SEC Basketball: Alabama on top in final 2022-23 power rankings

[caption id="attachment_29772" align="alignnone" width="3200"] Georgia Bulldogs guard Justin Hill (Photo by Carly Mackler/Getty Images)[/caption]rnrnThe 2023 SEC Tournament has now officially come to a close, meaning that the focus for a total of eight teams across the conference who are going dancing now shifts toward the upcoming NCAA Tournament. However, before we fully begin previewing those teams' matchups in the Big Dance, let's update our 2022-23 SEC basketball power rankings for the final time this season, which has the SEC regular season and tournament champions cemented atop the list.rn Alabama on top in final 2022-23 SEC Basketball power rankings rn 14. Georgia Bulldogs rn Previous Ranking: 12 rnWe begin here at the No. 14 spot with Georgia, as the Bulldogs drop two spots in our final update after an early exit from last week's SEC Basketball Tournament, falling to LSU by a final score of 72-67 in the first round. The Bulldogs simply struggled toward the end of the 2022-23 season by losing each of their last six games, and conclude the first season of the Mike White era in Athens with a 16-16 overall record.rn 13. South Carolina Gamecocks rn Previous Ranking: 11 rnSouth Carolina also drops two spots in our final update to No. 13, as the Gamecocks also fell in the first round of the SEC Tournament to Ole Miss, 67-61. The Gamecocks, who lost four of their last five games to end the year, conclude the first season under head coach Lamont Paris with an 11-21 overall record, which was South Carolina's highest loss total since the 2011-12 season.rnrn[nextslide teaser="No.%2012%20-%2011" /]rnrn rnrn[caption id="attachment_29593" align="alignnone" width="3200"] Ole Miss Rebels guard Myles Burns (Photo by Carly Mackler/Getty Images)[/caption]rn 12. LSU Tigers rn Previous Ranking: 14 rnThe first team to rise in our final SEC basketball power rankings of the 2022-23 season is LSU, as the Tigers jumped two spots to No. 12 after making a second round appearance this past week in Nashville. The Tigers would defeat Georgia, 72-67, in the first round before eventually falling to Vanderbilt in the second round, 77-68, concluding the first season in Baton Rouge under head coach Matt McMahon with a 14-19 overall record.rn 11. Ole Miss Rebels rn Previous Ranking: 13 rnAlso rising two spots up to No. 11 to conclude the year is Ole Miss, as the Rebels also made an appearance in the second round of the 2023 SEC Tournament this past week. The Rebels began the week originally with a 67-61 win over South Carolina in the first round, but would fall to Tennessee by a final score of 70-55 in the second round to conclude the 2022-23 season with a 12-21 overall record.rnrn[nextslide teaser="No.%2010%20-%209" /]rnrn rnrn[caption id="attachment_29693" align="alignnone" width="3200"] Mississippi State Bulldogs forward Tolu Smith (Photo by Andy Lyons/Getty Images)[/caption]rn 10. Florida Gators rn Previous Ranking: 10 rnRemaining in the No. 10 spot to conclude the year is Florida, as the Gators showing in Nashville would last only one game. That is because the Gators would fall to Mississippi State in the second round of the SEC Tournament in overtime, 69-68.rnrnNow sitting at 16-16 overall, Florida will be playing in the 2023 NIT as a No. 4 seed, facing UCF in the first round.rn 9. Mississippi State Bulldogs rn Previous Ranking: 9 rnMississippi State also remains in the No. 9 spot this week, with the Bulldogs' time in Nashville originally beginning with the aforementioned 69-68 second round overtime win over Florida. The Bulldogs run in the SEC Tournament would however come to a close in the quarterfinals against Alabama, falling to the Crimson Tide by a final score of 72-49.rnrnNow sitting at 21-12 overall for the year, Mississippi State is now a No. 11 seed in the upcoming NCAA Tournament, and will face Pittsburgh in the First Four on Tuesday night. Should the Bulldogs win, Mississippi State would then face No. 6 seed Iowa State in the Round of 64.rnrn[nextslide teaser="No.%208%20-%207" /]rnrn rnrn[caption id="attachment_29674" align="alignnone" width="3200"] Arkansas Razorbacks guard Nick Smith Jr. (Photo by Carly Mackler/Getty Images)[/caption]rn 8. Auburn Tigers rn Previous Ranking: 6 rnOne of the biggest teams to drop in our final update was Auburn, as the Tigers fell two spots to No. 8. As to why, the Tigers fell to Arkansas in the second round of the 2023 SEC Tournament, falling by a final score of 76-73.rnrnNow sitting at 20-12 overall, Auburn is a No. 9 seed in the upcoming NCAA Tournament, and will face No. 8 seed Iowa in the Round of 64.rn 7. Arkansas Razorbacks rn Previous Ranking: 7 rnRemaining at the No. 7 spot this week is Arkansas, as the Razorbacks made an appearance in the quarterfinal round of the SEC Tournament this past week. The Razorbacks time in Nashville would originally begin with the previously mentioned 76-73 second round win over Auburn, which was followed by a 67-61 loss to Texas A&amp;M in the quarterfinal round.rnrnArkansas, who is now sitting at 20-13 overall this season, is a No. 8 seed in the upcoming NCAA Tournament facing off against No. 9 seed Illinois in the Round of 64.rnrn[nextslide teaser="No.