Florida's upset win, which came alongside a Wade Taylor buzzer-beater that lifted Texas A&M to a last-second win over Missouri, left some fans marveling at the strength of the SEC.
ESPN's most recent bracket projection predicts that 13 SEC teams will make it to March Madness, which would set a single-conference record for Tournament bids, according to ESPN's Jeff Borzello and Myron Medcalf.
Auburn about to lose to Florida without Alijah Florida is the best basketball team in the SEC right now 💯
Want to know just how good the sec is this year? #1 Auburn, arguably the best team in college basketball is getting a root canal on their home court by Florida. pic.twitter.com/ClwiQ4F2Se
Auburn looked familiarly dominant in the first eight minutes of action as the home team cruised to a 20-11 lead to start the game.
That was when the Gators defense began to clamp down, allowing Florida to head into the halftime break with a 10-point advantage.
Auburn made a late push to tie the game, cutting Florida's lead to nine points with eight minutes left on the clock.
But the home team couldn't overcome Florida's shooting as the Gators went 31-for-64 (48.4 percent) from the field, and 13-for-33 (39.4 percent) from deep, while impressing fans in the win.
Florida a couple minutes away from the most impressive win in all of college hoops this season. This second half has been something else, keeping Auburn from getting it close
Walter Clayton Jr. led Florida with 19 points in the win, while Thomas Haugh scored 16 off the bench. National Player of the Year candidate Johni Broome was held to 18 points in Auburn's loss.
Auburn, whose only other loss this season came to No. 9 Duke, conceded a first SEC loss of the campaign. Now at 22-1 on the season and 9-1 in the SEC, the Tigers next hit the road to face Vanderbilt followed by No. 3 Alabama.
Florida meanwhile improves to 20-3 overall and 7-3 in the SEC. The Gators will hope to get Martin back in the fold soon while preparing for the team's next road game, this time against No. 22 Mississippi State.
Kentucky Suffers Blowout Loss to Ole Miss as CBB Fans Rip Mark Pope for SEC Struggles
Feb 5, 2025
KNOXVILLE, TN - JANUARY 28: Kentucky Wildcats head coach Mark Pope talks to Kentucky Wildcats guard Jaxson Robinson (2) during the college basketball game between the Tennessee Volunteers and the Kentucky Wildcats on January 28, 2025, at Food City Center in Knoxville, TN. (Photo by Bryan Lynn/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
The SEC schedule has not been kind to Mark Pope and his Kentucky Wildcats.
Ole Miss responded to Saturday's loss against top-ranked Auburn in a major way, upsetting Kentucky 98-84 on Tuesday night in a game they led by as many as 27 points.
Matthew Murrell led the way for the Rebels with 24 points, while Dre Davis added 17 points and Jaylen Murray chipped in with 15 points and 10 assists.
Otega Oweh (24 points, six rebounds), Jaxson Robinson (18 points) and Amari Williams (12 points, 11 rebounds, 10 assists) led the way for Kentucky, which has now dropped five of its last eight games in SEC play.
That had fans riled up on Tuesday, with much of the ire directed toward Pope:
Mark Pope needs to learn how to coach defense. It’s going to be the downfall of this Kentucky Wildcat team. They are too talented to be this pathetic on the defensive end
It's been a rough few days for Kentucky fans. On Saturday, the Wildcats lost to a mediocre Arkansas team, 89-79, which is of course coached by former Kentucky head honcho John Calipari. That one stung.
Then came Tuesday's effort, as Kentucky continued to struggle on the defensive end. Ole Miss deserves some credit for playing fantastic team offense—the Rebels finished with 24 assists to just one turnover and shot 13-of-30 from three (43.3 percent)—but Kentucky didn't exactly make life difficult for the Rebs.
The Wildcats will have a very winnable matchup against South Carolina (10-12) on Saturday before a rough stretch starting next week that includes matchups against Tennessee, Texas, Vanderbilt, Alabama, Oklahoma, Auburn and Missouri.
