Busting Brackets
Fansided

SEC Basketball power rankings: LSU remains on top, Ole Miss falls far down

By Curtis Wilkerson

WASHINGTON, DC - MARCH 29: Emmitt Williams #24 of the LSU Tigers celebrates a basket from the bench against the Michigan State Spartans during the second half in the East Regional game of the 2019 NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament at Capital One Arena on March 29, 2019 in Washington, DC. (Photo by Patrick Smith/Getty Images)
WASHINGTON, DC - MARCH 29: Emmitt Williams #24 of the LSU Tigers celebrates a basket from the bench against the Michigan State Spartans during the second half in the East Regional game of the 2019 NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament at Capital One Arena on March 29, 2019 in Washington, DC. (Photo by Patrick Smith/Getty Images) /
facebooktwitterreddit
Prev
2 of 8
Next
NASHVILLE, TN – JANUARY 23: Aaron Nesmith #24 and Joe Toye #2 of the Vanderbilt Commodores(Photo by Joe Robbins/Getty Images)
NASHVILLE, TN – JANUARY 23: Aaron Nesmith #24 and Joe Toye #2 of the Vanderbilt Commodores(Photo by Joe Robbins/Getty Images) /

#14. Vanderbilt Commodores 8-13 (0-8 SEC)

NET: 169 | KenPom: 191 | BPI: 171

It is hard not to feel bad for Vandy fans who have been snake-bitten yet again by the injury bug, losing the SEC’s leading scorer in Aaron Nesmith.  Saben Lee and Scotty Pippen Jr. have done a commendable job, but this team lacks the scoring punch to be successful in the SEC this season.  The Commodores have now dropped 26-straight league games.

With that being said, Jerry Stackhouse is doing a nice job given the circumstance.  Not only are things looking up on the recruiting trail, the Commodores have been playing some pretty good basketball over the course of the last week or so.

Vandy went to Kentucky and gave them all they wanted well into the second half, and despite trailing by as many as 18 on Saturday they battled with Florida and wound up only losing by six.  There are still a handful of opportunities to compete, and Vanderbilt will hope to break the streak and look towards what should be a much brighter future.

#13. Ole Miss Rebels 10-11 (1-7 SEC)

NET: 111 | KenPom: 124 | BPI: 113

Coming into the season, Ole Miss was projected as a middle-of-the-pack SEC team that could be in the NCAA Tournament conversation if things went according to plan.  Unfortunately, it has been a mess in Oxford since SEC play began.

The Rebels have struggled mightily in several games but have also let a few opportunities slip away.  They squandered a late home lead against Arkansas, lost a heart-breaker to LSU, and last week saw a huge lead evaporate in a double-overtime loss to Auburn.

Breein Tyree and Devontae Shuler make up a solid back-court tandem, but Ole Miss needs more consistency and depth beyond those two.  They will look to right the ship and build some positive momentum with a three-game homestand starting against South Carolina on Wednesday.

Home/SEC