bleedingTNorange
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As part of our summer preview series, ESPN Insider experts have been doing Power Rankings for the "big six" conferences and the best non-"big six" teams for the upcoming season.
The series concludes today with the SEC.
1. Missouri Tigers
The Tigers and their band of transfers will need to count on the tiny but veteran backcourt of Phil Pressey and Michael Dixon this season. Pressey should start the season as the best point guard in the SEC, so his return is huge for Mizzou.
Alex Oriakhi should be far better outside of the toxic environment of last season's Connecticut Huskies club, and he also provides championship experience. If Jabari Brown and Keion Bell have refined their games enough, and the rabid Missouri fan base shows up consistently, the Tigers will be close to unbeatable at home.
Talented, deep and very experienced with Pressey, Dixon, Oriakhi and Laurence Bowers, Missouri is my early pick to win the league.
2. Kentucky Wildcats
Last season's group was magical and found ways to win games that lesser teams would have lost on the road. Repeating that success will be difficult -- but not impossible -- in 2012-13.
Ryan Harrow is a talented guard, but he was not a true point during his freshman year at NC State, which is why he spent a lot of time working on his game last season while he was sitting out. The Wildcats' starting lineup of Harrow, Archie Goodwin, Alex Poythress, Kyle Wiltjer and Nerlens Noel is impressive and features the best talent of any five-man unit in the league (maybe the entire country), but does that mean Kentucky will be as good a team as last season's edition? We shall see.
3. Tennessee Volunteers
Trae Golden, Jarnell Stokes, Jordan McRae and Jeronne Maymon are all back for a Tennessee team that seemed to figure out its identity last January.
The Vols' ability to close out games on the road, and Stokes' ability to finish over length, is going to determine their championship viability.
4. Florida Gators
With Erving Walker and Bradley Beal gone, Scottie Wilbekin, Will Yeguete and Mike Rosario will try to fill in for their experience (Walker) and talent (Beal).
Inside, Patric Young and Erik Murphy give UF a powerful rebounder/dunker and stretch 4-man, respectively, but is Florida elite at any one spot? Not really. The Gators will dance, but they will not be league championship worthy.
5. Alabama Crimson Tide
A good mix of young players who have bought into Anthony Grant's plan, the Tide will defend and maintain possession well despite playing more extended defense.
Trevor Releford and Trevor Lacey need to lead this team to take better 3-pointers -- and make more of them -- to open up the lane for drives. Still, defense and athleticism will be the keys for this team.
6. Arkansas Razorbacks
BJ Young and the return of Marshawn Powell from injury will be crucial for the Razorbacks this season. Powell led Arkansas in points per game (19.5) and rebounds per game (6.0) in what was a disappointing season, as the Hogs finished 6-10 in conference play.
Mike Anderson's team should be slightly improved from last season.
7. Ole Miss Rebels
Andy Kennedy has a decent team this season, and the Rebels' chemistry should be better without Jelan Kendrick on the roster. Murphy Holloway is an undersized big who carried the team last season, and Reggie Buckner is the Rebs' all-time blocked shots leader.
With their bigs being solid seniors and Jarvis Summers back at the point, the wings and bench are the biggest question marks. Marshall Henderson (Utah transfer) and Ladarius White will battle for minutes at the 2, and Anthony Cortesia, a 6-foot-10 frosh who is a shooter, will battle with Nick Williams for minutes at the 3 spot.
8. Texas A&M Aggies
It was a rocky first year for the Aggies' coaching staff with injuries and a health issue for Billy Kennedy. Year 2 brings Texas A&M closer to the six consecutive years of NCAA tournaments it had seen under the previous staff.
Elston Turner will put up numbers, Kourtney Roberson is back from injury, and J-Mychal Reese and Alex Caruso should play immediately in the backcourt and help a great deal.
9. Georgia Bulldogs
Kentavious Caldwell-Pope was good last season, but now that Georgia seems to have a better roster, the sophomore guard should have a big second year.
Expect freshman Kenny Gaines to play a big role for the Bulldogs this season.
10. Auburn Tigers
Jordan Price and Shaquille Johnson are the two big gets for the Tigers, who suffered through point-shaving allegations last season.
Frankie Sullivan, Noel Johnson and Rob Chubb should be solid this season, as Auburn looks to play in one of the two postseason tournaments.
11. Vanderbilt Commodores
Last year was a mixed bag of success late in the season, but Vanderbilt did have three players drafted and lost six major contributors total.
Kedren Johnson showed flashes of brilliance, and Dai-Jon Parker seems to bring an elite level of athleticism to the guard spot opposite Johnson. Sheldon Jeter is a very well regarded small forward, and Kevin Stallings is better with teams with low expectations rather than high ones.
12. LSU Tigers
Johnny Jones inherited a below-average group of players. Andre Stringer shot a poor percentage, but he can score when he gets hot. Losing Justin Hamilton hurt the Tigers inside, though Johnny O'Bryant III and juco/Iowa State transfer Calvin Godfrey should help.
Jones will do a better job of bringing back the Dale Brown era followers to the Maravich Center, now all he needs is some of the elite Louisiana talent.
13. South Carolina Gamecocks
Frank Martin doesn't have a lot to work with. Laimonas Chatkevicius is a skilled big man whom Martin was after at K-State.
Bruce Ellington returns after football as well, but the Gamecocks will struggle to score. R.J. Slawson is a versatile athlete in the Jamar Samuels type of mold.
14. Mississippi State Bulldogs
The Bulldogs just lost likely starting point guard Jacoby Davis to a torn ACL, Rodney Hood is sitting out at Duke and Dee Bost, Arnett Moultrie and Renardo Sidney are all gone too.