The Wildcats better figure out how to stop the bleeding, and fast, or the rest of the SEC schedule is going to chew them up.
Arkansas Upsets Kentucky, Stuns CBB Fans in John Calipari's Return to Rupp Arena
Feb 2, 2025
LEXINGTON, KENTUCKY - FEBRUARY 01: John Calipari the head coach of the Arkansa Razorbacks stands on the sideline before the start of the game against the Kentucky Wildcats at Rupp Arena on February 01, 2025 in Lexington, Kentucky. It is the first game back in Rupp Arena after leaving Kentucky for Arkansa after last season.
(Photo by Andy Lyons/Getty Images)
John Calipari's first trip back to Rupp Arena with his new team was a successful one.
Calipari's unranked Arkansas upset No. 12 Kentucky 89-79 on Saturday in his first contest against his former team. Calipari spent 15 years with the Wildcats before leaving for Arkansas after last season. He won a national title with Kentucky and produced countless NBA stars.
Aduo Thiero, who followed Calipari to Arkansas from Kentucky, led the way for the Razorbacks with 21 points and eight boards. Johnell Davis added 18 points, six assists and five boards.
Kentucky's Amari Williams and Jaxson Robinson combined for 42, but it wasn't enough to avoid the upset.
that’s probably a top 3-5 win for Calipari on a personal level. one of the best wins of the year for any team, and a season-saving win for Arkansas. I’ve never seen a conference like the SEC this year.
This is going to be one happy flight back to Fayetteville for Arkansas.
John Calipari returns to Rupp Arena and see his Razorbacks team win convincingly over Kentucky. A remarkable victory for the Hogs. Is this a win that can turn their season around?
John Calipari’s first game back at Rupp since leaving is a nightmare for Kentucky. The Razorbacks dominated, looking as sharp as I’ve ever seen! Arkansas is making sure Calipari’s homecoming is one to forget! #wps
Despite Calipari's years of sustained success in Lexington, he was met by a hostile crowd that booed him as he entered the arena. He responded with a convincing win over one of the best teams in the SEC.
The three Arkansas players who joined Calipari in Fayetteville also showed up against their former team. Along with Thiero's 21, Zvonimir Ivisic added 14 points and DJ Wagner put up 17. The Razorbacks' 89 points are the most they have put up in conference play thus far.
Despite the win, the start of the Calipari era in Arkansas hasn't gone well. The Razorbacks are 13-8 on the season and 2-6 in conference play. Meanwhile, the Wildcats are 15-6 on the year in 4-4 in SEC play.
While Kentucky has had the better season so far, Calipari and Arkansas got the last laugh on Saturday. It's the type of win that could turn the Razorbacks' season around as they try to make the NCAA tournament while competing in a loaded SEC.
If anything, the win should give Arkansas some momentum as it prepares for a stretch where it will see four ranked opponents in its next six games.
Joe Lunardi 2025 Bracketology Predictions: Record 13 SEC Teams In; UNC a Bubble Team
Jan 26, 2025
AUSTIN, TX - JANUARY 25: Texas Longhorns guard Tramon Mark (12) drives for the game winning shot while being defended by Texas A&M Aggies forward Pharrel Payne (21) during the SEC college basketball game between Texas Longhorns and Texas A&M Aggies on January 25, 2025, at Moody Center in Austin, Texas. (Photo by David Buono/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
ESPN's bracketologist, Joe Lunardi, believes the SEC is well on its way to sending 13 teams to the 2024-25 men's NCAA tournament, which would be a new record.
"I can't believe I keep typing the number 13 and the same conference in the same line, but here we are," he said during Sunday's SportsCenter. "And that Texas highlight you showed of Tramon Mark's layup to beat Texas A&M is what kept the SEC with 13 of its 16 teams in the field. Of course, Auburn is at the top of that list and rightfully so. I think there is an excellent chance that we're going to break the record of bids from a conference in a year. The record is 11, 11 out of 16 by the Big East back in 2011. And I think the SEC getting at least a dozen, I would bet your mortgage payment on that."
