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Only Two SEC Basketball Teams Crack This Week’s AP Top 25 Rankings

By Andrew Schutte

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As dominant as the SEC is in football, the conference certainly struggles collectively on the hardwood.

Despite the success its had on the gridiron, the Southeastern Conference is still playing catch-up with every other Power Five league on the hardwood.

The Kentucky Wildcats (7-1) currently carry the SEC banner for basketball, as they have multiple times in recent history. But the loss to unranked UCLA last Thursday drops the Wildcats to No. 5 in this week’s rankings — allowing a Big Ten power in Michigan State to claim the top spot.

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The Vanderbilt Commodores (6-2) are the only other ranked team in conference at No. 21; those two close losses to second-ranked Kansas and No. 16 Baylor just prove that Vandy can contend with any of the top teams in the country.

But what about the rest of the SEC?

Only three teams on the outside of the Top 25 received votes to be nationally ranked (Texas A&M, South Carolina, Florida) while everyone else currently posts a combined record of 37-24.

With the ACC (five), Big Ten (three), Big XII (five) and Pac-12 (three) all claiming more ranked teams, the SEC is technically the “worst” Power Five conference through the first quarter of the 2015-16 season.

Here’s a look at this week’s AP Top 25 rankings:

Michigan State

Kansas

North Carolina

Iowa State

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  • Kentucky

    • Maryland

    Oklahoma

    Duke

    Villanova

    Virginia

    Purdue

    Xavier

    Arizona

    West Virginia

    Providence

    Baylor

    Miami (FL)

    Butler

    SMU

    Gonzaga

  • Vanderbilt

    • Louisville

    Cincinnati

    Oregon

    Utah

    Others receiving votes: Connecticut (82), Syracuse (78), Texas A&M (69), George Washington (60), UNLV (40), UCLA (19), South Carolina (15), Dayton (7), Arkansas-Little Rock (5), Georgetown (4), Florida (4), Pittsburgh (3), Iowa (3), Northwestern (2), Indiana (2), Notre Dame (1), Navy (1).

    Dropped from rankings: Syracuse (14), Texas A&M (18).

    At this rate, the SEC may be the least represented Power Five conference when the NCAA tournament rolls around.

    There’s still a ton of talent south of the Mason-Dixon line, but this conference has a ways to go before it can be considered a top-tier basketball league.

    Continued success from the Aggies, Gamecocks and Gators could keep the SEC relevant and competitive for the remainder of the season.

    Next: CFP: Alabama-Michigan State the Game to Watch

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