With college basketball season on the horizon, media members across the Southeastern Conference (SEC) have released their preseason rankings.
Coming in at No. 7 is Mississippi State. The Bulldogs, entering year two of the Chris Jans era, finished the 2022-2023 season with a 21-13 overall record and an 8-10 conference mark. They returned to the NCAA Tournament for the first time since 2019, falling 60-59 to Pittsburgh in the First Four round.
Though Mississippi State will be without star center Tolu Smith to begin the season, the veteran-heavy team returns several key producers from last year’s squad including guards Shakeel Moore, Dashawn Davis, and forward D.J. Jeffries.
Jans took to the transfer portal, adding Andrew Taylor (Marshall) and Jimmy Bell, Jr., (West Virginia) to replace Will McNair, Jr., and Tyler Stevenson. The Bulldogs also landed top Mississippi high school prospect Josh Hubbard from Madison Ridgeland Academy.
Ole Miss begins the Chris Beard era ranked No. 10 in the conference ahead of the upcoming season. The Rebels last season went 12-21 overall with a 3-15 SEC record, ultimately leading to the university parting ways with former head coach Kermit Davis.
The team will have a bit of a new look with a few familiar faces. The Rebels had to replace 10 contributors to last year’s group, including guards Amaree Abram, Daeshun Ruffin, and Tye Fagan, as well as forwards Myles Burns, Jayveous McKinnis, and Robert Allen.
Beard will have some veteran presence in Matthew Murrell, Jaemyn Brakefield, and T.J. Caldwell to build upon a team mostly consisting of newcomers. Transfer portal additions to the Ole Miss roster include seven-footers Jamarion Sharp (Western Kentucky) and Moussa Cisse (Oklahoma State). The Rebels also added guards Allen Flanigan (Auburn), Austin Nunez (Arizona State), and Brandon Murray (Georgetown).
The full SEC preseason rankings can be found below:
- Tennessee
- Texas A&M
- Arkansas
- Kentucky
- Alabama
- Auburn
- Mississippi State
- Florida
- Missouri
- Ole Miss
- Vanderbilt
- Georgia
- LSU
- South Carolina
