Tennessee Basketball: 3 reasons why the Vols will win the SEC in 2018-19

Tennessee returns the best 1-2 punch in the SEC

Being able to return the reigning SEC Player of the Year is always a boost for any team, especially one that still has more developing to do in rising junior Grant Williams. The team’s leading scorer and rebounder averaged 15.2 ppg and 6.0 rpg last season for the Vols while playing very well in conference play.

Of course, the other favorites also bring back elite talent of their own. Tremont Waters will have a national audience this season after a superb freshman campaign. Mississippi State brings back both Weatherspoon brothers, Quinndary in particular. Florida has Jalen Hudson, Auburn has Bryce Brown and Kentucky decided to get experience via the transfer market in Reid Travis from Stanford.

It looks to be even from that standpoint until each team’s No. 2 player gets mentioned. The talent level dips for the other teams and Kentucky’s second-best player is unknown. While admittedly one of their incoming five-star freshmen can ultimately become a star, their lack of experience and unpredictability leaves questions.

There are no questions about rising senior Admiral Schofield. After returning to the starting lineup, the 6’5 forward broke out, averaging 13.9 ppg and 6.4 rpg. He played his best towards the end of the season, averaging around 20 ppg and seven rebounds per game in his last eight contests.

Although these two forwards are both 6’5, they use their body perfectly on both offense and defense to take away any potential advantage their larger opponents may have. There’s a guaranteed 30-35 combined ppg coming from this pair while both have more experience than any of the other projected starting frontcourt in the SEC. If the guards continue to improve, the Vols will have a potent offense that few can match for 40 minutes.