SEC Basketball has made the case for being the best conference in college hoops for the last few years. On paper, there looks to be another large group of candidates to make a deep run in March. However, could some of the things we’ve seen and heard this October change some opinions?
Based on the early results we’ve seen throughout the known scrimmages and exhibitions featuring SEC teams, here are some early key takeaways.
1. Kentucky’s defense looks improved, offense still in progress
After the drama-filled offseason, Kentucky was always going to be a big storyline for the upcoming season. They passed their first test, winning 69-49 over Little Rock, a projected OVC contender. On one hand, the defense looked vastly improved compared to last year. However, the offense took a while to get going. They combined for 12 assists and 19 turnovers, while sophomore center Malachi Moreno didn’t have much of an impact. The backcourt duo of Alex Wilkins and Zoom Diallo have to play at a high level for the Wildcats to surpass expectations, we’ll see how they look in the next matchup.
2. Alabama finds hidden transfer gem
In wins over Furman and Ole Miss, Alabama put up around 100 ppg, despite star guard Aden Holloway being suspended. Among the key contributors is Cole Cloer, a former top-100 prospect who redshirted at NC State before transferring to the Crimson Tide. He scored 12+ points in both games, including 18 to beat Ole Miss. Cloer made four three-pointers in that game and showed he’s an elite shooting threat. For a team already expected to have one of the top offenses in the country, Cloer being a clear part of the rotation only helps that.
3. LSU’s core rotation looks to be competitive
If Kentucky is the top storyline in the SEC, LSU and its small roster is a close second. Due to still waiting on multiple players to get eligible, they only had a six-man rotation against McNeese State and UCF. Considering that five players played between 35-40 mpg between both games and still won, it’s a good start for Coach Will Wade. Newcomers Donovan Dent and Michael Ruzic will be able to put up a ton of stats but the lack of depth will eventually hurt them if an injury occurs.
4. Aberdeen struggles in Florida’s surprise defeat
Florida has a good chance of being No. 1 in the preseason AP poll but things started out shaky for them, falling in overtime to Baylor on Sunday. What stood out the most was Kentucky transfer Denzel Aberdeen going 3/16 from the field in the loss, taking the most shots on the team. He was a key bench piece for the program when the Gators won the national title two years ago. Aberdeen returned with an expected larger role but his first game back proved to be more misses than hits.
5. Vols defense shaky to start out
Tennessee fell at home to Xavier, 86-70. But the second half was what killed them, allowing 59 points. Coach Rick Barnes teams have consistently had one of the top defenses in the country but lost a number of key defenders this offseason. They added a ton of scoring talent to the roster but can they defend? The early answer is maybe not but there’s plenty of time for that to change.
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