Conference: The SEC
Last Season Recap: If you don’t know, you weren’t watching basketball last year. The Florida Gators locked down NCAA championship #2 by overwhelming opponents with experience and a fantastic blend of talented players. Tennessee, Vanderbilt, Kentucky, and Arkansas each made varying degrees of noise on the big stage as well. The SEC West sent three teams to the postseason NIT, along with Georgia from the East.
Team to Beat: Tennessee. The Gators are going to have to reload, while the Volunteers will have the luxury of just revving the engine. Lofton and the Smiths will keep filling up the nets and running opponents ragged with their high energy style. A third Smith – Tyler, is transferring from Iowa and will be eligible to play in December. Yes, they are SOL with the suspension of Duke Crews, but something tells me this team will soldier on. If you see them on your TV schedule, make time.
Second Tier: Much like last year, the SEC East is likely better than the West, but not by nearly as much. Vanderbilt was solid last season, and has had less off-court drama than their peers. Florida lost their big names and will likely struggle, but I don’t want to count Billy Donovan out just yet. Kentucky has a new head man in Billy Gillespie, who takes charge of an underachieving roster that should respond to the new blue blood.
In the West, look for Arkansas to rebound with a new coach and the return of 40 minutes of Hell. The class of the West may be Mississippi State, however. Look for them to do big things.
Sleeper: Georgia was on the verge last season. They have senior leadership in Takias Brown and Sundiata Gaines. Senior Center Dave Bliss has regressed every year he’s been in Athens, so if either Albert Jackson or Rashaad Singleton is ready for his closeup, this team could surprise.
Overrated: It sort of pains me to say this, but it’s Kentucky. Gillespie is a good coach, but he has an understated style and limited experience as head man. Rome was not re-built in a day. In that respect, overrating the team this season is exactly what Wildcat fans should do, lest they get used to settling for less.
Worst Team: The woeful South Carolina Gamecocks had the worst record in the SEC last season, going 4-12 in a nightmarish conference run. Worse yet, coach Dave Odom looks down the bench at just three upperclassmen as he attempts to improve this season.
STF Prediction: I may be going out on a limb to say that Florida’s double-championship hangover begins this season with a trip to the NIT for an inexperienced group. Tennesee, Vandy, and Kentucky will win games and dance again this March. Mississippi State should be the class of the East, with Arkansas making the post-season as well. Alabama dropped precipitously with the news that Ronald Steele is out for the season.
1. Tennessee (1E)
2. Vanderbilt (2E)
3. Mississippi State (1W)
4. Kentucky (3E)
5. Arkansas (2W)
6. Georgia (4E)
7. Florida (5E)
8. Auburn (3W)
9. LSU (4W)
10. Alabama (5W)
11. Ole Miss (6W)
12. South Carolina (6E)
Thursday, October 11, 2007
STF Conference Preview: The SEC
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8 comments:
"Kentucky was here before you, ....and will be here long after you" - Al McQuire
I fully agree, Anon. Top programs can survive these kinds of blips. I was at Kansas when Larry Brown left the program on probation, and we hired some hick nobody assistant out of UNC who turned out to be... Roy Williams.
That season was bewildering to me as a student, with no postseason and a new coach to get used to, but it's generally worked out pretty well since then.
Kentucky will finish no lower than #2 in the East, in my opinion.
#2 in the SEC is an EXTREMELY lofty goal for Vanderbilt...very unrealistic.
Thanks for the kind words concerning Mississippi State.
sec is a bit down this year after being real strong last year...i think i'd probably put my money on msu in the west...and maybe even florida in the east...i would want donovan over bruce pearl anyday...
I would probably take Donovan over Pearl as well if their teams were even, but I'll take experienced players over inexperienced.
I know my Vandy pick is a shocker for a lot of people, too, but I'm a firm believer that the post-season standings almost never look like the pre-season standings, so I try to figure out who might be that surprising team...
I'd pick someone like Auburn or Florida as a surprising team over Vanderbilt - but I've been wrong before. Ha.
Tyler Smith can play immediately...He transferred on a hardship to be closer to his sick father, so he doesn't have to sit out. J.P. Prince, Tayshaun's cousin, transferred from Arizona last January, and he has to sit out until January, but Tyler Smith is good to go. Cameron Tatum should be dirty as well...
I would predict that Florida fits into that nice little niche between top 25 and going to the NIT. They will be very young, but have some nice players returing in Speights and Hodge, plus a real strong group of freshman with Calathes, Tyus, Lucas and Parsons. I would guess they go 9-7 or so in conference, and have somewhere in the range of a 6-8 seed going into the NCAA Tournament.
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