Final at Moody: Tramon Mark hits a running layup in the closing seconds and Texas knocks off No. 13 Texas A&M 70-69. Big-time comeback from 22-point hole for Rodney Terry’s bunch. pic.twitter.com/6PvrRjXQbl
There isn't an SEC team at the moment with a losing record, and only South Carolina—currently 10-10—doesn't have an overall winning record. That will likely change down the stretch, as teams face the meat of their conference schedule. South Carolina, for instance, is already 0-7 in the SEC, while LSU is 1-5 in conference play and Arkansas is 1-6. But those three teams are currently at the bottom of the SEC picture anyway.
Lunardi also believes that North Carolina—which is 13-8 on the year but doesn't have many signature wins on its résumé—is sitting firmly on the bubble.
"We remember two years ago, the Tar Heels where the preseason No. 1 rank team consensus, not only on the bubble, didn't make the tournament that season. Here we go, a top 10, top 15 team at worst coming into the year, and now 1-7 against Quad 1," he said. "The only win in that category, a neutral court triumph over UCLA. Next two weeks are going to tell the tale. They play all the top teams in the ACC. They're at Pitt, they're at Duke, and then home for Pitt and again Clemson. All four teams Quad 1, all likely to make the tournament. It's time for Carolina to put a couple of notches in their belt."
Report: Arkansas' Boogie Fland Out for Rest of 2024-25 CBB Season with Hand Injury
Jan 22, 2025
KNOXVILLE, TENNESSEE - JANUARY 04: Boogie Fland #2 of the Arkansas Razorbacks reacts to a play during the first half of the game against the Tennessee Volunteers at Thompson-Boling Arena on January 04, 2025 in Knoxville, Tennessee. (Photo by Johnnie Izquierdo/Getty Images)
Arkansas will be without its star freshman for the remainder of the season.
Per CBS Sports' Jon Rothstein, freshman guard Boogie Fland suffered a hand injury and will miss the rest of the 2024-25 season. In 18 games, Fland averaged 15.1 points and 5.7 assists per game.
Though Fland has played Arkansas' last two games against LSU and Missouri, Razorbacks coach John Calipari said he suffered the injury during a loss to Florida on Jan. 11.
"Boogie's hand, he fell in the game at our place against Florida," Calipari said after Saturday's loss to Missouri, per 247Sports' Connor Goodson. [Billy Richmond] jumped on him, so his hand is pretty bad. Don't know what we'll do going forward, but we've got to make sure that we get that thing right."
Fland is Arkansas' second-leading scorer only behind Adou Thiero, a junior who joined Calipari in Fayetteville after two years with Kentucky.
In a talented draft class highlighted by Duke star Cooper Flagg, Bleacher Report's Jonathan Wasserman projects Fland to go the Dallas Mavericks with the No. 23 pick in the 2025 NBA draft. Given the fact that he's out for the season could have an impact on Fland's draft stock, though scouts got a decent sample size during the first half of the season.
Of course, Fland could always return to Arkansas for another season after this year, but that seems a bit unlikely if he is still trending toward being a first-round pick later this year.
Arkansas got off to a decent start to the Calipari era, going 11-2 heading into conference play. The Razorbacks have quickly been exposed by a talented SEC field, however, going 0-5 to start conference play.
Things will only get more difficult for the Razorbacks without Fland.
