Preseason Conference Preview: Southeastern Conference

[Ezaco]

SOUTHEASTERN CONFERENCE

A surprise showing last season of strength is unlikely to hold up under the same scrutiny and pressure, and a disappointing football season for the conference could carry over to basketball as well.

 

 ALABAMA CRIMSON TIDE

The Crimson Tide truly struggled last season. Amassing only 12 wins total on the season - half of which were conference games - Alabama came in last in the conference. Despite a surprise win against the Gators in the first round of the SEC Tournament, they were left at home for March Madness wondering what to do. This season isn't looking much better. James Champagne and Mike Park return for their senior season as outstanding defenders but offensive liabilities, while Scott Amos and Robert Good come in to their Junior seasons as outstanding shoots with a swiss cheese defense. The Tide have an imbalance that will unfortunately prove to be their undoing - unable to defend and shoot at the same time. That said if their defense can hold tight for their shooters to get hot they should see some improvement this season with @thatfunk at the helm.

Season prediction: Misses NCAA Tournament

 

ARKANSAS RAZORBACKS

The Razorbacks performed pretty much to expectations last season. Eight conference wins on the season was good enough for six-way tie for 6th place in the SEC and they ended up the 8th seed in the SEC Tournament, where they fell in the first game to Missouri and missed the NCAA and NIT. This season they're likely to see a fall-off, as the only rostered player of note is the Senior SF Phong Moy. He's a great player for them, but unfortunately all they have. Donald Clauden has a chance for a breakout season, though, and he's going to need it for the Razorbacks to have any chance at a respectable season.... unfortunately there's just not enough else there even so.

Season prediction: Misses NCAA Tournament

 

 AUBURN TIGERS

Auburn amassed 7 conference wins last season and came in 12th and managed to win against Vanderbilt in the first round of the SEC Tournament before losing to Ole Miss. Unfortunately things look very dreary for the Tigers this season. While defensively they look respectable, there's simply no shooters on this team to speak of all. It's going to be another long season for Auburn, and expect them to perform on par from last season.

Season prediction: Misses NCAA Tournament

 

 FLORIDA GATORS

Florida also had a struggling season. Another team in the six-way tie for 6th with 8 conference wins, the Gators won 12 games last season and were upset by Alabama in the first round of the SEC Tournament. This season their team looks... pretty much exactly the same so I'll keep my same assessment from then: The Gators are a compilation of a lot of nice, decent roleplayers, but no stars. No standouts. I truly don't see very many paths forward here for the Gators, so the program rebuild continues in Gainesville.

Season prediction: Misses NCAA Tournament

 

 GEORGIA BULLDOGS

Well well well. Talk about surprise teams. Behind eventual #1 pick (as predicted) Joseph Swenson the Bulldogs stunned the nation with a 22-6 season record, 14-4 in the SEC. In turn they were stunned by Missouri in the SEC Tournament by Missouri in their first game, but it didn't stop them from earning a #1 Seed in the NCAA Tournament. Unfortunately the disappointment didn't in there as they were bounced in the Round of 32 by the #9 Seed Utah, and Bulldogs fans were left wondering 'what happened'. This season Swenson is gone, so the question is who is going to fill those VERY big shoes. Senior PG Guy Reese is a wizard of a guard, and Junior C Don Zimmerman is ready to step out of Swenson's shadow on the defensive end. A guy who isn't getting enough attention, though, is Senior C Ralph Cox who could quietly be one of the best players on the team - similar to Zimmerman last season. That being said, while these are good players... they're not Swenson. The Bulldogs should see a fall-off and a repeat of last season's success would be even more surprising than their performance a year ago.

Season prediction: NCAA Tournament - Round of 64

 

 KENTUCKY WILDCATS

Last season was a frustrating debacle for the Wildcats. Cyrus Rice never could quite get anything going correctly, and while there were some bright spots for the team none were consistent enough to see Kentucky to success. The postseason was better to them, though. After collecting a 13-15 overall record and 8-10 in SEC play (another team in that 6th place tie), the Wildcats made a series of upsets against LSU and rival Tennessee in the SEC Tournament before falling to eventual champion Mississippi State in the semifinals. That performance pushed them over the edge to earn a 14 seed in the NCAA Tournament... where fate would pit them in a first round contest against another eventual champion, this one the National Champion Purdue Boilermakers, who they'd play to a one point loss. So that was promising. And on the recruiting trail the Cats did even better, landing two of the top recruits in the country in Clemente Culp and Craig Baker. These could be game-changing players for the Cats as these guys are ready for primetime.... but they really have to show it. @Ezaco is going to have to make some huge adjustments from last season to have the success expected of them.

Season prediction: NCAA Tournament - Round of 32

 

 LSU TIGERS

Woah. Buddy. Woof. LSU is rough. Another team in the 6-way tie, the Tigers actually managed a winning record overall at 15-13 but got bounced by Kentucky in the SEC Tournament and didn't make either the NCAA or NIT. This season the Tigers are going to get dropped off a cliff. The only player of note here is Junior SG Matthew Gullett who will, unfortunately, waste away on a very poor roster who will struggle to perform offensively and meet the benchmark set last season.

