The SEC had one of the most dominant seasons last year that any conference has ever had.
Fourteen of the 16 SEC men’s basketball teams reached the 2025 NCAA Tournament. Half of them made it to the Sweet 16 and Florida emerged as the national champion.
SEC fans from Gainesville to Norman are hoping for a repat performance. That might be a big challenge as 26 of the conference’s top 30 scorers from last season have left, but it’s not impossible due to a solid list of returning starters and an impressive crowd of newcomers.
Here’s a season preview and rankings for the 2025-26 SEC season:
1. FLORIDA
Gators fans are hoping for another national championship and there is strong basis for optimism. The Gators are loaded on front with virtually every big man returning. That group is led by junior forward Thomas Haugh, who averaged 9.7 points and 6.1 rebounds last season. Florida did lose its top four guards, but coach Todd Golden was able to land transfers Xaivian Lee (Princeton) and Boogie Fland (Arkansas).
2. KENTUCKY
If anyone is going to unseat the Gators in the SEC, it will be Kentucky. At least that’s what fans in Lexington believe. Kentucky just might have the SEC’s top player in Otega Oweh and coach Mark Pope got key production from reserves Trent Noah, Collin Chandler and Brandon Garrison last season and all three have a chance to move into the starting lineup. Transfers Jaland Lowe (Pittsburgh) and Kam Wiliams (Tulane) are expected to play big roles immediately and the Wildcats also landed a top 10 recruiting class.
3. ARKANSAS
The Razorbacks may have the SEC’s top backcourt duo with junior D.J. Wagner returning and the arrival of five-star recruit Darius Acuff Jr. Arkansas needs fast development from its front line and coach John Calipari will count on transfers Malique Ewin (Florida State) and Nick Pringle (South Carolina) to play big roles immediately.
4. TENNESSE
The Volunteers had a couple of huge losses from a team that reached the Elite Eight last season. Zakai Zeigler and Jahmai Mashack have departed Knoxville, but veteran coach Rick Barnes still has a team that’s capable of contending for the SEC title. Interior player Relix Okpara is the top returner and Barnes was able to bring in transfer guard Ja’Kobi Gillespie from Maryland and land five-star recruit Nate Ament.
5. ALABAMA
Guard Labaron Philon, an SEC All-Freshman pick last year, will need to step up after the Volunteers lost All-American Mark Sears and fans also will expect big things from junior guard Aden Holloway, who averaged 11.4 points per game last season. The big questions are up front where the Crimson Tide will look for production from Florida State transfer Bol Bown and Bucknell transfer Noah Williamson.
6. MISSOURI
The Tigers could be a team on the rise after going 10-8 in the SEC and reaching the NCAA Tournament last season. Forward Mark Mitchell and guard Anthony Robinson Jr. are the top returners. Mitchell spent his first two years at Duke before averaging 13.9 points for Missouri last season.
7. AUBURN
Long-time coach Bruce Pearl retired in September and his son, Steven, replaces him. That leaves plenty of uncertainty for Auburn fans. But the transition should be eased by the return of sophomore guard Tahaad Pettiford. Another key player will be transfer guard Keyshawn Hall, who led the Big 12 in scoring (18.8 points per game) while at Central Florida last season.
8. MISSISSIPI STATE
Guard Josh Hubbard returns as one of the SEC’s top outside shooters and has led Mississippi State to the NCAA Tournament each of the last two seasons. Wichita state transfer Quincy Ballard should be a defensive force on the outside and Georgetown transfer guard Jayden Epps should provide a nice outside offensive complement to Hubbard.
9. TEXAS
Sean Miller takes over as the Texas coach and the Longhorns return a strong backcourt led by Tramon Mark, Jordan Pope and Chendall Weaver. Texas fans are hoping FAU transfer Matas Vokietatis, who was the AAC Rookie of the Year last season, can emerge as an inside force.
10. VANDERBILT
The Commodores made a surprising run to the NCAA Tournament last year and expectations this year are even higher this season. That’s largely because guard Jason Edwards returns after averaging 17 points a game last season. Forwards Tyler Nickel and Devin McGlockton also return and they’ll be counted on for additional offensive firepower this season.
11. OLE MISS
The Rebels reached the Sweet 16 last season, but they’ve lost five double-digit scorers. Forward Malik Dia is the key returner after averaging 10.8 points per game last season. The Rebels also have added transfer AJ Storr, who will be trying to resurrect a once promising career. Storr started college at St. John’s and was an All-Big Ten selection at Wisconsin in 2024. But Storr spent last season at Kansas and struggled to find a role.
12. OKLAHOMA
Point guard Jerimiah Fears is gone after leading the Sooners to the NCAA Tournament last season. But Oklahoma fans expect former Saint Joseph’s start Xzayvier Brown to step in as a more-than-capable replacement. He’ll team with senior Nijel Pack to give the Sooners a strong backcourt. Up front, Oklahoma will rely heavily on transfer forwards Tae Davis (Notre Dame) and Derrion Reid (Alabama).
13. TEXAS A&M
New coach Bucky McMillan will bring an exciting run-and-gun style of play to College Station and he’ll be counting on several transfers to have big roles. The Aggies brought in Mackenzie Mgbako (Indiana), Pop Isaacs (Creighton) and Rylan Griffen (Kansas).
14. GEORGIA
The Bulldogs lost leading scorer Asa Newell from last season’s NCAA Tournament team, but should be strong up front with Somto Cyril returning and forward Kanon Catchings arriving from BYU.
15. SOUTH CAROLINA
Coach Lamont Harris welcomes a familiar face onto this season’s roster. That’s guard Meechie Johnson Jr., who led South Carolina in scoring in the 2023-24 season before spending last season at Ohio State. But Johnson has landed back in Columbia and he, once again, will be expected to lead the offense.
16. LSU
The Tigers haven’t reached the NCAA Tournament since 2022, but there is reason for hope in Baton Rouge. Jalen Reed returns at full strength after a knee injury last year and will help the inside game tremendously. The Tigers also are expecting big things from transfer guard Dedan Thomas Jr., who was a two-time All Mountain West selection while at UNLV.
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