Auburn's Johni Broome Won't Need Surgery on Ankle Injury; Reportedly Out Indefinitely
Jan 11, 2025
COLUMBIA, SOUTH CAROLINA - JANUARY 11: Johni Broome #4 of the Auburn Tigers reacts during the first half against the South Carolina Gamecocks at Colonial Life Arena on January 11, 2025 in Columbia, South Carolina. (Photo by Isaiah Vazquez/Getty Images)
Auburn Tigers forward Johni Broome will not need surgery on his ankle injury, the school announced Sunday, but Jeff Borzello of ESPN reported the senior will be out "indefinitely."
Broome suffered a "significant sprain" during the team's 66-63 win over South Carolina, head coach Bruce Pearl told the SEC Network, via Borzello.
Broome exited the game with under 14 minutes remaining after stepping on a teammate's foot while contesting a shot on defense. He was unable to put weight on his foot and had to be assisted to the locker room.
Broome, a front-runner for National Player of the Year, is averaging 18.7 points, 11.2 rebounds and 3.4 assists per game while shooting 56.2 percent from the field. He has recorded 10 double-doubles this season.
The injury marks Broome's second of the season. He previously left the Tigers' 100-59 win over Georgia State just two minutes into the game with a shoulder injury. According to Pearl, Broome's shoulder "came out and came right back in," per Borzello. He did not miss any additional games because of that injury.
No. 2 Auburn is in the midst of an eight-game win streak, boasting a 15-1 record. Their only loss of the season came in a narrow 84-78 defeat against No. 9 Duke.
Chaz Lanier, No. 1 Tennessee Trolled By CBB Fans for Blowout Loss vs. No. 8 Florida
Jan 8, 2025
GAINESVILLE, FLORIDA - JANUARY 07: Rueben Chinyelu #9 of the Florida Gators reacts after blocking a shot by Chaz Lanier #2 of the Tennessee Volunteers during the first half of a game at Stephen C. O'Connell Center on January 07, 2025 in Gainesville, Florida. (Photo by James Gilbert/Getty Images)
The No. 1 team and final unbeaten squad in college basketball has fallen.
Top-ranked Tennessee lost to No. 8 Florida in blowout fashion, 73-43 on Tuesday in Gainesville. The Vols came into the game 14-0 riding the momentum of a big win over No. 23 Arkansas on Saturday.
It was an uncharacteristically poor shooting night from Tennessee as the Vols shot 21.4 percent from the field and a dreadful 13.8 percent from deep. Tennessee also made just 62.5 percent of its free throws.
The offensive struggles were most noticeable for star guard Chaz Lanier, who came into the game putting up 20.3 points per game. The North Florida transfer had just 10 points on 3-of-16 from the field and 1-of-9 from deep.
After the embarrassing loss, fans called out the Vols for failing to show up in Gainesville.
Florida is eviscerating No. 1 Tennessee; only question now is what the final margin is.
If you're wondering about the largest loss by a No. 1 ever, here's the NCAA record book. No. 2 Kentucky beating No. 1 St. John's by 41 back in '51 is the long-standing record. pic.twitter.com/mmqfLmFhcv
The good news for Tennessee is that it will get a fairly manageable three-game stretch to forget about Tuesday night's dud. The Vols will face Texas, Georgia and Vanderbilt before a gauntlet at the end of January when they'll play Mississippi State, Auburn, Kentucky and Florida again.
Florida faced its first loss of the season on Saturday against Kentucky, but the Gators quickly bounced back with arguably the best win in all of college basketball this season. They'll look to keep their momentum going when they face Arkansas on Saturday.
No. 4 Kentucky Upset by Unranked Ohio State, CBB Fans Stunned by Blowout Loss
Dec 22, 2024
NEW YORK, NEW YORK - DECEMBER 21: Sean Stewart #13 of the Ohio State Buckeyes and Lamont Butler #1 of the Kentucky Wildcats dight for control of the ball during the first half at Madison Square Garden on December 21, 2024 in New York City. (Photo by Luke Hales/Getty Images)
Ohio State football wasn't the only Buckeye team with a big game on Saturday night.
