We’re only a couple of days away from the start of the 2015-16 NCAA basketball season and excitement is definitely building for the return of college hoops. One of the leagues to watch this season is the Southeastern Conference. All eyes will be on the Kentucky Wildcats as they look to defend the SEC title they won so convincingly last season.
Read on below as we take an in-depth look at this Division I conference. While you’re at it, you can check out our ACC, Pac-12 and Big Ten basketball previews.
[sc:MarchMadness ]2015-16 NCAA Season SEC Conference Preview
1. Kentucky Wildcats
2014 Record: 18-0
Predicted 2015 Record: 16-2
[sc:NCAAB240banner ]Even with a reshuffled roster, the Wildcats are still the overwhelming favorites to win the SEC this season. Who can argue against this fact with Kentucky collecting yet again another star-studded freshman class this year? Leading the way for the Wildcats’ prized recruits this time around is Skal Labissiere. The top-ranked recruit in 2015, Labissiere averaged 19.3 points, 8.3 rebounds and made 26 of 37 shots (70.3 percent) for Kentucky this past preseason.
Labissiere isn’t the only youngster who’ll send opponents’ hearts aflutter this season. The Wildcats have assembled quite a talented backcourt this year in Tyler Ulis, Isaiah Briscoe and Jamal Murray. Kentucky may not be as deep as last year’s squad, but there’s still more than enough talent for the Wildcats to secure another SEC crown this season.
2. LSU Tigers
2014 Record: 11-7
Predicted 2015 Record: 12-6
If there’s one team that can threaten Kentucky’s reign in the SEC, it’s got to be LSU. The Tigers have in their ranks one of the most talented players in the game today in Ben Simmons. In 29 regular-season games for Montverde Academy last campaign, he averaged 28.0 points, 11.9 rebounds, 4.0 assists and 2.6 steals per game. Simmons shot an incredible 70.7 percent from the field and recorded an astonishing 24 double-doubles.
His arrival will help shore up an LSU frontcourt which lost the ever-reliable Jarell Martin and Jordan Mickey. The frontcourt duo scored 42.8 percent of the Tigers’ points last season and was responsible for 47.3 percent of the team’s total rebounds.
3. Texas A&M Aggies
2014 Record: 11-7
Predicted 2015 Record: 11-7
Expect great things from the Aggies who are desperate to end their four-year tournament drought this season. This Texas A&M squad has boatloads of experience with key cogs Alex Caruso and Daniel House returning this season. Caruso led the SEC in assists last season (4.5 APG) while House was the team’s leading scorer last campaign (14.8 PPG).
What makes this team such a solid pick this year is its top-10 recruiting class. It features four top-100 players, including big man Tyler Davis who’s in line to get a starting nod this year. The 18-year-old was a beast for Plano West last season, averaging a team-best 18.7 points and 12.2 rebounds per game. He will provide the ceiling that Texas A&M sorely missed last campaign.
4. Vanderbilt Commodores
2014 Record: 9-9
Predicted 2015 Record: 11-7
One team that’s expected to make waves in the SEC this season is Vanderbilt. Of the Commodores’ eight leading scorers last year, five were freshmen and two were sophomores. Vanderbilt’s young crew surpassed expectations last season, leading the Commodores to a 21-win campaign. That total could have been much higher if not for their inability to seal the deal in close games. They were 1-9 in games decided by five points or fewer last season.
It’s tough seeing Vanderbilt lose that many close games again this year especially with the Commodores possessing a deep and stacked lineup. Spearheading the Commodores’ attack this season is All-SEC 7-footer Damian Jones. The big man averaged 14.4 points, 6.5 boards and 2.0 blocks for Vanderbilt last campaign.
5. Florida Gators
2014 Record: 8-10
Predicted 2015 Record: 10-8
No basketball coach in the NCAA this season inherits bigger shoes to fill than Mike White. He replaces the great Billy Donovan, who guided the Gators to two national championships and four Final Fours. That being said, the Gators desperately needed a change as they were far from impressive last campaign. They finished last season with a 16-17 record, thanks in large part to an offense that scored just 1.01 points per possession, 11th in the SEC.
White, who had a 71.6 winning percentage at Louisiana Tech, will need to get more production from forward Dorian Finney-Smith for Florida to succeed this season. He led the Gators in scoring and rebounding in 2014, averaging 13.1 points and 6.2 boards per game last campaign.
6. South Carolina Gamecocks
2014 Record: 6-12
Predicted 2015 Record: 9-9
If you’re looking for a sleeper this season, check out South Carolina. The Gamecocks have slowly improved in each of the last three seasons, going 4-14, 5-13 and 6-12 since head coach Frank Martin’s arrival. Things are bound to get even better for South Carolina this season with the signing of prized recruit P.J. Dozier. The 6-6 guard is the highest-rated recruit to choose USC in years. Dozier was just the fourth USC signee named to the McDonald’s All-American team.
He’ll be a welcome addition to a South Carolina side that ranked 320th in the nation in three-point shooting and 279th from field goals inside the arc last season. Dozier will provide some offensive support to returning guards Sindarius Thornwell and Duane Notice who averaged a combined 22.8 points per game last year.
7. Mississippi State Bulldogs
2014 Record: 6-12
Predicted 2015 Record: 9-9
Mississippi State sent shockwaves across the SEC when it signed Ben Howland as its new head coach. The guy’s a proven winner, with three Final Four appearances under his belt. Howland’s already made an immediate impact, signing five-star guard Malik Newman this past offseason. He averaged 26.1 points and 5.5 rebounds during his four-year stint with Callaway High School. He’s expected to earn major minutes alongside seniors Gavin Ware and Craig Sword. Newman’s arrival will help boost a Bulldogs offense that ranked 12th in the SEC in points per possession (0.99) last year.
