SEC Basketball Rankings: Mississippi State Holding Firm in the Loaded Conference

The SEC continues to be a bear in every single game. All 16 teams have the potential to beat everyone else on any given night, but now it's about focus.

We're still a whole month away from March, but this is where seeds and seasons could be made or broken, Blink, and there's a real chance at a big losing streak in this league.

Where does Mississippi State fall in the best conference in college basketball?

16. South Carolina (10-10, 0-7)

On a massive losing streak, it might seem like the Gamecocks are crashing, but they can't catch any sort of a break. It might sound weak to call South Carolina the best worst team in the country, but it absolutely is.

Last Week SEC Rank: 16
Current Streak: Lost 7 straight
KenPom ranking: 78
NET ranking: 90
NCAA Tournament Projection: Out
Next up: at Georgia, Jan. 28

15. Arkansas (12-8, 1-6)

The Hogs just can't get anything moving. Scoring has been as massive problem, but even on this losing streak almost everything has been close. There's a BIG problem with road games against Kentucky and Texas up next.

Last Week SEC Rank: 13
Current Streak: Lost 7 of 8
KenPom ranking: 56
NET ranking: 57
NCAA Tournament Projection: Out
Next up: at Kentucky, Feb. 1

14. LSU (12-7, 1-5)

The Tigers can't beat any of the great teams - the lone SEC win came against Arkansas - and things aren't about to get better with Auburn up next. However, three of the next four games are at home.

Last Week SEC Rank: 15
Current Streak: Lost 2 straight
KenPom ranking: 68
NET ranking: 67
NCAA Tournament Projection: Out
Next up: Auburn, Jan. 29

13. Oklahoma (15-4, 2-4)

The Sooners got two of the SEC's easiest games against South Carolina and Arkansas to potentially right the ship, but they have come up with some big wins fast. Going to Texas A&M is dangerous, and all of a sudden, the home game against Vanderbilt isn't a given.

Last Week SEC Rank: 12
Current Streak: Won 2 straight
KenPom ranking: 43
NET ranking: 47
NCAA Tournament Projection: Bubble, but in
Next up: Texas A&M, Jan. 28

12. Georgia (14-6, 2-5)

All of a sudden the wheels have come off. Just when it seemed like the Dawgs would be players, they hit a losing skid against a BRUTAL run. Losing at Tennessee and Florida and to Auburn is fine, but the loss to Arkansas was a killer.

Last Week SEC Rank: 9
Current Streak: Lost 4 straight
KenPom ranking: 35
NET ranking: 35
NCAA Tournament Projection: 10 seed
Next up: South Carolina, Jan. 28

11. Vanderbilt (16-4, 4-3)

The Commodores get a LONG break after the wonderful breakthrough win over Kentucky. Winners of three of their last four - including the stunner over Tennessee - they're back in the mix for the NCAA Tournament.

Last Week SEC Rank: 14
Current Streak: Won 3 of the last 4
KenPom ranking: 44
NET ranking: 37
NCAA Tournament Projection: Bubble, but in
Next up: at Oklahoma, Feb. 1

10. Ole Miss (15-5, 4-3)

It's been a rough stretch after coming up with a brilliant win over Alabama. Losing at Mississippi State and Missouri, along with a home game against Texas A&M is forgivable, but that's not the nastiest part of the slate. The next three games at home are everything.

Last Week SEC Rank: 7
Current Streak: Lost 3 straight
KenPom ranking: 20
NET ranking: 22
NCAA Tournament Projection: 6 seed
Next up: Texas, Jan. 29

showed up and showed out @TheCorralUT 💪🤘#HookEm pic.twitter.com/HiUIYhQhNJ
— Texas Men’s Basketball (@TexasMBB) January 27, 2025

9. Texas (14-6, 3-4)

The wins over Missouri and Texas A&M saved the season - the epic comeback against the Aggies was definitely a moment. Three of the next four games are on the road, but the Longhorns have one of the league's easiest February schedules.

