SEC Basketball power rankings: Kentucky tops after tough opening month

12) Missouri Tigers

Record: 5-4
Missouri is another team that has struggled much more than expected. In fact, during a 4-1 start in which their only loss came in overtime to a now-ranked Xavier group, the Tigers looked like they were set to overachieve.

However, Mizzou has gone 1-3 since then and suffered a truly awful defeat at the hands of Charleston Southern.

Cuonzo Martin’s squad does rank in the top 30 nationally in adjusted defensive efficiency, but they really struggle to score. The Tigers rank 339th in the country in three-point percentage (25.7 percent) and turn the ball over on 21.3 percent of all possessions – a number that ranks a lowly 269th nationally.

Mizzou only has three players that currently average double figures and no one averages more than 11.8 per game. They can run their offense through big man Jeremiah Tilmon but he, along with guards Mark and Dru Smith, needs to be more consistent.

11) Vanderbilt Commodores

Record: 6-2
The Commodores are going to win an SEC game this year – that much we know after they failed to do so last year. New head coach Jerry Stackhouse has this group playing much better, albeit they still have their flaws, particularly defensively.

Vandy hasn’t beaten anyone of consequence yet but has also avoided a disastrous loss, which is more than the bottom three teams on this list can say.

The emergence of Aaron Nesmith as a bona fide star has played a major role in that. Nesmith has taken his game to the next level and is averaging 22.8 points per game while shooting over 50 percent from the field and from behind the three-point line. Saben Lee (17.4 ppg, 6.3 apg) has also taken a leap under Stackhouse while Scotty Pippen Jr. has been a solid third option as a freshman.

If this group can improve their defense and get more out of their depth, they have a chance to be one of the bigger surprises in the SEC.