Florida, Arkansas, Vanderbilt, South Carolina, and Georgia are all rated higher than ole Miss. So a lose seems fairly likely to one of these teams, but a lot has to do with how the teams match up. This team doesn't always play its' best but it does seem to always find a way to win this year.
According to Kenpom ratings
- Thread starter gright
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Just because the majority of the SEC is rated higher than Ole Miss doesn't mean other teams have a better chance beating us. Listen Ole Miss played like the number 2 team in the nation Tuesday and I don't care what anyone says. I'm not trying to justify almost getting beat by a team that bad but Ole Miss would have beat Duke by 10 points. Just goes to show how special our team is.
I'm not so sure that we'll need to "find" a way to win. It's possible, because it's always possible, but if Ole Miss played like they did against UK the other night, and their season average was 50% FG% on the season, and 53% 3FG% on the season, being a team that shoots a lot of 3 pointers, paired with having one of the better 2FG% defenses in the country, and being the best free throw shooting team in the country, it's very likely they would be ranked second.
They shot way over their heads, and that was likely a performance that they won't top for the rest of the season.
They shot way over their heads, and that was likely a performance that they won't top for the rest of the season.
None of them are more highly rated than #8 Louisville, #10 UNC, #15 Kansas. Only Florida is rated higher than #23 Texas.
Yes and according to KenPom UK is the #1 team in the country. You see how that works?
Look, Ole Miss played a great game. They hit jump shots (not a bunch of layups and dunks) against UK, and they did so at a very high rate. What they did is possible but unlikely. I also think UK's intensity on defense fell off when they took a 14-0 lead, and it seemed they would be able to coast. Lesson learned, eh?
But what you can't predict is that this Kentucky team is suddenly worse than Ole Miss and that every team rated higher than Ole Miss will play BETTER than they played against UK. It's just illogical and is a poor application of those stats.
But I'd add this: Ole Miss showed us why it's hard to assume UK should just roll through the SEC unchallenged. I think that should be clear now.
Look, Ole Miss played a great game. They hit jump shots (not a bunch of layups and dunks) against UK, and they did so at a very high rate. What they did is possible but unlikely. I also think UK's intensity on defense fell off when they took a 14-0 lead, and it seemed they would be able to coast. Lesson learned, eh?
But what you can't predict is that this Kentucky team is suddenly worse than Ole Miss and that every team rated higher than Ole Miss will play BETTER than they played against UK. It's just illogical and is a poor application of those stats.
But I'd add this: Ole Miss showed us why it's hard to assume UK should just roll through the SEC unchallenged. I think that should be clear now.
I don't agree that just because there are better teams in the SEC that a loss is inevitable. But what that game did is remind every team in the SEC that there is no such thing as an unbeatable team. Anyone can come into the gym and shoot the lights out and give them a game. They are EVERY team's super bowl and every team is going to be more hyped up for their game against us than any other game they've played. So a loss in conference play is entirely possible.
That being said, our boys responded extremely well to a very tough test, whereas the team last year lost most games like that one (until March of course) So its a good sign that they were able to pull it out.
Personally I'd put their odds of going into the tournament at about 50/50
That being said, our boys responded extremely well to a very tough test, whereas the team last year lost most games like that one (until March of course) So its a good sign that they were able to pull it out.
Personally I'd put their odds of going into the tournament at about 50/50
