[David Shepherd]

http://espn.go.com/blog/collegebaske...ankings-sec-20

1. Florida. I think the Gators are the undisputed top dogs in this conference, though they’re not healthy. They’ve suffered multiple injuries in recent weeks. But Thursday night’s 68-47 win at Texas A&M, a team coming off a weekend win at Kentucky, was another reminder that the Gators are probably a step ahead of the field. They might face Missouri without Laurence Bowers this weekend, but I’m not convinced the Tigers would beat Florida even if they were at full strength.
2. Ole Miss. The Rebels beat a Bowers-less Missouri team on Saturday. But Bowers doesn’t handle the ball. Give Ole Miss credit for forcing 19 turnovers in that matchup. The program followed that with an overtime win at Vanderbilt. That wasn’t as pretty. In the past week, however, the Rebels have proved that they’re legitimate SEC title contenders because they’re balanced (33rd in adjusted offensive efficiency, 30th in adjusted defensive efficiency per Ken Pomeroy).
3. Missouri. Frank Haith called out his team after its 64-49 loss at Ole Miss on Saturday. He understood that the loss couldn't only be pinned on Bowers’ absence. Missouri wasn’t gritty on the road. The Tigers were careless with possessions, too. But they responded with a double-digit win over Georgia on Wednesday. And the Tigers will need that same tenacity when they play Florida on the road this weekend. Any effort from the Tigers that’s comparable to their display during a loss at Ole Miss will be inexcusable.
4. Texas A&M. They went on the road and beat Kentucky at Rupp Arena on Saturday. It was John Calipari’s first conference home loss at Kentucky. But the same Texas A&M team that pulled off the upset in Lexington was crushed by Florida on Thursday night. This is where this league gets very messy and interchangeable. Texas A&M is ranked 143rd in adjusted defensive efficiency. And it’s nearly a month removed from a home loss to Southern. So what does that say about the rest of the SEC?
5. Kentucky. I don’t care about Kentucky’s talent. I don’t care about Kentucky’s potential. I don’t care about Kentucky’s NBA prospects. None of that matters anymore. The Wildcats are an average squad right now. Could that change in the coming weeks? Sure. Will that change in the coming weeks? I don’t know. Calipari’s crew has offered only minimum signs of growth in recent weeks. But this team has the highest ceiling in the league. It just doesn’t know how to get there.