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SEC Basketball 2016: Preview and predictions

By Rob Wolkenbrod

Sep 15, 2016; Lexington, KY, USA; Kentucky Wildcats guard De Aaron Fox (0) guard Malik Monk (5) and guard Isaiah Briscoe (13) during Kentucky media day at Memorial Coliseum. Mandatory Credit: Mark Zerof-USA TODAY Sports
Sep 15, 2016; Lexington, KY, USA; Kentucky Wildcats guard De Aaron Fox (0) guard Malik Monk (5) and guard Isaiah Briscoe (13) during Kentucky media day at Memorial Coliseum. Mandatory Credit: Mark Zerof-USA TODAY Sports /
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Oct 14, 2016; Lexington, KY, USA; Kentucky Wildcats guard Malik Monk (5) dribbles the ball against guard Mychal Mulder (11) during Kentucky Midnight Madness at Rupp Arena. Mandatory Credit: Mark Zerof-USA TODAY Sports
Oct 14, 2016; Lexington, KY, USA; Kentucky Wildcats guard Malik Monk (5) dribbles the ball against guard Mychal Mulder (11) during Kentucky Midnight Madness at Rupp Arena. Mandatory Credit: Mark Zerof-USA TODAY Sports /

Projected order of finish

With the college basketball season getting underway soon, it’s also worth looking at how the SEC could look by the year’s end. Some of the results may be a given while others could be a surprise.

Here’s a look at how the SEC standings could look when the season wraps up in March:

  1. Kentucky – They may have the youngest team, but it’s also the most talented. Expect the Wildcats to finish atop the SEC barring a catastrophic set of injuries.
  2. South Carolina – The Gamecocks have improved every year under Frank Martin and should be able to take the leap to No. 2 in the conference.
  3. Georgia – While South Carolina may be a dark horse, Georgia is right behind them. The talent they added in Tyree Crump and Jordan Harris should make them a threat.
  4. Florida – The Gators lost Dorian Finney-Smith, which will hurt, but they still have last year’s second-leading scorer, KeVaughn Allen and brought in Charleston transfer Canyon Barry. This team should finish in the top five of the SEC.
  5. Arkansas – The Razorbacks are returning a majority of their key players from last season, and could be a threat to finish even higher than No. 5.
  6. Texas A&M – This isn’t close to the A&M’s 2015-16 team, but they shouldn’t finish too far down the standings.
  7. Mississippi State – The Bulldogs didn’t do much last season and even lost two of their top three scorers. But with all the new talent they brought in, this could be a team that finishes a little better this time around.
  8. Alabama – While not near the talent level of the football team, Avery Johnson’s squad is respectable and should finish toward the middle of the conference.
  9. Vanderbilt – Losing Wade Baldwin IV and Damian Jones will hurt. So, they’ll have to find scoring from the perimeter and inside elsewhere. Look out for Matthew Fisher-Davis to lead them toward the middle of the conference.
  10. Tennessee – Like Kentucky, Tennessee has a very young team for the 2016-17 season. However, the talent level contrasts, and should make this a year of growing pains in Knoxville.
  11. Auburn – The Tigers have a very young team as well under Bruce Pearl. Like Tennessee, this will be a year of ironing out the kinks.
  12. Ole Miss – The Rebels have to find a way to replace their five leading scorers from last season. They may find success later in the year, but a slow start will hurt them for the rest of their campaign.
  13. LSU – LSU had one of the nation’s best players in Ben Simmons and still finished just 19-14. With him gone and no one really capable of replacing him, this is going to be a rough year in Baton Rouge.
  14. Missouri – Their 3-15 SEC record from the previous season may look similar by March.

How could the SEC look by the end of the college basketball season?