Midway SEC hoops; pre-spring football: Everybody's big question

Thomas Haugh helps to make the Gators a national title contender (Photo by Chris Spears)

We’re at the midway point of an historical Southeastern Conference basketball season and just weeks from the start of spring football. Yes, indeed, life in the SEC is good. Very good in fact.

Joe Lunardi (ESPN) and Jerry Palm (CBS) have both loaded up their brackets with SEC teams. Lunardi has a record 13 from the SEC while Palm has 12. Wouldn’t it be a hoot if an SEC team won the national championship in basketball in a year when football was shut out of a national title for the second straight year?

Basketball is at an all-time high. For those who think football is on the downslide, consider this: 171 bluechip players signed with SEC schools, which is more than the Big Ten (106) and ACC (57) combined. The SEC signed 17 5-star players, more than the Big Ten (10), ACC (4) and Big 12 (1) combined. The SEC hit a speed bump last year. The league will be back. Soon.

QUESTIONS MOVING FORWARD FOR ALL 16 SEC BASKETBALL TEAMS

No. 4 Alabama (18-3, 7-1 SEC): Their goal is to run everyone they play out of the gym. Vulnerable to physical teams that can slow them down to playing in the half court. Top four NCAA seed.

Arkansas (12-8, 1-6 SEC): The Hogs have only eight healthy scholarship players. They can win games at home. Five wins will get them into the NIT.

No. 1 Auburn (19-1, 7-0 SEC): Now that Johni Broome seems to have shrugged off his injury (27 points, 16 rebounds, 3 blocked shots Wednesday night), the Tigers look the part of a Final Four team. They look like the No. 1 national seed when they unveil the seedings on Selection Sunday.

No. 5 FLORIDA (18-2, 5-2 SEC): The Gators are 10-1 at home, 8-1 away from the O-Dome. If they whack Tennessee at Thompson-Boling Saturday, this team might have the look of one that’s Final Four bound. If Micah Handlogten returns, the Gators are going to be right up there with Auburn for the top seed in the country.

Georgia (15-6, 3-4 SEC): The Bulldogs are road kill. All five SEC losses on the road. They’re tough at home and if they get to 20-21 wins they’ll make the NCAA Tournament somewhere around a 9-10 seed.  

No. 12 Kentucky (15-5, 4-3 SEC): When the Wildcats get it all together, they are formidable as Tennessee found out Tuesday night. The big question for the Wildcats is which team shows up? The one that beat the Vols in Dollywood or the one that has been blown out by Ohio State and Georgia? The Cats travel. Because of that they will get a decent NCAA seed even if they don’t finish top five in SEC play.

LSU (12-8, 1-6 SEC): The Tigers are 43-43 since Matt McMahon took over the program in 2022-23. The schedule looks like seven or eight more losses. The natives are growing restless. Making the NIT will be an accomplishment. Enough to save McMahon’s job?

No. 14 Mississippi State (16-5, 4-4 SEC): The Bulldogs should have beaten Alabama. They need to prove they can not only play with but beat the good teams in the league. Lock for the tournament seeded between five and seven.

No. 20 Missouri (16-4, 5-2 SEC): Not a team anyone wants to play. They are one of the more physical teams in the league and when 3-point bomber Caleb Grill goes into a shooter’s coma, they’re as hard to defend as any team in the SEC. Mortal locks for the NCAA Tournament, probably in the 5-7 range.

Oklahoma (15-5, 2-5 SEC): In any other league the Sooners would be challenging for the conference championship. In the SEC they’re just another team but they are good enough to make the NCAA Tournament, figure somewhere around a No. 8.  

No. 23 Ole Miss (16-5, 5-3 SEC): The Rebels beat Alabama decisively in Tuscaloosa so they’re capable of playing with anyone but they’re mistake prone and that is going to bite them. Another mortal lock for the NCAA Tournament.

South Carolina (10-11, 0-8 SEC): Good enough to play every team in the SEC tough but capable of losing big if Collin Murray-Boyles is having an off night.

No. 8 Tennessee (17-4, 4-4 SEC): The Vols have lost two in a row. They’re vulnerable to teams that can keep Zakai Ziegler from getting into the paint. Chaz Lanier doesn’t respond well to teams that play him with a physical defender. They need to win some games to get back into top four seed consideration.

Texas (14-7, 3-5 SEC): The Longhorns are quite susceptible to physical teams that rebound well. They can beat anyone in a finesse game. Joe Lundardi and Jerry Palm have them among the last teams into the field of 64.

No. 13 Texas A&M (16-5, 5-3 SEC): When Wade Taylor IV gets it going, the Aggies are capable of beating anyone on their schedule. It’s best to bring body armor when playing them in College Station. They could make a top four seed.

No. 24 Vanderbilt (16-4, 4-3 SEC): Mark Byington had to replace an entire team that transferred out. Vandy’s 11 transfers are holding their own in SEC play. Beatable on the road, formidable at home. They’ll get in the tournament, probably between seven and 10.

