It’s October, which calls for the annual college basketball conference previews. Here is your SEC basketball conference preview.
2015-16 SEC Basketball Conference Preview
- Kentucky Wildcats
We got to witness an all-time great team last year at Kentucky, as the Wildcats only loss came in the Final Four to Wisconsin. They will not be as good this year, but they should still be one of the most talented teams in the country. Though losing seven major contributors will hurt, they will still return some production. Sophomore point guard Tyler Ulis (5.6 PPG, 3.6 APG) showed a ton of promise last year, and should start this year. Ulis is a smart player and will make his teammates’ job easier. Junior Marcus Lee (2.6 PPG, 2.7 RPG) has been in the shadows the past couple of years, but he is an athletic forward that can grab rebounds and block shots. Senior forward Alex Poythress was injured early last season, but he should be back and ready to lead the young team. The incoming class for Calapri includes five-star prospects Skal Labbisiere, Jamal Murray and Isaiah Briscoe. Murray and Briscoe can play either guard position, but Murray is the more natural two guard. Labbisiere, the top ranked center, should be a force right away. Four-star guard Charles Matthews and center Isaac Humphries will both add depth to an already deep Kentucky team. Look for the Wildcats to strive for another Final Four appearance.
- LSU Tigers
Louisiana State is in a weird transition right now. They lost forwards Jordan Mickey and Jarell Martin to the NBA, but coach Johnny Jones was able to reel in five-stars Ben Simmons and Antonio Blakeney to help with the blow of Mickey and Martin’s departure. Simmons’ best attribute may be his passing ability, making his a perfect point forward type of player. He was the No. 1 ranked overall player in the class of 2015, so he will have some pressure to perform well early. Helping him along will be junior guard Tim Quarterman (11.5 PPG, 5.2 RPG, 4.0 APG) and senior guard Keith Hornsby (13.4 PPG, 4.2 RPG). Both players bring a lot of experience and production back, plus have the benefit of being some of the first players Jones recruited. Four-star shooting guard Brandon Sampson will help add some depth to a team that could use more consistent guard play from the bench. That said, look for senior guard Josh Gray (7.1 PPG, 3.8 APG) to use his experience from last year to be a solid piece off the bench.
- Texas A&M Aggies
The Aggies managed to quietly have a nice season last year, especially when considering where they were just a few years before. They have a slew of veteran guards this year as well. Danuel House (14.8 PPG, 3.8 RPG), Jalen Jones (13.7 PPG, 6.8 RPG), and Alex Caruso (9.1 PPG, 5.5 APG) are all senior guards that will lead TAMU this season. House and Jones are long, versatile guards that play off of each other very well. The loss of Kourtney Robinson was a big one for the frontcourt, but senior Antwan Space (4.2 PPG, 2.9 RPG) and junior Davonte Fitzgerald (3.5 PPG) will help fill his void. Incoming freshmen will help Space and Fitzgerald, as head coach Billy Kennedy got four four-stars to commit to Texas A&M — all of which are from the state of Texas. Tyler Davis and Elijah Thomas are both big centers that should see early playing time. DJ Hogg, a forward, and Admon Gilder, a guard, are talented players, too, though there will be less inorganic playing time for Gilder. The blend of veterans and newbies should lead the Aggies to a NCAA Tournament berth.
- South Carolina Gamecocks
South Carolina does not have any superstar, standout players, but depth is a big key for them this year. The Tyrone Johnson loss hurts, but his production can be replaced. Junior guards Sindarius Thornwell (11.1 PPG, 4.9 RPG) and Duane Notice (11.7 PPG, 2.7 APG) are the Gamecocks’ most natural scorers, and should be able to match their production from last year. Three senior forwards — Mindaugas Kacinas (6.1 PPG, 5.1 RPG), Laimonas Chatkevicius (8.6 PPG, 5.2 RPG), and Michael Carrera (7.1 PPG, 5.7 RPG) — all have different skill sets that end up complimenting each other. Carrera is an above average athlete, and has the most experience out of the three. Junior Demetrius Henry (6.0 PPG) is another big man that head coach Frank Martin will rotate in. Five-star point guard P.J. Dozier is sure to be in the rotation, too. Dozier, a good all-around guard, should start for Martin. Four-star power forward Chris Silva could carve out some minutes as well. With their depth, the Gamecocks could be a surprise team in the SEC.
