SEC Basketball Mid-Season Predictions

The SEC is undoubtedly king of college football, but in college basketball? The SEC is nothing more than a joker. #SECBasketballFever

Despite the impressive performance from the Kentucky Wildcats this season, there were few positives to take away from the rest of the league in the non conference. Here are a few stats that highlight just how horrid the non conference was for the SEC, outside of Kentucky.

• Record against Top 25 Teams: 3-9 (Top 25 when played, not current)
• Record against Power 5 Teams: 15-29
• # Of Double Digit Losses: 21
• Notable Losses: UMKC Kangaroos, Arkansas St, McNeese St, Tulsa, Charleston Southern, Akron, Rutgers, Clemson Tigers (3x)

Even though it was a poor performance by the conference as a whole, there is bound to be exciting basketball around every corner in the SEC this season. Kentucky has a chance to run the table and every team will be giving their best shot to knock them off.

There will be buzzer beaters, upsets, meltdowns, technical fouls and everything in between but most importantly there will be basketball! Here is how I see it shaking out this year.

TIER FIVE STAR PLATOON

1. Kentucky (31-0)/(18-0) - That's right! The Wildcats will make it through SEC play undefeated, I expect some tough test against Arkansas, LSU and Florida but Kentucky will find a way, with its defense, to make it through conference play without a loss.

TIER II

2.Arkansas Razorbacks- The Hogs will finish second in the SEC and will make the NCAA tournament but this team will struggle with greatness because of their struggles on the road. Losses to Kentucky and Florida on the road will hurt but the Razorbacks will take pride in going undefeated at home this season.

3.Florida Gators- The Gators are 7-5 but don't let their record deceive you, this is still a very good team and they will make the NCAA tournament. Their home game against Kentucky will provide the Wildcats their biggest challenge of the SEC season, but the Wildcats will find a way to pull away late and get the double digit win.

4.LSU Tigers- The Tigers got one of the biggest non conference wins of the season against #16 West Virginia, but will it be enough to get them into the NCAA tournament? The Tigers currently are #18 in RPI and have played the 24th toughest schedule in the nation. If LSU wins the games they're supposed to in league play they will make the tourney.

5.South Carolina Gamecocks- The Gamecocks are my surprise team in the SEC this season, but with an RPI and SOS below 125 South Carolina will find themselves on the wrong side of the bubble come tourney time. Still, this is a great turn around by Frank Martin and you can expect a tough and gritty performance anytime you see this team play.

6.Alabama Crimson Tide- The Tide have a chance to make the tournament but I think this team is just too inconsistent and has tended to play down to competition. In the weakest of the major conferences, Alabama cannot afford losses to teams like Missouri and Mississippi State but that's exactly what I expect will happen. The Tide will win some big games and lose some clunkers and will find themselves on the outside looking in come tourney time.

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7.Tennessee Volunteers- I honestly believe the Volunteers could finish higher than seventh, and they should, but like Alabama, UT has struggled at times against inferior competition. They are a relatively young team that will have just a few too many uneven performances to be in the upper tier in the SEC.

8.Georgia Bulldogs- I hate putting UGA in the lower half of the SEC, they have put some great performances this season and have a chance to make it even better. I think they can prove me wrong, but with a pretty tough road schedule it is hard to see them doing enough to make the tourney.

9.Texas A&M Aggies- The Aggies can beat just about anybody if they're not in the Big 12. The blowout loss to Baylor and the loss to Kansas State were particularly ugly. They also close the last two weeks of the season with road trips to South Carolina, Arkansas and Florida.

10.Vanderbilt Commodores- The loss to Rutgers is ugly and with a SOS of 164….the Commodores have some work to do in conference play. Teams 7-10 are interchangeable and have a chance to be in the upper echelon of the conference, but they have to prove it on the court.

TIER "IS IT BASEBALL SEASON YET?"

11.Ole Miss Rebels: I hope Rebel and Bulldog fans enjoyed football season because the only thing they are going to enjoy about basketball season is how bad their rival is at hoops. Ole Miss actually has a quality win over Creighton but they also have losses to Charleston Southern and Western Kentucky…..at home.

12.Auburn Tigers: Blown out by Colorado? That's ok. Blown out by Tulsa? That's not ok. Auburn got their guy in Bruce Pearl, but they're gonna have to wait before they're competitive in the SEC.

13.Missouri Tigers: Not to be outdone by Ole Miss, the Tigers went out and lost to a bunch of Kangaroos in their opener. They'll likely win a game or two….if they're lucky.

14.Mississippi State Bulldogs: It's gonna be a rough season for the Bulldogs who are currently dead last in the league in RPI. State also has two horrible losses to Arkansas St and McNeese St. They will likely beat a team or two, but it is gonna be a long ugly season for the fan base desperate for a watchable team.

So that is it everyone, your 100% foolproof SEC basketball season predictions. Who do you have winning it all? Let us know in the comments.