Season prediction: Misses NCAA Tournament

 

 MISSISSIPPI STATE BULLDOGS

Another surprise team from last season, the Mississippi State Bulldogs accumulated a 12-15 overall record and was yet another team in the 6-way tie... and yet went on a run to win the SEC Tournament which earned them a berth in the NCAA Tournament. The Cinderella run ended there, however, as the 16 seed was defeated by Bowling Green in the first round. The Bulldogs should be expected to perform about the same (minus the tournament run) behind Senior C Barry Avdic who could be a great player.. unfortunately there's just not enough else around him.

Season prediction: Misses NCAA Tournament

 

 MISSOURI TIGERS

Missouri, like Kentucky, had an extremely disappointing season. Despite high expectations going into the season, the Tigers went 12-16 on the season and was yet another team in the 6th place tie, and lost to Ole Miss in the SEC Semifinals. That run was good enough to get them into the NIT where they continued their late season success and made it to the NIT Final where they finally fell to South Alabama. Unfortunately all that positivity is likely gone. Missouri has some shooters to be sure, and some defensive talent, but it can all be graded at right about 'nice'. It won't be enough to get them over the hump into contention.

Season prediction: Bubble Team

 

 OLE MISS REBELS

Ole Miss had a decent season last year. At 15-13 overall the majority of that success came in SEC play where they went 10-8 and earned the #5 seed in the SEC tournament, where they lost to rival Mississippi State in the SEC Final. That performance was good enough to land them a #12 seed in the NCAA Tournament where they upset #5 Illinois and #4 Wake Forest before falling to Utah. Robert Philby ended up being the standout as expected and was drafted accordingly. This season the Rebels are looking even better with shooting talents like David Shultz, Jonathan Mikols, and Jeffrey Williams, and a team who can defend the ball too. The Rebels have the talent if they can put it all together.

Season prediction: NCAA Tournament - Sweet 16

 

 SOUTH CAROLINA GAMECOCKS

South Carolina was one of the few teams that performed to expectations last season... mostly. Expected to be the third best team in the conference? They were, ending up 17-11 overall and 12-6 in the SEC. That success didn't translate to the postseason, however, as they were bounced in their first game in the SEC Tournament by Missouri and performed less than their record they failed to qualify for the NCAA Tournament and ended up in the NIT as the #1 seed... where they promptly lost in the first round. Unfortunately for the Gamecocks their firepower is gone. John Schroeder ended up going #2 in the NBA Draft and his loss is going to hurt. However... there are people left to step up. Aziz Chea and Brent Wilson have the tools to make the Gamecocks formidable. Unfortunately I don't see them performing any better this season without a generational talent like Schroeder.

Season prediction: NCAA Tournament - Round of 64

 

 TENNESSEE VOLUNTEERS

Okay. Look. I was wrong about Tennessee. The Volunteers ended up 19-9, 12-6 in the SEC behind @tsweezy. They lost in their first game of the SEC Tournament to rival Kentucky but made it to the Sweet 16 before losing to the Cinderella of the Season Louisiana Tech. But I'm not wrong this time. @tsweezy is a good coach, a great coach even. If Tennessee is able to amass a winning record with this roster, put him in the Hall of Fame tomorrow. But there will be no repeat of the dream this season, even with the defensive wizardy of Robert Jeffrey and the skilled shooting of Dion Whitlock. It's not happening.

Season prediction: Misses NCAA Tournament

 

 TEXAS A&M AGGIES

Texas A&M wants to be good. And they can be. They have some guys who can really shoot. They have some guys that can really defend. It's an Aggies team that ended up 17-11 last season (11-7 in SEC play) and made it to the NCAA Tournament. The problem is the shooting doesn't mesh well at all. No one compliments the other. They're all over the place, and it's simply not a cohesive roster. I'd expect them to do as well as last season at best, and yet still be poised to surprise us all.

Season prediction: NCAA Tournament - Round of 64

 

 VANDERBILT COMMODORES

Vanderbilt Delenda Est. The 'Dores ended up with a truly disappointing 11-17 record (6-12 in SEC play) and got bounced in the first round by Auburn. They sat home in March, knowing exactly what happened. They simply didn't perform. And the prospects look dire for Vanderbilt again this season. Ronnie Coleman is a good basketball player on a roster filled with not very good ones. It's going to be another long, disappointing season in Nashville.

Season prediction: Misses NCAA Tournament

 

Order of finish prediction

1. Ole Miss
2. Kentucky
3. South Carolina
4. Georgia
5. Texas A&M
6. Missouri
7. Mississippi State
8. Alabama
9. Florida
10. LSU
11. Vanderbilt
12. Arkansas
13. Auburn
14. Tennessee

Ole Miss wins regular season but gets upset in the SEC Tournament (bold, I know).

[SlapYourBasil]

Can't take over for basketball now, with the AI doing so well.  It's gonna change Ole Miss to a basketball school.