Here’s where the SEC stands before conference play

“Basketball, colloquially referred to as hoops,^[1] is a team sport in which two teams, most commonly of five players each, opposing one another on a rectangular court, compete with the primary objective of shooting a basketball (approximately 9.4 inches (24 cm) in diameter) through the defender’s hoop (a basket 18 inches (46 cm) in diameter mounted 10 feet (3.048 m) high to a backboard at each end of the court) while preventing the opposing team from shooting through their own hoop.”

— Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

The University of Mississippi (Ole Miss) Rebels compete in this sport within the confines of the Southeastern Conference, established in 1932 in Knoxville, Tennessee. In what is now a multi-million dollar league, the SEC is known for its imprint on the sport of American football but has also had spurts of success in basketball, especially from a team residing in Lexington, Kentucky. That team, the Kentucky Wildcats, sits at 1-6 on the year entering conference play, which is just the latest curveball thrown our way by 2020’s cold, clammy hands.

Even though the Cats have stumbled out of the gate, the SEC slate must go on! And go on it shall*. Ole Miss opens its conference slate on Tuesday against the Alabama Crimson Tide, but I thought it would be nice to look at how the entire conference is sitting heading into the SEC schedule. I’m going through this alphabetically because I’m a #writer, so if you’re just here to read bout the Rebs, you’ll have to scroll a little bit. This just serves as a brief glance at how each team is handling things entering SEC play.

* barring COVID-19 saying otherwise

Alabama Crimson Tide

Overall record: 5-3

Leading scorers: Jaden Shackelford (14 PPG), Herbert Jones (13.3 PPG)

Projected SEC finish: 5

Faces Ole Miss: Dec. 29

Arkansas Razorbacks

Overall record: 8-0

Leading scorers: Moses Moody (16.9 PPG), J.D. Notae (14.3 PPG)

Projected SEC finish: 6

Faces Ole Miss: Jan. 27

Auburn Tigers

Overall record: 6-2

Leading scorers: Justin Powell (13.9 PPG), Allen Flanigan (13.8 PPG)

Projected SEC finish: 7

Faces Ole Miss: Jan. 6, Feb. 6

Florida Gators

Overall record: 3-1

Leading scorers: Keyontae Johnson (16 PPG), Tre Mann (15.8 PPG)

Projected SEC finish: 4

Faces Ole Miss: Jan. 12

Georgia Bulldogs

Overall record: 7-0

Leading scorers: Toumani Camara (14.8 PPG), Sahvir Wheeler (13.7 PPG)

Projected SEC finish: 13

Faces Ole Miss: Jan. 16, Jan. 30

Kentucky Wildcats

Overall record: 1-6

Leading scorers: Brandon Boston Jr. (14 PPG), Terrence Clarke (10.7 PPG)

Projected SEC finish: 2

Faces Ole Miss: Mar. 2

LSU Tigers

Overall record: 5-1

Leading scorers: Cameron Thomas (22.8 PPG), Trendon Watford (19.4 PPG)

Projected SEC finish: 3

Faces Ole Miss: Feb. 17

Mississippi State Bulldogs

Overall record: 5-3

Leading scorers: D.J. Stewart Jr. (18.3 PPG), Iverson Molinar (17.6 PPG)

Projected SEC finish: 12

Faces Ole Miss: Jan. 19, Feb. 20

Missouri Tigers

Overall record: 6-0

Leading scorers:

Projected SEC finish: 10

Faces Ole Miss: Feb. 10, Feb. 23

Ole Miss Rebels

Overall record: 5-1

Leading scorers: Devontae Shuler (14.8 PPG), Romello White (11.5)

Projected SEC finish: 9

Faces Ole Miss: probably every day in practice

South Carolina Gamecocks

Overall record: 1-2

Leading scorers: Jermaine Couisnard (13.3 PPG), A.J. Lawson (11.3 PPG)

Projected SEC finish: 8

Faces Ole Miss: Jan. 9, Feb. 13

Tennessee Volunteers

Overall record: 6-0

Leading scorers: Victor Bailey Jr. (13.2 PPG), John Fulkerson (11.8 PPG)

Projected SEC finish: 1

Faces Ole Miss: Feb. 2

Texas A&M Aggies

Overall record: 5-1

Leading scorers: Emanuel Miller (18 PPG), Quenton Jackson (11.7 PPG)

Projected SEC finish: 11

Faces Ole Miss: Jan. 23

Vanderbilt Commodores

Overall record: 4-2

Leading scorers: Scotty Pippen Jr. (23.3 PPG), Dylan Disu (11 PPG)

Projected SEC finish: 14

Faces Ole Miss: Feb. 27