Two conference road wins â one at NCAA tourney wannabe Tennessee and NCAA lock Kentucky -- proved even further that Florida's blend of talent, experience and coaching has placed it firmly on the short list of legitimate national championship contenders.
With two-thirds of Southeastern Conference play in the books and six games remaining, the second-ranked Gators are riding a 17-game winning streak and looking to be the first team to run the table since the league went back to an 18-game schedule.
From 1966-91, the SEC played an 18-game schedule, and no SEC team went undefeated during that stretch. After the league expanded to 12 teams for the 1991-92 season and reduced the league schedule to 16 games, Kentucky is the only team to not lose a league game in a season, doing it three times.
With six games to play and looming large a regular-season finale at home against No. 18 Kentucky, Florida has put itself in position to have the best regular season in SEC basketball history.
Heading into Week 7 of league play, here are the SEC Power Rankings â¦
Senior point guard Scottie Wilbekin runs the show, but in wins at Tennessee and Kentucky, he decided to steal the show. Scoring a career-high 21 points at Tennessee, he turned around Saturday and dropped 23 at Kentucky. It earned Wilbekin a second SEC Player of the Week nod this season. Probably more notable is that he had no turnovers in 71 minutes of action.
Call the loss to Florida a learning lesson for the Wildcats, who have the youngest team in the country. That showed in Kentucky going scoreless in the final 1:55 of the game. The loss ended a 22-game home winning streak, fifth-longest in the nation. It was only the third loss for the Wildcats in 84 home games under fifth-year coach John Calipari. Kentucky leads the SEC and is second in nation in rebounding margin (10.0).
After consecutive losing seasons and three in four years, Bulldogs coach Mark Fox has cooled his seat with an unlikely rise to third place in league standings this late in the season. Georgia is trying to move from spoiler to NCAA tourney contention, but it lost all six chances for a quality non-league win. Georgia owns the state of Mississippi, though, beating both Ole Miss and Mississippi State last week.
Hanging by a sliver to NCAA tourney at-large hopes, the Tigers took care of business against Arkansas and Tennessee. Too bad the Tigers can't play all games at Mizzou Arena. They are 96-6 at home since 2005-06, a .941 winning percentage. Junior guards Jabari Brown and Jordan Clarkson have scored in double figures in all 24 games, the most since former Tiger Doug Smith in 1990-91.
After six NCAA tourney appearances under former coach Bruce Pearl, Vols fans got used to March Madness. With a third-straight NIT trip staring the under-achieving Vols in the face under third-year coach Cuonzo Martin, it appears his coaching seat has become the league's hottest. Tennessee couldn't get it done for quality wins last week against Florida and Missouri. Junior forward Jarnell Stokes leads the SEC in rebounding (10.2) and double-doubles (14).
One thing you can count on when the Rebels play is Marshall Henderson shooting the basketball. The senior guard leads the league and is third in the nation in attempted three-pointers per game (4.45), but he's fourth in the SEC and 72nd nationally (37.1 percent) in making them. Losses last week to Alabama and Georgia put a huge dent in the Rebels' NCAA tourney hopes.
Want to know how close the Razorbacks are to a four-game winning streak? Try the final 2 minutes when visiting Missouri went on a 9-0 run to pull out a rare win at Bud Walton Arena. Former President Bill Clinton, along with Final Four coaches Eddie Sutton and Nolan Richardson, watched Saturday's win over LSU. The Hogs lead the SEC in assists (15.5) and assists-to-turnover ratio (1.35).
Road losses at Texas A&M and Arkansas put the Tigers in that growing class of SEC underachievers. Junior forward Johnny O'Bryant continues to be one of the league's more dominant inside players, though, becoming the 21st Tiger to reach 1,000 points and 500 rebounds for a career. He had a career-high 16 rebounds in the loss at Arkansas.
In Thursday's loss at South Carolina, freshman forward Luke Kornet got a twisted ankle and black eye on the same play. In Saturday's overtime win over Texas A&M, sophomore guard Carter Josephs, a walk-on, took an elbow to the eyebrow for a gash that took five stitches to close. Commodores coach Kevin Stallings continues to hold his breath with only seven scholarship players. In the win over Texas A&M, Vanderbilt's first lead came in overtime.
Marshall Henderson leads the SEC and is third in the nation in attempted three-pointers per game (4.45).
Coaching for the third time at Vanderbilt's Memorial Gym, where teams sit in the end zone instead of the sideline, Aggies coach Billy Kennedy declared, "Vanderbilt has the best home court advantage I've ever played against." Homegrown product Alex Caruso, a sophomore guard, leads the SEC in assists (4.6).
Before winning Wednesday at Auburn, Calipari said Auburn coach Tony Barbee was "coaching as well as anybody in this conference or in the country." The Tigers used a 16-4 run for a four-point lead midway through the second half, but were outmanned down the stretch. Senior guard Chris Denson leads the SEC in scoring (20.9). He had 30 points in the win over Mississippi State.
The Crimson Tide keep taking one step back after taking a step forward. An encouraging win over Ole Miss was followed by a disappointing loss at South Carolina. Senior guard Trevor Releford tried to help avoid the latter, scoring 25 of 27 points in the second half. He has scored in double digits in 26 straight games dating back to last season.
There has been an upheaval at the bottom of the SEC Power Rankings. Following wins over Vanderbilt and Alabama, the Gamecocks moved from the cellar for the first time this season. For the second time, guard Sindarius Thornwell was named SEC Freshman of the Week after averaging 20.5 points, five rebounds and five assists in the two wins.
Know what a seven-game losing streak will get you? A spot in the basement of the SEC Power Rankings for the Bulldogs, who opened SEC play with three wins in five games. In the loss to Auburn, they managed only one field goal the final 12 minutes of the first half.