The Buckeyes men's basketball team entered Rupp Arena and took a dominant 85-65 victory over No. 4 Kentucky to improve to 8-4 on the season.
This was the second loss of the season for Kentucky and the first since a Dec. 3 loss to Clemson.
Bruce Thornton was the star of the day for Ohio State as he scored 30 points with four rebounds and three assists. John Mobley Jr. had 15 points with three rebounds, three assists and two steals while Aaron Bradshaw had 11 points with two rebounds and two steals off of the bench.
Kentucky was led by 21 points from Otega Oweh and Andrew Carr had 13 points. Shooting was the clear issue for the Wildcats, as the team shot just 29.8 percent on field goals and a paltry 18.2 percent from three-point range.
Fans took to social media to criticize the poor performance and debate whether the Wildcats are overrated or not.
Last Saturday, Ohio State lost by 38 points to Auburn in Atlanta.
John Calipari didn't lose his 2nd game of the season until 29 games into his Kentucky tenure. Mark Pope lost his 2nd game of the season after 12 games into his Kentucky tenure🤯🤯🤯🤯🤯🤯🤯🤯🤯🤯🤯🤯🤯🤯🤯🤯🤯🤯🤯🤯🤯🤯🤯🤯🤯🤯🤯🤯🤯🤯🤯🤯🤯🤯🤯 pic.twitter.com/bHEDVAeaWR
Just ripped my future father in laws tv out of the wall. Caused a massive scene and now my fiance has asked me to leave and we will discuss our current situation tomorrow.
Only Kentucky basketball is allowed to skate into the postseason because of an easy conference. No one else is allowed. They're the bluest of blue, no matter how badly they would have gotten smoked in the old Big East.
If you guys knew the record of Kentucky basketball losing whenever I bet on them yall would hate me because I decided to bet on them today for the first time this season. pic.twitter.com/aoQieX82jp
The Buckeyes will take this marquee victory into Big Ten play in the new year and will hope the momentum can carry the team into the tournament for the first time since 2022.
Kentucky, meanwhile, will hope to rebound from the loss and be prepared for several Top 25 matchups during SEC play.
ACC/SEC Challenge 2024: Men's Scores, Highlights and Reaction from Wednesday
Dec 5, 2024
CHAPEL HILL, NORTH CAROLINA - DECEMBER 04: Mark Sears #1 of the Alabama Crimson Tide drives to the basket against Elliot Cadeau #3 of the North Carolina Tar Heels during the first half of the game at the Dean E. Smith Center on December 04, 2024 in Chapel Hill, North Carolina. (Photo by Grant Halverson/Getty Images)
The second day of the SEC/ACC Challenge tipped off on Wednesday with another slate of intriguing matchups.
The SEC dominated Day 1 of the event, winning nine of the first 10 games to clinch the win on the first day. The only victory for the ACC came as unranked Clemson knocked off No. 4 Kentucky.
It was another dominant night for the SEC on Wednesday as just one ACC team, Duke, walked away with a win. In total, the SEC won the challenge 14-2.
Here's a look at how the final day of action in the SEC/ACC Challenge went.
Wednesday's Schedule and Scores
No. 10 Alabama def. No. 20 North Carolina, 94-79
No. 13 Florida def. Virginia, 87-69
Mississippi State def. No. 18 Pittsburgh, 90-57
Texas def. NC State, 63-59
Vanderbilt def. Virginia Tech, 80-64
No. 9 Duke def. No. 2 Auburn, 84-78
No. 10 Alabama def. No. 20 North Carolina, 94-79
Both Alabama and North Carolina have had a few hiccups early this season and came into Wednesday's matchup seeking a signature win.
The Crimson Tide, fresh off an upset loss to Oregon, handled business against the Tar Heels on the road.
Alabama looked to veteran point guard Mark Sears in the win as he posted 20 points and seven assists, looking like the player who led the Tide to the Final Four a year ago. Labron Philon added 15 while Aden Holloway posted 15 from the bench.