Wednesday’s scores

No. 1 Auburn (19-1, 7-0 SEC) 87, LSU (12-8, 1-6 SEC) 74

No. 4 Alabama (18-3, 7-1 SEC) 88, No. 14 Mississippi State (16-5, 4-4 SEC) 84

No. 23 Ole Miss (16-5, 5-3 SEC) 72, Texas (14-7, 3-5 SEC) 69

Saturday’s games

No. 5 FLORIDA (18-2, 5-2 SEC) at No. 8 Tennessee (17-4, 4-4 SEC)

No. 1 Auburn (19-1, 7-0 SEC) at No. 23 Ole Miss (16-5, 5-3 SEC)

Georgia (15-6, 3-5 SEC) at No. 4 Alabama (18-3, 7-1 SEC)

Arkansas (12-8, 1-6 SEC) at No. 12 Kentucky (15-5, 4-3 SEC)

No. 13 Texas A&M (16-5, 5-3 SEC) at South Carolina (10-11, 0-8 SEC)

No. 20 Missouri (16-4, 5-2 SEC) at No. 14 Mississippi State (16-5, 4-4 SEC)

No. 24 Vanderbilt (16-4, 4-3 SEC) at Oklahoma (15-5, 2-5 SEC)

Texas (14-7, 3-5 SEC) at LSU (12-8, 1-6 SEC)

THE BIG QUESTION FOR EVERY SEC FOOTBALL TEAM PRE-SPRING

Alabama: The heat is on Kalen DeBoer who has to find a quarterback and integrate a bunch of transfers into the two-deep and culture. Is Ty Simpson good enough to start at QB or is it going to be freshman Keelon Russell?

Arkansas: The Hogs went heavy into the transfer portal but didn’t land a stud running back. Lots of new faces on the O-line from the portal. Too many questions to answer in the spring.

Auburn: Hugh Freeze has two quality quarterbacks from the portal in Jackson Arnold (Oklahoma) and Ashton Daniels (Stanford). Can one of them separate in the spring? And will the loser transfer again?

FLORIDA: The Gators are borderline loaded, particularly on offense. They have to find some answers on the D-line and at corner but if answers are found, the Gators will be really, really good.

Georgia: Is Gunner Stockton good enough to be a playmaker or simply a game manager? How long will it take Ryan Montgomery to learn the offense? Will Kirby Smart trust his offense to a true freshman?

Kentucky: The Wildcats went to the portal to land Zach Calzada from Incarnate Word. Remember him? He played for Jimbo at A&M and Gus at Auburn. So this is school No. 4. Does that sound like the guy to take a team to seven or more wins?

LSU: Where to begin? It all starts with Brian Kelly. Three years, 11 losses … not exactly what they had in mind when they doled out a 10-year, $100 million deal to hire him out of Notre Dame. He’s loaded up in the portal, not exactly a good sign since it indicates there is a lack of player development.

Mississippi State: Lots of guys left in the portal, lots more arrived. Is Blake Shapen healthy enough to play QB again? Can Jeff Lebby find five guys who can block for him?

Missouri: Two big questions. Is Penn State transfer Beau Pribula the answer at QB? And, does running back Ahmad Hardy’s game translate to the SEC. He was a stud in the Sun Belt at Louisiana-Monroe.

Oklahoma: Brent Venables got his guy in Washington State QB John Mateer, big arm and really good feet. Can the Sooners put together an offensive line in the spring and can Mateer bond with a slew of talented new receivers?

Ole Miss: Lane Kiffin has brought in 22 transfers. So far. More will be coming. Count on it. The Rebels will have a strong offense with Austin Simmons at QB. The questions are all on defense which will be rebuilt through the portal.

South Carolina: Shane Beamer has a stud returning QB in LaNorris Sellers and he brought in Ohio State transfer QB Air Noland. The running game picked up a good one in Utah State transfer Rahsul Faison. Can the Gamecocks find better offensive linemen? They gave up 41 sacks last year.

Tennessee: The Vols brought in Notre Dame offensive tackle Sam Pendelton and Arizona guard Wendell Moe Jr. The O-line was supposed to be outstanding but it gave up 30 sacks. Can the Vols make a functional O-line in 15 spring practices?

Texas: Now it’s Arch Manning’s team. Steve Sarkisian is loaded up at the skill positions but can he find replacements on the offensive line?

Texas A&M: The Aggies went hard into the portal for EDGE rushers like Florida’s TJ Searcy, Georgia’s Sam M’Pemba and Colorado’s Dayon Hayes. Finding receivers who can stretch a defense will be a priority in the spring.

Vanderbilt: The Commodores won seven games. That sounds very strange, doesn’t it? They also return a stud QB in Diego Pavia. Can the Commodores find wide receivers who can stretch the defense in the spring?