2010-2011 SEC Basketball Preview, Predictions Picks & Odds | Sportsbookbuzz.com

2010-2011 SEC Basketball Preview, Predictions Picks & Odds

As one of the best teams in the country last season, the Kentucky Wildcats were clearly a step above the rest in the SEC with a 14-2 conference record and a 35-3 overall slate. Remarkably, five of Kentucky’s players (including their top four leading scorers) from last season were taken in the first round of the NBA draft. Coach John Calipari will break in a new batch of elite talent this season.

The Vanderbilt Commodores finished last season with the second-best record in conference play (12-4). Getting back to the 12-win mark in the conference may be difficult, with both of Vanderbilt’s two leading scorers from last season departing.

After finishing last season in third place in SEC play (11-5), the Tennessee Volunteers played their way into the Elite Eight. Junior guard Scotty Hopkins will lead a talented young team that lost some key players this offseason.

Three teams finished tied in fourth place in the SEC with 9-7 records in conference play: the Florida Gators, Mississippi Rebels and Mississippi State Bulldogs. Florida welcomes back all five starters from last season and should be a force in the SEC. Ole Miss returns Chris Warren, who finished third in the conference in PPG last season. Mississippi State loses a key piece in forward Jarvis Veranda, but they still have plenty of talent to build around.

The Arkansas Razorbacks finished seventh in the SEC with a conference record of 7-9. They return the dynamic duo of Rotnei Clarke and Marshawn Powell, who both averaged 14+ PPG last season.

Finishing tied for eighth place in the conference last season at 6-10 were the South Carolina Gamecocks, Alabama Crimson Tide and Auburn Tigers. South Carolina will have their work cut out for them trying to improve on last season, with the departure of Devan Downey, who was the SEC’s leading scorer by a substantial margin in 2009. Alabama will continue to playa stingy brand of defense but will need to find more offense this season, especially without last season’s leading scorer, Mikhail Torrance. Auburn looks to be headed for a full rebuild after losing their top three scorers from last season.

The Georgia Bulldogs (5-11) in conference play last season) are optimistic they can improve with their two exciting leading scorers from last season returning. The LSU Tigers (2-14 conference) appear to have more tough times ahead in 2000.