those five players are seniors and the other two are juniors, giving them plenty of experience in Frank Martin's system.
Carrera has made 18 of his 29 three-point attempts (62.1 percent), and the Gamecocks are hitting 40.9 percent of their treys as a team.
The Gamecocks are a gritty defensive team, allowing opponents to shoot just 38.6 percent from the floor, and they out-rebound opponents by an average of 10.6 boards a game.
What Has Gone Wrong so Far
The Gamecocks still are having trouble convincing people they are as good as their record suggests. Their biggest shortcoming is their schedule. While Kentucky has played the likes of Duke, Louisville and UCLA, South Carolina has not played any team close to being ranked.
South Carolina did not play a game on its opponents' home court until its Dec. 16 game against Clemson. The Gamecocks nearly let a 20-point lead slip away in that game, as Clemson closed the gap to four with four minutes left. That may rate as South Carolina's best win, and the Tigers are just 7-5.
Potential for Movement During SEC play
We are among those who are not convinced. The Gamecocks should hang in the upper half of the SEC, but they are likely to drop a few rungs on the power-ranking ladder.
Balanced scoring is fine, but top teams need a player or two who can take over a game when needed. The Gamecocks have had very little experience in close games this season. Once they win a few of those, they will get unqualified acclaim.
1. Kentucky (10-2)
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What Has Gone Right so Far
Kentucky burst out of the starting gate by winning its first seven games, all by double-digit margins. That included a 74-63 victory over then-No. 5 Duke, a game the Wildcats controlled throughout. The Wildcats entered December with a firm hold on the nation's No. 1 ranking.
Kentucky's touted freshmen class made its presence felt immediately. Freshman guard Jamal Murray (pictured above) leads the team in scoring at 16.7 points per games, and fellow freshman guard Isaiah Briscoe is third at 11.5 points per contest. They combined for 28 points in the win over Duke.
Kentucky enters conference play coming off a victory over then-No. 16 Louisville, and the Wildcats did it without Briscoe.
The caliber of the teams Kentucky has beaten (Duke and Louisville) give it a slight edge over South Carolina despite the Wildcats' two losses.
What Has Gone Wrong so Far
Kentucky was outplayed from start to finish in an 87-77 loss to UCLA, which was unranked when it handed Kentucky its first loss.
The Wildcats were back up to No. 4 in the country when they suffered their worst loss of the season, a seven-point neutral-court defeat at the hands of an Ohio State team that was 5-5, including a loss to Texas-Arlington.
Kentucky is a poor shooting team, making just 31.7 percent of its long-range shots and averaging just 5.4 made three-pointers per game. The Wildcats don't control the paint either. Kentucky's top three frontcourt players, Marcus Lee, Alex Poythress and Skal Labissiere, are not nearly the dominant force that last season's trio of Willie Cauley-Stein, Trey Lyles and Karl-Anthony Towns were.
The biggest disappointment has been Labissiere, a freshman who was rated the nation's No. 1 recruit by Rivals.com and Scout.com, ahead of LSU's Ben Simmons. He is averaging 9.2 points and 3.6 rebounds, and scored just four points in the last three games combined. Labissiere is now coming off the bench.
Tyler Ulis, a 5'9" point guard and the team's unquestioned leader, suffered a hyperextended left elbow in the Nov. 27 game against South Florida. That kept him out of the next game and seemed to affect him for several games after his return. He was 12-of-45 (26.7 percent) from the field in the next four games, which included the loss to Ohio State.
Briscoe missed the Louisville game after twisting his ankle in pregame warm-ups.
Potential for Movement During SEC Play
There's no place the Wildcats can go from here but down, and it's possible they could slip a spot or two. Though the Wildcats have three outstanding guards, they don't have the outside shooting or the interior game to guarantee consistency.
Kentucky is a solid team defensively, allowing opponents to shoot 40.2 percent from the field. But it is not the defensive monster Kentucky was last season when it limited opponents to 54.3 points per game and 35.4 percent shooting from the floor.
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