The 2026 SEC Hoops season is here

Last play you could constitute an opus teasing nan opening of nan SEC Conference play. In nan agelong history of assemblage basketball, and nan SEC successful particular, nary convention had ever been truthful good. At nan top, and nan middle, and moreover nan bottommost of nan league, everyone was quality.

Oklahoma vanished 6-12 successful nan conference, but started nan twelvemonth 13-0 pinch wins complete Providence, Arizona, Louisville, Georgia Tech, Oklahoma State, and Michigan. They played connected nan opening time of nan SEC Tournament, and were easy into nan NCAA Tournament connected action Sunday. They vanished 14th successful nan league, but done nan value and extent of nan convention they coasted into nan NCAA Tournament.

Florida and Auburn made nan last four, nan Gators won nan National Title.

The convention was elite from apical to bottom.

A driblet disconnected was to beryllium expected. But nan SEC has gone from 1 of nan best, without a doubt, to a convention that still value pinch it’s extent — nary squad is presently extracurricular of nan apical 90 successful KenPom.com — it doesn’t rather person nan apical extremity teams to contend for a title. Nor does it person nan spot successful nan middle. Last twelvemonth nan median capacity was a +22.09 ratio standing complete nan mean D1 team. Essentially that’s what it would return to spell conscionable 9-9 successful nan league. That was capable to rank 26th successful KenPom’s ratings. This twelvemonth that number has fallen to a hairsbreadth nether +19, aliases fundamentally astir 35th.

The Tigers vanished 19th successful KenPom and went 10-8 successful nan league. The decorativeness (19th) was nan 3rd champion successful nan KenPom era (behind nan 2007 and 2012 teams). And nan convention was truthful bully nan Tigers only vanished 7th overall.

If they vanished 19th successful KenPom this twelvemonth that would beryllium nan 5th champion finish. As it is they’re presently 65th, and that ranks 14th. But nan Illinois nonaccomplishment is carrying a batch of weight successful that rating. The Tigers were 50th going into that game, still not awesome but bully for 11th. Or a batch person to bubble territory than nan existent “fuggedaboutit”.

There’s still dream however, because Missouri isn’t facing past year’s SEC. They’re presently projected to spell 6-12, but location are 8 games wrong a possession. There’s room to dress up ground, and for nan first clip each twelvemonth Missouri will person a feline we projected to beryllium successful nan apical 4 successful minutes played… Trent Pierce. Plus they’ll person Jayden Stone for nan first clip against precocious awesome title since they mollywhopped Minnesota.

Not each dream is lost.

Missouri has been disappointing for sure. But they headed to Auburn past twelvemonth to unfastened nan play rated 52nd successful KenPom and vanished 19th. The margins whitethorn beryllium a small much each complete nan place, but that doesn’t mean you can’t still dress up a batch of crushed if you play value basketball.

Mizzou opens pinch 1 of nan champion teams successful nan league. There’s nary clip for illustration nan coming to statesman fixing what’s been wrong.

TIME: 7:30 p.m. CT

DATE: Saturday, January 03, 2026

LOCATION: Mizzou Arena; Columbia, MO

TELEVISION: SEC Network

STREAM: WatchESPN