Last Week SEC Rank: 11
Current Streak: Won 2 straight
KenPom ranking: 39
NET ranking: 32
NCAA Tournament Projection: Bubble, but in
Next up: at Ole Miss, Jan. 29

8. Missouri (16-4, 5-2)

Very, very quietly, Missouri continues to crank up the wins with a nice SEC streak to get comfortable in the NCAA mix. However, now it's on over the next week with road games at Mississippi State and Tennessee next.

Last Week SEC Rank: 10
Current Streak: Won 5 of last 6
KenPom ranking: 29
NET ranking: 24
NCAA Tournament Projection: 7 seed
Next up: at Mississippi State, Feb. 1

7. Texas A&M (15-5. 4-3)

Let's not get too crazy here about the collapse against Texas. The early season big wins might have added up, but there need to be a few bigger wins coming up - and they'll be there with a sort part of the slate and five of the next eight at home.

Last Week SEC Rank: 8
Current Streak: Lost 3 of last 5
KenPom ranking: 16
NET ranking: 12
NCAA Tournament Projection: 4 seed
Next up: Oklahoma, Jan. 28

Wednesday night. BLACK OUT THE HUMP.

🎟️ » https://t.co/zSdZSxgl5g #HailState🐶 x @nolimitc4m pic.twitter.com/s7hEjDa4g1
— Mississippi State Men's Basketball (@HailStateMBK) January 27, 2025

6. Mississippi State (16-4, 4-3)

This is when the Bulldogs have to kick it in. They've been fine, but the last two wins went to overtime to go along with a rough loss to Tennessee. Three of the next four games are at home, and they're all tough - Alabama, Missouri, Florida. If they want to be true players on a national scale, this is when they go on a run.

Last Week SEC Rank: 6
Current Streak: Won 2 of last 3
KenPom ranking: 23
NET ranking: 21
NCAA Tournament Projection: 5 seed
Next up: Alabama, Jan. 29

5. Kentucky (14-5, 3-3)

The wildly inconsistent team is holding to form. It's good enough to beat anyone, but it's coming off very, very different losses to Alabama and Vanderbilt. Arkansas, at Ole Miss, South Carolina - this is when it has to crank up before the showdown against Tennessee.

Last Week SEC Rank: 5
Current Streak: Lost 2 straight
KenPom ranking: 22
NET ranking: 14
NCAA Tournament Projection: 3 seed
Next up: at Tennessee, Jan. 28

4. Tennessee (17-3, 4-3)

This is SO going to be a shockingly early exit team in the NCAAs. It has the style to hang with anyone, and let everyone else stay in games. Now it has to reestablish its dominance with home games against Kentucky, Florida, and Missouri up next.

Last Week SEC Rank: 4
Current Streak: Lost 2 of last 3
KenPom ranking: 6
NET ranking: 4
NCAA Tournament Projection: 2 seed
Next up: Kentucky, Jan. 28

3. Alabama (17-3, 6-1)

Winning at Kentucky was great, and blowing up on Vanderbilt now looks like a big deal. Three of the next four games are on the road, but with this offense is should stay red hot and pile up the wins in February.

Last Week SEC Rank: 3
Current Streak: Won 3 straight
KenPom ranking: 9
NET ranking: 7
NCAA Tournament Projection: 2 seed
Next up: at Mississippi State, Jan. 29

2. Florida (18-2, 5-2)

The Gators did what they were supposed to with wins over South Carolina, and Georgia to throw onto the pile. Now it's ON with at Tennessee, Vanderbilt, at Auburn, at Mississippi State. Get through this stretch unscathed, and the Gators will be No. 1 in the country.

Last Week SEC Rank: 2
Current Streak: Won 2 straight
KenPom ranking: 5
NET ranking: 5
NCAA Tournament Projection: 2 seed
Next up: at Tennessee, Feb. 1

1. Auburn (18-1, 6-0)

It's been a little shaky, but winning is winning. The Tigers are getting through the midsection of the schedule by finding ways to win, and now they have to keep their focus with winnable road games at LSU and Ole Miss up next.

Last Week SEC Rank: 1
Current Streak: Won 11 straight
KenPom ranking: 2
NET ranking: 1
NCAA Tournament Projection: 1 seed
Next up: at LSU, Jan. 29