8. Georgia Bulldogs
2014 Record: 11-7
Predicted 2015 Record: 8-10
If the Georgia Bulldogs are to make some ground in the SEC, they will need their perimeter guards to take flight this season. It’s up to veteran guards Kenny Gaines and Charles Mann to carry the torch for Georgia which lost two key frontcourt players in forwards Marcus Thornton and Nemanja Djurisic. Gaines and Mann averaged 11.7 points and 11.2 points, respectively, for the Bulldogs last season. This will be a major shift in strategy for the Bulldogs which relied mostly on their frontcourt play the past couple of seasons. That being the case, it’s tough seeing Georgia post a winning record in the SEC this year.
9. Auburn Tigers
2014 Record: 4-14
Predicted 2015 Record: 8-10
Bruce Pearl’s first year in charge at Auburn didn’t go exactly according to plan as the Tigers slumped to a woeful 4-14 slate. It won’t get any easier for Pearl in Year 2 with star guards Antoine Mason and KT Harrell departing this past offseason. They combined for 32.9 points per game last campaign.
The good news for Pearl is that he’s got a good solid bunch coming through the ranks this season. The one to watch out for this year is Kareem Canty. He was one of the most sought-after transfers last summer after averaging 16.3 points and 5.5 assists per game as a freshman at Marshall. Pearl also lucked out when he signed top JUCO transfer T.J. Dunans. He racked up 22.8 points, 8.4 rebounds and 4.4 assists per game for Columbia State last season. Canty and Pearl will be a welcome boost to an Auburn offense that averaged just 67.9 points per game last campaign, good for 163rd in the nation.
10. Arkansas Razorbacks
2014 Record: 13-5
Predicted 2015 Record: 7-11
Arkansas may have won 27 games last season but don’t expect the Razorbacks to come even close to matching that total this campaign. Four of their best players from last season, including reigning SEC player of the year Bobby Portis, are all gone. Their departures will cost Arkansas 50.6 points per game in scoring this campaign.
That’s a major blow for an Arkansas side that scored a whopping 77.4 points per contest last season. The onus now is on Anthlon Bell and Anton Beard to pick up the offensive load for the Razorbacks this year. They averaged 7.9 and 5.7 points, respectively, for Arkansas last season.
11. Ole Miss Rebels
2014 Record: 11-7
Predicted 2015 Record: 7-11
Ole Miss surprised plenty of pundits with an 11-win campaign in the SEC last season. The Rebels, however, will be hard-pressed to match that win total with six players from last year’s squad graduating or transferring this past summer. For Ole Miss to record another winning season this year, they will need Stefan Moody to produce another stellar campaign. He averaged 16.6 points per game for the Rebels last season. His experience will be vital for Ole Miss which lost double-digit scorers Jarvis Summers and LaDarius White this past offseason.
12. Tennessee Volunteers
2014 Record: 7-11
Predicted 2015 Record: 6-12
After finishing with another losing record last season, the Volunteers deemed it was time to make a coaching change. Tennessee got one of the best in the business when it hired former Texas coach Rick Barnes. He’s a proven winner, grabbing 402 victories at Texas. He led the Longhorns to the NCAA tournament 16 times and also captured three Big 12 regular-season titles.
That being said, it will take a miracle act for Barnes to transform Tennessee this season. With All-SEC guard Josh Richardson now plying his trade in the NBA, there’s a huge void to fill on the Vols’ offense. The pressure now is on Kevin Punter and Armani Moore to carry the scoring load for Tennessee. They each averaged 10.3 points per game for the Vols last season.
13. Alabama Crimson Tide
2014 Record: 8-10
Predicted 2015 Record: 5-13
Alabama made a huge splash this past offseason when it signed head coach Avery Johnson to a lucrative $16.8 million contract. He will be tasked to reinvigorate a basketball program that finished last season with a woeful 8-10 record. Turning things around for Alabama won’t be that easy, though, for the former NBA Coach of the Year with the Crimson Tide losing three leading scorers and three other role players this past offseason.
Expected to step up in their absence is Belgian guard Retin Obasohan. He averaged 6.2 points and 2.9 rebounds for the Crimson Tide last season. Johnson also might need immediate help from freshman guard Dazon Ingram. Alabama’s reigning Mr. Basketball averaged 21 points, 11 rebounds and five assists for Theodore High School last season.
14. Missouri Tigers
2014 Record: 3-15
Predicted 2015 Record: 4-14
There’s nowhere to go but up for Missouri after its horrible showing in the SEC last season. The Tigers finished with an abysmal 9-23 slate in Kim Anderson’s first season as head coach, their worst record since 1967. Improving on that mark this campaign will be a tall task, though, for the Tigers who lost key forwards Johnathan Williams III and Montaque Gill-Caesar this past offseason.
The pressure now is on transferees Russell Woods and Martavian Payne to deliver the goods for the Tigers. Woods averaged 14.1 points and 7.2 rebounds for John A. Logan last season while Payne, a second-team National Junior College Athletic Association All-American, averaged a team-best 15.7 points with 4.4 rebounds and 2.8 assists as a sophomore.
The NCAA basketball season is finally upon us. Create a betting account now and put your college basketball predictions to the test!
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