SEC Time

I put the SEC ahead of the ACC because I think they have 3 Final 4 quality teams and 1 who could be that good as well. Those 3 teams are Kentucky, Missouri & Florida. Tennessee is the other. Arkansas looks good enough to make it as well. After that, it's pretty weak.

Alabama should be good enough to be in the conversation come March but probably is a play-in or low seed. Five star recruit Devonta Pollard could be a super frosh outside of Kentucky who steals some thunder in the SEC. Ole Miss is a solid squad who will also be in the conversation. They haven't been dancing since 2002, the longest drought in the SEC.

The rest of the league, eh. Texas A&M is young in the backcourt and went a disapointing 4-12 in conference in their last year in the Big 12. Vandy and South Carolina are going through massive rebuilding and reloading and Georgia and Auburn appear stuck in neutral. Mississippi State is a train wreck. LSU hired North Texas coach Johnny Jones who played under Dale Brown but he has only 9 scholarship players.

As for the Final 4 contenders, what can we say about Kentucky? Lose 6 players to the NBA and put together a roster capable of going to another Final 4. Nerlens Noel will get compared to Anthony Davis but isn't as good but is still a potential All-American. NC State transfer Ryan Harrow takes over at the point and while not as sectacular as his predecessors, he's still an electric player with quickness, hops and a better shooter.

Missouri brings 3 players back but add a slew of talented transfers including big man Alex Oriahki (UConn), G Jabari Brown (Oregon) and former Auburn leading scorer, G Earnest Ross. And they bring back dynamic PG Phil Pressey. Pressey is the floor general and the emotional leader of the Tigers.

Florida needs a great season from Patric Young who flirted with the NBA. The big man has holes in his offensive games but could be a SEC POY candidate. Kenny Boynton is the team leader and should Casey Prather become the player he shows in March, they'll be a threat to Kentucky.

Tennessee gets a full season out of F Jarnell Stokes who joined the Vols late last year. He made an immediate impact and big things are expected of him. He teams in the frontcourt with Madison native Jerrone Maymon who has had a solid career at Tennessee The Vols have questions in the backcourt bt Stokes is good enough to be a guy who carries ateam deep.