SEC Basketball: Takeaways from the 2017-18 Tip-Off Event

KANSAS CITY, MO - MARCH 24: Head coach Andy Kennedy of the Mississippi Rebels reacts as he coaches against the La Salle Explorers during the third round of the 2013 NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament at Sprint Center on March 24, 2013 in Kansas City, Missouri. (Photo by Ed Zurga/Getty Images) /

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SEC Tipoff Southeastern Conference basketball

CHICAGO, IL – MARCH 29: Michael Porter Jr. /

Freshmen are changing expectations

Missouri

Missouri added top national recruit shooting forward Michael Porter (6’10, 215 pounds) to its roster over the offseason. He brought with him the No. 9 power forward and little brother Jontay Porter (6’10, 225 pounds). Jeremiah Tilmon (6’10, 235 pounds), a national top-50 recruit and the No. 11 power forward is also a member of the class.

The influx of young talent joining first-year head coach Cuonzo Martin lifted Missouri from a 2017 last-place finish in the 14-team league to a predicted fifth-place finish in 2018 by SEC Tipoff attendees. If Missouri can get the ball across half court, they should indeed be tough.

Alabama

SEC Tipoff attendees also projected a hop for Alabama from 2017’s sixth-place finish to fourth in 2018 based largely on the strength of its recruiting class, which is ranked No. 8 in the country. The class includes guard Collin Sexton (6’2, 175 pounds). Sexton is the top point guard recruit in the country and the No. 5 ranked player nationally.

(Multiple sources identified Sexton as the player likely identified in FBI documents, including AL.com, Washington Post, and Yahoo! Sports.)

Otherwise, not much is expected to change inside the league. South Carolina fell from its No. 4 SEC finish in 2017 to a No. 11 predicted finish this year. Texas A&M, which returns Co-Preseason Player of the Year Robert Williams, is expected to rise from its ninth-place 2017 finish to a fourth-place finish.

The predictions do have fans at Georgia and Auburn anxious.

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