Conference Play Primer: The SEC

Favorite: Kentucky Wildcats

Its hard to believe it, but the Wildcats may actually be a better team this season than they were last year, and last year they were a No. 1 seed, reached the Elite 8, and sent five players to the first round of the NBA Draft. While some will say it is a result of Brandon Knight, Doron Lamb, and particularly Terrence Jones living up to the hype they had coming in, the real reason that Kentucky is morphing into a legitimate contender for a No. 1 seed again this March is the play of Josh Harrellson and DeAndre Liggins. Harrellson is turning into this year's Brian Zoubek, an unheralded senior center that develops into a monster on the glass and around the rim defensively. He's already averaging 9.4 rpg (4.0 offensively and a 17.0 OR%) and 1.6 bpg, and the past three games he's scored in double figures. Liggins has become a stopper defensively, capable of guarding multiple positions on the floor. Calipari's rotation really only goes about seven deep at most, but those six or seven guys know there roles and understand where their shots are supposed to come from, which is why they are playing as well as anyone in the country right now.


Player of the Year: Brandon Knight, Kentucky

If its not Brandon Knight, its probably Terrence Jones. But seeing as I've already waxed poetic about Kentucky, let's talk about Trey Thompkins here. Thompkins is flying a bit under the radar right now considering he is averaging 17.4 ppg and 7.1 rpg. Why? Because they aren't exactly the numbers we expected this season. That, in large part, is due to the ankle injury Thompkins suffered before the season even started. He missed the first three games of the season, then labored through the Old Spice Classic, scoring just 13 points against both Notre Dame (in double overtime) and Temple. Since that trip to Orlando, however, Thompkins has played well against Georgia's best competition. He had 20 points and 9 boards in a two point win over UAB. He had 21 points and 6 boards (and a very strong second half) in a 73-72 win at Georgia Tech. More recently, on New Year's Eve, Thompkins had his best game of the season with 26 points and 7 boards. Next up? Kentucky. On Saturday. I think this young man is ready for league play.

All-Conference Team:

• G: Erving Walker, Florida: 13.9 ppg, 3.1 apg, 45.1% 3PT
  
• G: John Jenkins, Vanderbilt: 17.8 ppg, 37.5% 3PT
  
• F: Tobias Harris, Tennessee: 15.5 ppg, 6.6 rpg
  
• F: Terrence Jones, Kentucky: 17.1 ppg, 9.1 rpg
  
• C: Trey Thompkins, Georgia: 17.4 ppg, 7.1 rpg

Biggest Surprise: Tennessee Volunteers

This is what we call hitting both ends of the spectrum. The Vols started out the season so well, picking up wins against Villanova and Pitt and climbing all the way up to No. 7 in the polls. Then something happened. Depending on where you look or who you ask, the Vols stopped playing defense the way then can, they stopped getting the ball inside, they stopped attacking the basket, and/or Scotty Hopson stopped being a leader. Whatever the case, Tennessee has been terrible lately, losing four of their last six (to Oakland, Charlotte, USC, and Charleston) while barely hanging on to beat Belmont and UT-Martin. With the SEC season looming and Bruce Pear's suspension coming up, we may not have hit bottom yet. I can't remember the last time I saw a swing this drastic happen this quickly.


Biggest Disappointment: The SEC West

Its a joke. It really is. Alabama (Alabama?!?) is the highest rated team in Kenpom's projections. They are 8-6. The team that was supposed to be the favorite, Mississippi State, is losing players left and right and just sold any ounce of good will they had left nationally when rick Stansbury decided to allow Renardo Sidney back on the team. Ole Miss had that happen over the summer, when Murphy Holloway and Eniel Polynice both packed their bags. Overall, the division's record is 52-32. As of this moment, Kenpom is predicting the SEC West to go 6-30 against the SEC East this season. Just for fun, here's a list of some of the team's that a member of SEC West has lost to this season:

UNC-Asheville, Samford, Campbell, Jacksonville, Presbyterian, St. Peter's, Nicholl's State, Coastal Carolina, North Texas, Florida Atlantic, East Tennessee State, Rice, Wichita State, Hawaii, Colorado State, UAB, Iowa, Miami FL, UVa, Rutgers, South Florida

That is nothing short of atrocious.

Teams to keep an eye on:

• Florida: The Gators were my pick to win the conference in the preseason. And while I'm not quite ready to jump back onto that bandwagon, I think this team is a bit better than they are being given credit for right now. Sure, the loss to Jacksonville is ugly and Kenny Boynton and Alex Tyus have disappointed. But Erving Walker looks like he may finally be on the verge of grasping what it means to be a point guard and what a good shot is. Chandler Parsons, Vernon Macklin, and Scottie Wilbekin are all above average SEC players. Coming off of impressive wins at Xavier and over Rhode Island at home, the Gators may have flipped the switch.
• Vanderbilt: I like Vanderbilt. They have bigger, more physical, and more athletic than they were last season. Jeff Taylor and John Jenkins are both special talents. The problem with the Commodores is that they don't have a creator. Taylor is still an athlete more than a basketball player, Jenkins relies too heavily on his jump shot being created for him, and their big guys aren't really much more than big, strong, athletes. How good Brad Tinsley is this season will be the deciding factor on whether Vandy is a tournament team, or a team that is a threat to make a run.
  

Teams to write off:

• South Carolina: I have really like what I have seen from Bruce Ellington. He has a chance to be a special player. The rest of this group? Ehh. Not so much.
• Everyone else: Seriously.