- Vanderbilt Commodores
Kevin Stallings’ team has a solid future, with the team’s young guys all coming back to keep improving on a 21-14 year last season. Junior center Damian Jones (14.5 PPG, 6.5 RPG) keeps getting better, as he led the team in points per game and rebounds per game last year. A couple of sophomore guards will look to claim their stake as the best player on the team, too. Riley LaChance (12.3 PPG, 3.1 RPG) and Wade Baldwin (9.3 PPG, 4.1 RPG, 4.4 APG) both have shown flashes of talent in their freshman year, and both will be improved as better all around players. Sophomores Matthew Fisher-Davis (7.2 PPG) and Jeff Roberson (3.1 RPG) are versatile forwards that will only improve as well. Shooting guard Camron Justice, and center Semir Sehic are both quality four-star recruits, but small forward Joseph Toye, a four-star, will be another big addition to the already young rotation that the Commodores present. Vanderbilt may keep going through growing pains this season, but the young guys will be ready to win this year.
- Florida Gators
Florida had a rare rebuilding year last season, as the Gators failed to win more games than they lost. Longtime coach Billy Donovan moved on to the NBA, so Michael White will have to help the program through another building year. The losses of Michael Frazier, Chris Walker, Jon Horford, and Eli Carter hurt. Talent does return, though. Dorian Finney-Smith (13.1 PPG, 6.2 RPG) is an experienced senior forward that can spread the floor, but also pull down rebounds. Point guard Kasey Hill (7.2 PPG, 4.5 APG) is entering his third year in Gainesville, and I fully expect him to take a leap forward this season. Sophomore guard Chris Chiozza (3.9 PPG, 2.2 APG) and forward Devin Robinson (6.4 PPG) both showed some promise in their freshman years, and should see a big boost to their minutes this year. Senior forward Alex Murphy (5.1 PPG) can provide some leadership as well. Four-star guard KeVaughn Allen should provide some scoring off the bench. Four-star forwards Kevarrius Harris and Keith Stone are both tall, lanky guys that can disrupt a ball game in many ways. It will be interesting to see how the Gators respond to a new coach, and new expectations.
- Tennessee Volunteers
Rick Barnes has some work to do in his first year as the new head coach of Tennessee. Barnes replaces Donnie Tyndall, who is in a mess with the NCAA after he reportedly committed violations at Southern Mississippi, which is where he was before coaching the Volunteers for just one season. The loss of Josh Richardson is a big one, but senior guards Armani Moore (10.3 PPG, 6.8 RPG) and Kevin Punter (10.3 PPG) should be able to keep the backcourt solid. Neither are as electrifying as Richardson — yet. Both do have the ability to score in multiple ways, though. Junior guard Robert Hubbs (7.2 PPG) will also have opportunities to shine this year as well. Sophomore forward Jabari McGhee (4.4 PPG, 3.8 RPG) showed promise last year, as did junior Dominic Woodson (3.5 PPG). Quality frontcourt play will be important for the Volunteers this year. Four-star point guard Lamonte Turner should see playing time this year under Barnes. Turner is a talented player, but the number of guards on the team may limit his minutes a bit, unless he is playing really well.
- Georgia Bulldogs
Georgia’s basketball program is in an interesting place right now. They do lose Nemanja Djurisic and Marcus Thornton, which are both big losses, but return some serious talent as well. Senior guards Kenny Gaines (11.7 PPG, 3.4 RPG) and Charles Mann (11.2 PPG, 3.6 APG) are both very good players, and they should be even better this year. Mann is a quality distributor, and Gaines is a good rebounding guard. Junior point guard J.J. Frazier (9.5 PPG, 3.3 APG) is another quality guard that Fox can use off the bench, or as a spark plug in the starting lineup. The same can be said for junior guard Juwan Parker (4.9 PPG, 3.7 RPG). Sophomore center Yante Maten (4.3 RPG) has some raw skills that he hopefully develop this year. Four-star center Derek Ogbeide will join Maten in the frontcourt. Coach Fox has some pieces to work with this season, so expect Georgia to be in every conference game this year.
- Mississippi State Bulldogs
Rick Ray did not have the most successful tenure at Mississippi State, as he was fired after just three years. In comes Ben Howland and one big time recruit. Five-star guard Malik Newman is a phenomenal talent, with a plethora of ways to score the ball. He will undoubtedly be given the ball on offense right away. Newman has NBA aspirations, so it will be interesting to see how he gels with guys like Craig Sword (11.3 PPG), a senior guard, and I.J. Ready (8.2 PPG, 2.4 APG), a junior guard. Both players played big minutes last year, but one will probably come off the bench unless Howland decides to go with a three-guard starting lineup. Senior guard Fred Thomas (9.1 PPG, 3.6 RPG) can play bigger than his 6-5 height would lead on, as can senior Travis Daniels (6.1 PPG, 3.9 RPG), although Daniels stands 6-8. Senior forward Gavin Ware (10.0 PPG, 7.1 RPG) will hold down the frontcourt, as he is the only returning big man with experience. Four-star big man Joseph Struggs should help with frontcourt duties as well.
