Azubuike24
Key wins are defined by those over the top 100 in the current RPI.
1. Kentucky (22-1, 7-1)
Key Wins: Sam Houston State, Drexel, North Carolina, Connecticut, Louisville, Florida, Georgia, Vanderbilt, Mississippi
Week Recap: The Cats came home and took care of business against Ole Miss. They controlled the game, but still MUST work on putting the clamps down on a team and not letting them hang around. Another big game from Darnell Dodson, he’s really shooting it well. The Cats absolutely rolled LSU by 26, but could have been 40+.
Upcoming: vs Alabama, vs Tennessee
Projection: NCAA Tournament, SEC Overall Champions
2. Tennessee (18-4, 6-2)
Key Wins: Kansas, Memphis, Charlotte, Charleston, Mississippi, Florida, South Carolina
Week Recap: Closer than it probably should have been, but there was no doubt about the Vols winning in Baton Rouge. They put on a clinic against USC, definitely a statement game heading into a brutal next week.
Upcoming: at Vanderbilt, at Kentucky
Projection: NCAA Tournament, 2nd SEC East
3. Vanderbilt (17-5, 6-2)
Key Wins: St. Mary's, Missouri, Arizona, Florida, South Carolina, Tennessee, Mississippi State
Week Recap: Very good game in Nashville between Vandy and MSU. Big win for Vandy, they are really going to make UK fight tooth and nails for the East. The Dores blew a lead here, and fell to UGA. They get another crack at UGA next weekend.
Upcoming: vs Tennessee, vs Georgia
Projection: NCAA Tournament, 3rd SEC East
4. Florida (17-6, 6-3)
Key Wins: Florida State, Michigan State, South Carolina, Georgia, Mississippi State
Week Recap: The Gators got a huge road win in Tuscaloosa and now come home for a major game Saturday against a struggling MSU team in Gainesville.
Upcoming: at South Carolina, vs Xavier
Projection: NCAA Tournament, 4th SEC East
5. Mississippi (17-6, 5-4)
Key Wins: Kansas State, UTEP, Georgia, South Carolina
Week Recap: Tough game for the Rebels who showed some heart after a short turnaround trip to Lexington and missing their best defensive interior presence against the best frontcourt in the country. Coming back from 22 down and winning at home against Bama by 7 is HUGE. It might vault this team back to where they wanted to be.
Upcoming: at Mississippi State
Projection: NCAA Tournament, SEC West Champions
6. Mississippi State (16-7, 4-4)
Key Wins: Old Dominion, Wright State, Mississippi, Georgia
Week Recap: Tough, tough loss in Nashville to the Dores. Behind the arc issues again, 9 for 34 won’t cut it. Another tough loss in Gainesville really puts Rick Stansbury’s squad in trouple. Their OOC resume isn’t strong.
Upcoming: vs Mississippi, vs Auburn
Projection: NCAA Tournament, 2nd SEC West
7. Arkansas (12-11, 5-3)
Key Wins: Missouri State, Mississippi State, Mississippi, Georgia
Week Recap: Courtney Fortson comes up huge again in the win at Georgia. Arkansas takes the lead in the SEC West. Who would have thought. It took OT to beat Auburn, the Hogs continue to roll. LSU at home will be another chance to extend their lead.
Upcoming: vs LSU, at Alabama
Projection: NIT, 3rd SEC West
8. South Carolina (13-9, 4-4)
Key Wins: South Florida, Richmond, Kentucky
Week Recap: Not much more you can say about USC’s performance. Downey is great, he proved he’s the frontrunner for SEC POY, and that if OTHER GUYS contribute, the Gamecocks can beat anyone. Maybe that wasn’t the case again as Devan Downey continued his torrid pace scoring 33 in the Gamecocks win over Georgia. Not much else to say other than they got killed at Tennessee.
Upcoming: vs Florida, at Georgia
Projection: NIT, 5th SEC East
9. Alabama (14-10, 3-6)
Key Wins: Baylor, Mississippi State
Week Recap: Big chance for Bama to get right back into the West hunt, but defense cost them in the final seconds allowing Florida to steal one. Blowing a 22-point lead after a dominating half at Ole Miss has to make Anthony Grant cringe.
Upcoming: at Kentucky, vs Arkansas
Projection: NIT, 4th SEC West
10. Georgia (9-12, 2-6)
Key Wins: Illinois, Georgia Tech, Tennessee, Vanderbilt
Week Recap: Yet another tough luck loss for UGA. It’s so cliché, but this might be the best 1-6 conference team in the country. UGA finally has another big win beating Vanderbilt at home. Travis Leslie had a huge night.
Upcoming: at Auburn, vs South Carolina
Projection: None, 6th SEC East
11. Auburn (10-12, 2-6)
Key Wins: Virginia
Week Recap: Unfortunately for Auburn, they have another close loss in OT to Arkansas. Always impressed the fight of Jeff Lebo’s clubs though.
Upcoming: vs Georgia, at Mississippi State
Projection: None, 5th SEC West
12. LSU (9-14, 0-9)
Key Wins: Indiana State
Week Recap: Good showing, not enough. Too much Taz Mitchell, not enough anyone else. It was Bo Spencer and nobody else in the blowout loss against UK.
Upcoming: at Arkansas, at Vanderbilt
Projection: None, 6th SEC West