SEC Hoops Power Rankings... Me v9.0

Each week, our own HHKB Chris has done a great job of setting up and compiling the SEC Basketball Power Rankings. Each week, I participate with my own take. I thought it would be a good idea to show you my ballot each week so you can see what I'm thinking when I submit my picks. I have yet to look at the previous week's rankings when considering where to slot the teams, instead I look at the record to date, wins, losses, KenPom, RPI and BPI.

By Sam Snelling@SamTSnelling Feb 20, 2015, 10:00am CST

As #TheDarkWinter continues for Mizzou fans, more and more SEC basketball teams are playing something that closely resembles basketball this season. For the last few years people have taken pot shots at the quality of basketball being played in the SEC but this season the league has started their comeback. And the most interesting part is that we can thank some non-traditional names on the basketball landscape. I think most people thought LSU and Arkansas were keys to bringing respectability back to the league, but I doubt anyone had Ole Miss or Texas A&M pegged as near locks for the NCAA tournament at this stage of the game.

And that's where we are. Some of the better traditional teams aren't living up to their billing this year, while other schools have taken advantage of the gap and stepped in. Sure nobody has beaten Kentucky to this point, but with Arkansas, Ole Miss, Texas A&M, Georgia and LSU (and we even had to leave out Florida; who will be back before too long) all in contention for NCAA tourney spots the future is looking a lot better for the league than it has in years.

Listed is the rank, team and record, with their KenPom ranking and rating, their RPI ranking and score, and their BPI rank and score. Followed by me being quippy.

1. Kentucky 26-0 (12-0)

	KenPom	RPI	BPI
Rank	1	2	1
Score	.9804	.6857	95.1

We'll see what they're really made up with a home game vs Auburn and a trip to Starkville coming up.

2. Arkansas 21-5 (10-3)

	KenPom	RPI	BPI
Rank	29	22	21
Score	.8467	.6120	80.4

Things are rolling for the Hogs now but that UK game looms large, and don't overlook Texas A&M coming into Fayetteville.

3. Ole Miss 18-8 (9-4)

	KenPom	RPI	BPI
Rank	30	37	30
Score	.8414	.5860	77.5

Tough hard fought win over a rival on their court, Ole Miss has solidified their spot in the top of the SEC.

4. Texas A&M 18-7 (9-4)

	KenPom	RPI	BPI
Rank	49	40	36
Score	.7900	.5836	75.6

Upcoming game against Arkansas will tell us a lot about this team. They can be dangerous in the NCAAs if House and Jones are making shots.

5. LSU 18-8 (7-6)

	KenPom	RPI	BPI
Rank	35	51	41
Score	.8275	.5745	74.8

They've lost to Kentucky, Texas A&M twice, Auburn, Mississippi State and Mizzou. Okay Mr. Hyde, that's enough.

6. Georgia 16-9 (7-6)

	KenPom	RPI	BPI
Rank	41	41	29
Score	.8066	.5821	77.5

Ugly week after a huge win at A&M. They're in a danger zone right now with road games at Alabama (who also needs a win) and Ole Miss coming up.

7. Florida 13-13 (6-7)

	KenPom	RPI	BPI
Rank	34	76	33
Score	.8284	.5572	77.0

If Florida ever figures out how to score they'd be pretty good. But they haven't score more than 62 points in a month.

8. Alabama 16-10 (6-7)

	KenPom	RPI	BPI
Rank	52	68	59
Score	.7837	.5623	70.7

Three winnable games coming up on the schedule could GREATLY improve Anthony Grants job status, maybe to the chagrin of Tide Hoops fans everywhere, if they exist.

9. Tennessee 14-11 (6-7)

	KenPom	RPI	BPI
Rank	101	79	84
Score	.6485	.5517	66.3

Tough 1-2 punch playing LSU and Kentucky back-to-back, and it doesn't get easier heading to Ole Miss to take on the hot Rebels.

10. South Carolina 13-12 (4-9)

	KenPom	RPI	BPI
Rank	57	89	67
Score	.7748	.5462	68.9

A huge win at Georgia, maybe that is a turning point for SC to get off the mat a bit and get things back on the upward swing.

11. Mississippi State 12-14 (5-8)

	KenPom	RPI	BPI
Rank	163	172	138
Score	.4913	.4984	56.9

Tough loss at home to the in-state rival, but I get the feeling that Rick Ray has this thing trending up for the first time in a long time. They fight, play hard, and stick together. I think he deserves another year.

12. Vanderbilt 14-12 (4-9)

	KenPom	RPI	BPI
Rank	50	110	44
Score	.7893	.5332	73.5

They are in every game but the youth finds a way to bite them night after night.

13. Auburn 12-14 (4-9)

	KenPom	RPI	BPI
Rank	145	143	141
Score	.5474	.5143	56.4

Who didn't beat Georgia last week?

14. Missouri 7-19 (1-12)

	KenPom	RPI	BPI
Rank	202	185	171
Score	.4950	.4911	50.5

They're still playing hard, just not playing very well.

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KenPom, because it's awesome and the best:

I try to measure skills based on the opportunities for those skills to be observed. On the team level, this often means ratings the offense (and defense) on points scored (and allowed) per possession. That is the basis for the ratings system. If you're looking for info on what the columns mean on the ratings mean, please continue. If you don't like the ratings, wonder why I have your team too low, or wonder why the ratings don't look like the AP top 25, go here. (For information on preseason ratings, see this and this and this.)

RPI, the NCAA selection committee uses this:

The RPI (Rating Percentage Index) is a measure of strength of schedule and how a team does against that schedule. Created in 1981, the RPI is a tool used in selecting and seeding the 68 teams for the NCAA Men's basketball Division I tournament. RPI data includes games against Division I schools only.

BPI, Joe Lunardi uses this:

The Basketball Power Index (BPI) is a team rating system that accounts for the final score, pace of play, site, strength of opponent and absence of key players in every Division I men's game. BPI can be used to measure both how well a team has performed (going far beyond just wins and losses) and how powerful it is likely to be going forward.