#SECBasketballFever Power Poll - Week 5

Another week where the SEC scored some decent wins, though most teams continued through the soft portion of their schedules as they move towards conference play.  Given that, South Carolina's massive win over Clemson vaults them up in our poll.  How high?  Let's see.

1. Kentucky - We can skip the analysis here, right?

2. Florida - Quietly pounding everyone they've played now that they are no longer playing very good teams away from Gainesville.

3. South Carolina - It's time to acknowledge that the Gamecocks are absolutely, at this point, playing like the third-best team in the SEC.  Sure there's probably something a bit aberrational about their last two performances, but blowing out Oklahoma State and Clemson deserves credit.

4. Arkansas - Like many teams, they're not as good away from home, but they have two very nice blowout wins over Dayton and Iona in Fayetteville.  But you look at their game against Clemson, and you look at South Carolina's, and tie goes to the team that doesn't lose to Clemson.

5. Georgia - Also quietly righting the ship at home, with back-to-back nice wins over Colorado and Seton Hall.  Chance to put one more big scalp on the board if they can go into Manhattan, Kansas and come away with a victory.

6. LSU - Still improving after two weak losses at a neutral site.  Playing some of the better basketball in the league right now.

7. Texas A&M - Looking shaky after a seven-point loss against Kansas State and getting run out of the gym against Baylor.

8. Vanderbilt - Avoiding bad losses is something, although not counting Rutgers as a bad loss is pretty generous.

9. Alabama - They played well in Wichita so let's move them up.

[checks Appalachian State score, a one-point win in Tuscaloosa].

Come on, y'all serious, Tide?

10. Ole Miss - I'm duly impressed by the wins over Creighton, Cincinnati, and Oregon, but three home losses to mediocre competition just isn't good enough.  Nice job finally holding on to one of those close games at home, though, with the three-point win over Coastal Carolina.

11. Tennessee - Not good, but good enough to be tough on their home court.  Ask Butler.  Then again, they just beat Tennessee Tech by three in Knoxville, so maybe don't ask Tennessee Tech.

12. Mississippi State - Following a five-game winning streak to start the year with a five-game losing streak, with two of those losses to Arkansas State and USC Upstate?  These are the Bulldogs I remember!

13. Missouri - Starting to slip into Auburn territory, though signs of life for only losing by three to Illinois.

14. Auburn - Beating Xavier at home is great!  Beating Texas Southern at home by one keeps you here one more week, Tigers.