With SEC football having a success, despite the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, it’s finally time for another great college sport to enter the fray with a delayed start.
Better late than never.
Wednesday’s men’s basketball tips in what is sure to be an unconventional 2020-2021 season, but no less exciting. Although we will not see SEC teams stand up to each other until the end of December, there is still a good month of action outside the conference to keep fans’ appetites in check.
This year, Alabama is stopping right there with the big boys at the conference. After finishing last season 16-15 overall and 8-10 in the SEC, Crimson Tide put together an impressive hiring class to rebuild.
Alabama loses point guard Kira Lewis Jr. to the NBA, but returns four important stars from last season: John Petty Jr., Jaden Shackelford, Herbert Jones and Alex Reese. Combine the four returnees with guard Jahvon Quinerly, who did not qualify last season due to resignation problems with the NCAA, and additions like Joshua Primo, Keon Ambrose-Hylton and Darius Miles, and the Crimson Tide is set to turn a few heads this season.
Striker Alex Tchikou was also an excellent signing for coach Nate Oats, but will be out of action this season due to an Achilles tendon injury that required surgery. Fortunately, Yale undergrad transfer striker Jordan Bruner has impressed Oats and his team in practice, so it looks like Alabama will be fine this season.
All in all, it looks like a solid year for Crimson Tide. Expectations are high for Oats and his team entering the season, with fans and media predicting a return to the NCAA tournament this year. Only time will tell if they can live up to the hype.
Here are the pre-season SEC men’s basketball ratings. These will be updated every week during the season.
SEC Men’s Basketball Ratings: Pre-Season
1. Kentucky
2. Tennessee
3. Florida
4. LSU
5. Alabama
6. South Carolina
7. Missouri
8. Arkansas
9. Auburn
10. Texas A&M
11. Ole Miss
12. Georgia
13. State of Mississippi
14. Vanderbilt
Follow Bama Central every week during the season to get updated ratings.