%206%20-%205" /]rnrn rnrn[caption id="attachment_29700" align="alignnone" width="3200"] Vanderbilt Commodores guard Ezra Manjon (Photo by Andy Lyons/Getty Images)[/caption]rn 6. Vanderbilt Commodores rn Previous Ranking: 8 rnOne of the biggest risers in our final update is Vanderbilt, as the Commodores jump two spots to No. 6 coming off a run to the SEC Tournament semifinals. As for what that included, Vanderbilt would pickup a 77-68 second round win over LSU, an 80-73 quarterfinal win over Kentucky, and an 87-75 semifinal loss to Texas A&amp;M.rnrnVanderbilt now sits at 20-14 overall this season, and are a No. 2 seed in the 2023 NIT facing off against Yale in the first round.rn 5. Kentucky Wildcats rn Previous Ranking: 3 rnDropping two spots in this final update to No. 5 is Kentucky, which is due to the Wildcats stay in Nashville lasting only one game. That game would come during the quarterfinal round in the aforementioned matchup with Vanderbilt, a game in which Kentucky lost, 80-73.rnrnNow sitting at 21-11 overall, Kentucky is a No. 6 seed in the 2023 NCAA Tournament, facing No. 11 seed Providence in the Round of 64.rnrn[nextslide teaser="No.%204%20-%203" /]rnrn rnrn[caption id="attachment_29723" align="alignnone" width="3200"] Missouri Tigers forward Noah Carter (Photo by Carly Mackler/Getty Images)[/caption]rn 4. Tennessee Volunteers rn Previous Ranking: 4 rnRemaining in the No. 4 spot is Tennessee, as the Volunteers would win a game this past week in Nashville to reach the quarterfinal round. As to what that week looked like, Tennessee originally began the week with a 70-55 second round win over Ole Miss, but would fall to Missouri in the quarterfinals, 79-71.rnrnThe Volunteers are now a No. 4 seed in the NCAA Tournament, and will face No. 13 seed Louisiana in the Round of 64.rn 3. Missouri Tigers rn Previous Ranking: 5 rnAnother key riser in our final update of the season is Missouri, as the Tigers jump two spots up to No. 3 coming off their run in the SEC Basketball Tournament. The Tigers began play this past week with the previously mentioned 79-71 quarterfinal round win over Tennessee, but would go on to fall to Alabama in the semifinals, 72-61.rnrnNow sitting at 24-9 overall this season, Missouri is a No. 7 seed in the 2023 NCAA Tournament, and will face No. 10 seed Utah State in the Round of 64.rnrn[nextslide teaser="No.%202%20-%201" /]rnrn rnrn[caption id="attachment_29774" align="alignnone" width="3200"] Alabama Crimson Tide center Charles Bediako (Photo by Andy Lyons/Getty Images)[/caption]rn 2. Texas A&amp;M Aggies rn Previous Ranking: 2 rnRemaining in the No. 2 spot to conclude the season is both SEC basketball regular season and tournament runner-up, Texas A&amp;M. The Aggies did impress however this past week at the SEC Tournament, defeating Arkansas 67-61 in the quarterfinals, as well as Vanderbilt in the semifinals, 87-75, before eventually falling to Alabama in the championship game, 82-63.rnrnThe Aggies, who are now 25-9 for the year, are a No. 7 seed in the NCAA Tournament, facing off against No. 10 seed Penn State in the Round of 64.rn 1. Alabama Crimson Tide rn Previous Ranking: 1 rnThe No. 1 team in our final 2022-23 SEC basketball power rankings is Alabama , as the regular season conference champions secured the tournament title this past week in Nashville as well. Securing the No. 1 overall seed in the NCAA Tournament as a result, the Crimson Tide would open play with a 72-49 quarterfinal win over Mississippi State, and would be followed by a 72-61 semifinal win over Missouri, as well as the previously mentioned 82-63 win over Texas A&amp;M in the championship game.rnrnAs mentioned previously, Alabama is now the No. 1 overall seed in this year's NCAA Tournament, and will face either Texas A&amp;M-CC or Southeast Missouri State in the Round of 64.rnrn[story_link_next description="Ole%20Miss%20hires%20Beard%2C%20NIT%20field%20announced" url="https://southboundanddown.com/2023/03/13/sec-news-ole-miss-hires-beard-nit-field-announced/" /]

South Bound & Down

SEC Basketball: Alabama on top in final 2022-23 power rankings

12. LSU Tigers

Previous Ranking: 14

11. Ole Miss Rebels

Previous Ranking: 13

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