In recent memory, the Southeastern Conference (SEC) has dominated the College Football landscape, but now SEC College Basketball is the talk of the town. As of the week of January 27th, 10 SEC teams sit in the AP Top 25, with three other teams having stints in the Top 25 at various points thus far. Of those 10 teams, seven of them fall within the top 14, including Auburn who sits at the top of the college basketball mountain right now. The SEC is a big conference, so let’s choose a few of the best teams to focus on.
The SEC is Dominating College Basketball
Offensive Juggernauts
Out of the 355 teams in men’s Division I college basketball, two SEC teams lead the nation in scoring offense. Over the last few years, head coach Nate Oats has established Alabama as a national powerhouse. The Crimson Tide lead the nation averaging 90.4 points per game (PPG), thanks to their fast-paced tempo and three-point assault. Even after losing their best three-point shooter for the year to a ruptured Achilles, Alabama still has an extremely deep and talented team, as they routinely rotate 10 guys throughout a game.
Right behind them is a new-look Kentucky team that puts up a blistering 88.1 PPG. The Wildcats are an entirely fresh bunch, with their roster comprised of almost exclusively transfers or freshmen. They deploy a well-rounded attack, as five players average double figures in points, and the sixth player sits at an excruciatingly close 9.9 PPG. The SEC also boasts the eighth (Florida) and sixteenth (Auburn) best offenses in the country.
Defensive Stalwarts
The SEC also plays defense. In his 10 seasons at Tennessee, head coach Rick Barnes has established the Volunteers as a premier defensive team. Led by senior guard, and reigning SEC defensive player of the year, Zakai Zeigler, Tennessee holds opponents to an average of 58.4 PPG, which is good for third best in the nation. This defense helped the Vols earn the top spot in the AP top 25 for most of the year thus far until a few recent stumbles dropped them down to eighth. Additionally, Auburn Tigers (36th), Florida Gators (37th), Texas A&M Aggies (43rd), and Ole Miss Rebels (50th), all land in the top 50 in terms of scoring defense.
Dark Horse
While Auburn may just be the best team in the country, we all know to expect the unexpected when it comes to college basketball. One team that is a dark horse to win both the SEC and March Madness is Florida. In only his third year at the helm, head coach Todd Golden is seen as one of the elite coaches in the sport. He has helped resurrect the Florida program, which made it back to the NCAA tournament in 2024 and picked up four top-25 wins last season.
They rely on a trio of experienced guards, led by reigning second-team all-SEC player Walter Clayton Jr, as well as a platoon of young players in the frontcourt. As noted above, they boast one of the top offenses of any Division I school, as well as a very respectable defense. They currently sit at five in the national rankings, yet are frequently overlooked by college basketball analysts who focus on the bluebloods. While circumstances can change, look out for Florida come March.
Familiar Faces in New Places
In the new age of the transfer portal in college sports, we often forget that coaches can land on new campuses as well. Arguably the most notable coaching change in all of college basketball over the offseason was coach John Calipari. Coach Cal, a staple of success at Kentucky for 15 years, made the surprising move to become the head coach of Arkansas. I guess he did not want too much change, as he decided to stay in the SEC. The Razorbacks are currently on a cold streak, opening SEC play with a 1-6 record, bringing their overall record to 12-8, but have an impressively talented roster bound to improve.
Taking over Coach Cal’s role at Kentucky is former BYU head coach Mark Pope, who also played at UK for two years in his college days. While uncertainty swirled in the preseason, Pope has silenced all doubt with a 14-5 start, wins over six ranked teams, and a national ranking of twelfth.
Conference of the Future?
The SEC is undoubtedly the best conference in men’s college basketball right now, but this phenomenon is relatively new. One to five years ago, the Big 12 ruled the sport. Prior to that, Duke and North Carolina spearheaded the ACC that dominated college hoops. And we cannot forget about the relatively recent Big East reign thanks to the electric UConn and Villanova teams. Clearly, the performance of college basketball conferences is constantly in flux. While the SEC tightens its grip on the sport right now, it remains to be seen how the landscape of college hoops will look down the road.
Main Image: David Yeazell-Imagn Images
