Just six days ago, the Tennessee men's basketball team was 0-2 in the SEC and trailing Vanderbilt by 17 points. In less than two weeks, it could be tied for the best record in the conference.
That says as much about the conference as it does the Vols. Two weeks into SEC play, both divisions have been turned topsy-turvy.
South Carolina was a popular preseason pick to finish last in the SEC. Four conference games later, it leads the division.
Ole Miss had the best record (12-3) in the West during non-conference play. It's now 0-4 in the conference.
Who's the best team in the SEC?
Answer: Whoever is playing at home - with a couple of exceptions.
Auburn already has conference historians speculating on whether it could become the first team since Georgia Tech in 1953-54 not to win a conference game.
I wouldn't bet on it. But don't take that as an endorsement of the Tigers. I've just seen enough dreadful stretches by various SEC teams to convince me that at least one of them at their worst could sink to Auburn's depth.
That team could have been UT in late December and early January when it lost six of nine games, was 0-2 in the SEC and - as recently as last Saturday - seemingly intent on making Vanderbilt look like a Final Four entry.
A successful second-half comeback against the Commodores followed by an upset victory at Georgia suddenly has transformed UT into a championship contender. Nothing that happens Saturday afternoon against eighth-ranked Connecticut will change those revised expectations.
Up next for the Vols: LSU, Ole Miss and Auburn, who are a combined 2-8 in the conference (and one of LSU's two wins was against Auburn).
Of course, the appeal of those games is based on teams playing according to form. SEC teams can't seem to play back-to-back games according to form.
That's not necessarily a compliment.
Great balance doesn't equate to great teams. SEC teams lack either experience or talent, quickness or size, something or another. Then, there's Auburn, which is last in conference games in such diverse areas as scoring margin, free-throw percentage, field-goal percentage and blocked shots.
Tennessee coach Bruce Pearl sees an advantage in the league's balance.
"I said (in preseason) I thought there were five teams in the East that could go to the (NCAA) tournament," he said. "Now, you can add South Carolina to that. They've proven they can play with anybody."
They proved it again Wednesday night when they rallied to beat Arkansas in overtime. Their victory at Florida carries even more clout.
The balance has crossed divisional lines. While the East appeared vastly superior in preseason, the superiority has been tempered by Alabama's victories against South Carolina and Kentucky, and Arkansas' victory against UT.
"Some teams are a good match-up against certain teams," Pearl said. "Teams that are big and physical and have a good inside post offensive game can bother Kentucky. Georgia did. Alabama did.
"The fact that (Kentucky) lost those two games . . . don't necessarily get used to it. There aren't many teams in the SEC that have got big, physical offensive-minded front lines."
And, as LSU demonstrated in an 82-44 defeat, not everyone can match Kentucky's quickness and athleticism.
The Vols will have quickness and athletic issues of their own against the talented Huskies. They also will have a conference full of supporters, all of whom would benefit from an SEC team knocking off another one of the seven Big East teams in the top 25.
UT has high-value victories over top-10 Villanova and Pittsburgh from the Big East. When the NCAA tournament selection committee tries to make sense of the SEC in March, those victories will matter. So would a UT victory over UConn.
But win or lose, the Vols are assured of ending the weekend with a better record against the hallowed Big East than the scrambled SEC.
John Adams is a senior columnist. He may be reached at 865-342-6284 or adamsj@knoxnews.com. Follow him at http://twitter.com/johnadamskns
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Comments » 14
TennVolAlum writes:
Way to keep your "Captain Obvious" title, John. Kudos.
TheVolMan writes:
Quite lame--still mad at JA being right about Fulmer, eh? lol, you guys won't let it go. Also, JA's columns probably go right over your head. Sorry but that is your problem.
Great article, John. Keep up the good work.
TennVolAlum writes:
Not so much. I was a fan of firing fulmer. However, JA has done his best to make a living by writing bodyless articles to rile up the fan base (to then show his how his "numbers" are up to his boss via the comments on his hack articles), and when he's not insulting Tennessee...he writes drone articles (such as this one) to mediate his subject matter.
Not over my head by any means. Try again.
yabadabadoo1026 writes:
agreed--------the idiots around here think it fashionable to always be haten on someone-----------they only put on public display their scant IQ
TennVolAlum writes:
no....there are several writers who actually provide insight (ex. wes rucker when he was with the free press). adams is a hack, and everybody knows it.
the fact that you take his writing in high regard shows exactly how stupid and un-informed you are.
yabadabadoo1026 writes:
i dont hold his writing in high regard or low regard---his job is to write his honest take on whatever and not to be a cheerleader--its funny how haters like youself always want to accuse others of being haters cause they dont tell you and the other koolaiders what you want to hear all the time---------not a thing wrong with this article or others-------you could try just not reading anything he writes but then you wouldnt have anything to whine about and hate on would you?
kthoma14 writes:
What is going on with Dooley and Adams? Please provide background.
VOLinATL writes:
The hating on Adams is one thing, but why on earth do you bother to read his column and then take the time to post your venom? Life it too short....
brokendownoldvol writes:
This may be the worse the conference has been in my 50 yrs.
rockytopatl writes:
+5
TNVol72 writes:
Nothing wrong with his articles..... he's just got a touch of "some-timer's!"
sol_way writes:
its funny that the thread is not about the vols or the article but about J A himself, and also about Fulmer
TennVolAlum writes:
you really think JA provides any sort of insight beyond the obvious? HAHAHAHAHAHA!!!!
sorry buddy. you lose all credibility with that one.
CrankE writes:
John, you really need to stop writing in here under multiple user names so that you can agree with yourself. It's like Coach Klein (Waterboy) talking to his grandma on the phone in heels after his playbook got taken away.
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