- Auburn Tigers
Bruce Pearl’s team lost some important pieces from last year’s team, including K.T. Harrell, Antoine Mason and K.C. Ross-Miller. Pearl brings back a couple of senior forwards in Cinmeon Bowers (12.1 PPG, 9.6 RPG) and Jordon Granger (4.9 PPG, 3.4 RPG) that will lead the Tigers this season. Bowers is especially expected to have a big season again, as he was close to averaging a double double last year. He will have to show up every night if Auburn wants to truly compete. Tahj Shamsid-Deen (6.1 PPG) is a young, sophomore guard that could see a big boost in production if he can take advantage of opportunities. TJ Lang (2.4 PPG), another sophomore guard, has a good amount of size and athleticism. Horace Spencer and Danjel Purifoy are a couple of four-star forwards that can do a lot of the same things well, but can compliment each other as well. Expect both players to see court time in their freshman year. The Tigers are young, but Pearl is a quality head coach that has the team moving in the right direction.
- Ole Miss Rebels
Mississippi has one of the funnest players in the country to watch in senior guard Stefan Moody (16.6 PPG, 2.4 APG), and they will continue to ride his talent this year. Moody did not skip a beat last year, even with a year off beforehand with his transfer from Florida Atlantic. He will have to be the main cog in the offense again. The losses of Jarvis Summers, LaDarius White and M.J. Rhett will hurt the Rebels, especially early on. Sebastian Saiz (7.6 PPG, 5.5 RPG) is a junior forward that can keep improving, but he will also have to try and replace some of Rhett’s production. There is not a whole lot else coming back for Ole Miss, but they will hope three-star forward Donte Fitzpatrick can grow up quickly and help contribute. It is pretty obvious this team will rely on Stefan Moody, and he will have to play well every single night to give his team a chance.
- Arkansas Razorbacks
Mike Anderson’s squad lost a lot of veteran pieces from last year, and it is hard to see how the Razorbacks begin to replace them. Bobby Portis and Michael Qualls both left early for the NBA; Alandise Harris and Rashad Madden both graduated after solid careers. Guard Anthlon Bell (7.9 PPG) will be the senior leader this year for Anderson, although he will need to up his production up a bit. Anton Beard (5.7 PPG), a sophomore guard, will assist Bell in the backcourt, as the two will have to be consistently good every game for the Razorbacks. Sophomore center Moses Kingsley (2.5 RPG) has a lot of size and he could learn to use it to his advantage this year. Arkansas does add some young talent in four-star point guard Jimmy Whitt, a top 100 player according to ESPN. Whitt should find playing time right away. Arkansas is going to have to fight like hell for a top spot in the SEC.
- Missouri Tigers
Things were terrible at Missouri during Kim Anderson’s first year as the head coach. The Tigers suffered their first losing season since 2005, and the first time they failed to win at least 10 games since 1966. The good news is that the Tigers were extremely young; they only lose Keith Shamburger and Montaque Gill-Caesar from last year’s team. Back is junior forward Johnathan Williams III (11.9 PPG, 7.1 RPG), who is the Tigers’ most versatile player. He still has room to improve and should be a consistent force that Missouri was lacking last year. Junior guard Wes Clark (10.1 PPG, 3.1 APG) is in the same boat as Williams III, as he will need to be a big part of every game for the Tigers to have a legitimate chance to win. Sophomore guard Namon Wright (6.8 PPG) should start at the shooting guard spot next to Clark next year. The backcourt may be young, but they have some talent to build off of. Anderson did not reel in a four-star recruit this year, but three-star guard K.J. Walton has potential to be a good player for the Tigers in the future.
- Alabama Crimson Tide
New head coach Avery Johnson has been hard at work at Alabama, and he will need great deal of hard work from his players in his first season if the Crimson Tide want a successful year. Losing Levi Randolph and Rodney Cooper does not help the cause, as both were quality players during their time at Alabama. They also lost Ricky Tarrant, as he transferred to Memphis. Junior forward Shannon Hale (8.2 PPG, 3.2 RPG) will have to step up even more this season, scoring and rebounding. Sophomore guard-forward Riley Norris (4.7 PPG, 4.2 RPG) is a very versatile player and he could see a big leap in production this year as well. Junior forward Michael Kessens (5.9 PPG, 5.2 RPG) can grab rebounds by the plentiful, but he will have to score the ball a little bit this year, too. Four-star power forward Donta’ Hall is an athletic big man, and he could potentially carve out playing time under Johnson as well. Johnson will try his hardest for a bright season in Tuscaloosa as he builds for the future.