This will be much like Utah/USC from last season, just a horrible first-year roster for Rick Ray.
The series concludes today with the SEC.
1. Missouri Tigers
The Tigers and their band of transfers will need to count on the tiny but veteran backcourt of Phil Pressey and Michael Dixon this season. Pressey should start the season as the best point guard in the SEC, so his return is huge for Mizzou.
Alex Oriakhi should be far better outside of the toxic environment of last season's Connecticut Huskies club, and he also provides championship experience. If Jabari Brown and Keion Bell have refined their games enough, and the rabid Missouri fan base shows up consistently, the Tigers will be close to unbeatable at home.
Talented, deep and very experienced with Pressey, Dixon, Oriakhi and Laurence Bowers, Missouri is my early pick to win the league.
2. Kentucky Wildcats
Last season's group was magical and found ways to win games that lesser teams would have lost on the road. Repeating that success will be difficult -- but not impossible -- in 2012-13.
Ryan Harrow is a talented guard, but he was not a true point during his freshman year at NC State, which is why he spent a lot of time working on his game last season while he was sitting out. The Wildcats' starting lineup of Harrow, Archie Goodwin, Alex Poythress, Kyle Wiltjer and Nerlens Noel is impressive and features the best talent of any five-man unit in the league (maybe the entire country), but does that mean Kentucky will be as good a team as last season's edition? We shall see.
3. Tennessee Volunteers
Trae Golden, Jarnell Stokes, Jordan McRae and Jeronne Maymon are all back for a Tennessee team that seemed to figure out its identity last January.
The Vols' ability to close out games on the road, and Stokes' ability to finish over length, is going to determine their championship viability.
4. Florida Gators
With Erving Walker and Bradley Beal gone, Scottie Wilbekin, Will Yeguete and Mike Rosario will try to fill in for their experience (Walker) and talent (Beal).
Inside, Patric Young and Erik Murphy give UF a powerful rebounder/dunker and stretch 4-man, respectively, but is Florida elite at any one spot? Not really. The Gators will dance, but they will not be league championship worthy.
5. Alabama Crimson Tide
A good mix of young players who have bought into Anthony Grant's plan, the Tide will defend and maintain possession well despite playing more extended defense.
Trevor Releford and Trevor Lacey need to lead this team to take better 3-pointers -- and make more of them -- to open up the lane for drives. Still, defense and athleticism will be the keys for this team.
6. Arkansas Razorbacks
BJ Young and the return of Marshawn Powell from injury will be crucial for the Razorbacks this season. Powell led Arkansas in points per game (19.5) and rebounds per game (6.0) in what was a disappointing season, as the Hogs finished 6-10 in conference play.
Mike Anderson's team should be slightly improved from last season.
7. Ole Miss Rebels
Andy Kennedy has a decent team this season, and the Rebels' chemistry should be better without Jelan Kendrick on the roster. Murphy Holloway is an undersized big who carried the team last season, and Reggie Buckner is the Rebs' all-time blocked shots leader.
With their bigs being solid seniors and Jarvis Summers back at the point, the wings and bench are the biggest question marks. Marshall Henderson (Utah transfer) and Ladarius White will battle for minutes at the 2, and Anthony Cortesia, a 6-foot-10 frosh who is a shooter, will battle with Nick Williams for minutes at the 3 spot.
8. Texas A&M Aggies
It was a rocky first year for the Aggies' coaching staff with injuries and a health issue for Billy Kennedy. Year 2 brings Texas A&M closer to the six consecutive years of NCAA tournaments it had seen under the previous staff.
Elston Turner will put up numbers, Kourtney Roberson is back from injury, and J-Mychal Reese and Alex Caruso should play immediately in the backcourt and help a great deal.
9. Georgia Bulldogs
Kentavious Caldwell-Pope was good last season, but now that Georgia seems to have a better roster, the sophomore guard should have a big second year.
Expect freshman Kenny Gaines to play a big role for the Bulldogs this season.
10. Auburn Tigers
Jordan Price and Shaquille Johnson are the two big gets for the Tigers, who suffered through point-shaving allegations last season.
Frankie Sullivan, Noel Johnson and Rob Chubb should be solid this season, as Auburn looks to play in one of the two postseason tournaments.
11. Vanderbilt Commodores
Last year was a mixed bag of success late in the season, but Vanderbilt did have three players drafted and lost six major contributors total.
Kedren Johnson showed flashes of brilliance, and Dai-Jon Parker seems to bring an elite level of athleticism to the guard spot opposite Johnson. Sheldon Jeter is a very well regarded small forward, and Kevin Stallings is better with teams with low expectations rather than high ones.
12. LSU Tigers
Johnny Jones inherited a below-average group of players. Andre Stringer shot a poor percentage, but he can score when he gets hot. Losing Justin Hamilton hurt the Tigers inside, though Johnny O'Bryant III and juco/Iowa State transfer Calvin Godfrey should help.
Jones will do a better job of bringing back the Dale Brown era followers to the Maravich Center, now all he needs is some of the elite Louisiana talent.
13. South Carolina Gamecocks
Frank Martin doesn't have a lot to work with. Laimonas Chatkevicius is a skilled big man whom Martin was after at K-State.
Bruce Ellington returns after football as well, but the Gamecocks will struggle to score. R.J. Slawson is a versatile athlete in the Jamar Samuels type of mold.
14. Mississippi State Bulldogs
The Bulldogs just lost likely starting point guard Jacoby Davis to a torn ACL, Rodney Hood is sitting out at Duke and Dee Bost, Arnett Moultrie and Renardo Sidney are all gone too.
This will be much like Utah/USC from last season, just a horrible first-year roster for Rick Ray.