Alabama now has a handful of impressive wins after previously taking down Illinois and Houston, and it will look to ride the momentum into the rest of the month as the Tide gear up for conference play. North Carolina, which dropped to 4-4 with the loss, clearly has flaws it needs to clean up before conference play begins.
No. 13 Florida def. Virginia, 87-69
Florida handled business and stayed undefeated against Virginia at home on Wednesday.
The Gators got a huge night from Walter Clayton Jr., who dropped 27 points on 10-of-19 from the field and 5-of-12 from deep. The senior was an integral part of Florida's squad last season and seems ready to bring the Gators more success this year.
Florida got another 19 from Alex Condon and Alijah Martin added 16 and turned the ball over just six times compared to 15 from the Cavaliers.
The undefeated Gators have another contest against an ACC opponent later this month when they take on North Carolina. Picking up a win against the Tar Heels would give Florida all the momentum in the world heading into conference play.
Mississippi State def. No. 18 Pittsburgh, 90-57
It was all Mississippi State in Starkville despite Pittsburgh coming into the matchup ranked No. 18.
The Bulldogs trounced the Panthers to pick up their first ranked win of the year after last week's loss to Butler. It was Mississippi State's largest margin of victory over a ranked opponent in program history.
— Mississippi State Men's Basketball (@HailStateMBK) December 5, 2024
Forward KeShawn Murphy led the way for Mississippi State, scoring 20 points in 8-of-10 from the field off the bench. The junior also pulled in seven boards. Michael Nwoko put up 18, Josh Hubbard had 12 and RJ Melendez and Claudell Harris each had 10.
No. 9 Duke def. No. 2 Auburn, 84-78
The Blue Devils handed Auburn its first loss of the year behind a big performance from freshman sensation Cooper Flagg.
The early favorite to be the No. 1 pick in the NBA draft dropped 22 points and 11 boards to guide his team to victory. Freshman guard Isaiah Evans also put together his best game of the season thus far, posting 18 points off the bench.
Duke managed to get the win despite another outstanding performance from veteran Johni Broome, who had 20 points and 12 rebounds.
Duke led by double digits for much of the second half, but the Tigers came crawling back to cut it down to a two-possession game in the final minute. That deficit proved to be too much for Auburn, though, and the Blue Devils put the game away at the free throw line.
After early losses to Kentucky and Kansas, Duke finally has its signature win and got a major resume boost before the start of conference play. Luckily for Auburn, it came into the matchup having already beaten three top-15 teams, so a loss doesn't look too bad on the Tigers' schedule.
Otega Oweh, No. 4 Kentucky Disappoint CBB Fans in ACC/SEC Challenge Loss vs. Clemson
Dec 4, 2024
LEXINGTON, KENTUCKY - NOVEMBER 29: Mark Pope the head coach of the Kentucky Wildcats gives instructions to his team against the Georgia State Panthers at Rupp Arena on November 29, 2024 in Lexington, Kentucky. (Photo by Andy Lyons/Getty Images)
The SEC went 9-1 in the SEC/ACC Men's Challenge on Tuesday.
And that one loss came from the conference's most accomplished program.
Clemson stunned No. 4 Kentucky 70-66 and Littlejohn Coliseum in Tuesday's final clash between the ACC and SEC. It was the first loss of the season for Mark Pope's 7-1 Wildcats, while the Tigers improved to 8-1.
Ian Schieffelin notched a double-double of 11 points and 20 rebounds for the victors, although he was an ugly 4-of-20 from the field. He was one of four Tigers who scored in double figures, as Chauncey Wiggins (12 points) and Jaeden Zackery (11 points and four steals) also helped lead the way.
Otega Oweh did what he could for the Wildcats with 17 points and seven boards, but the offense struggled as a whole while shooting 38.1 percent from the field and 25.9 percent from deep.
Social media had some thoughts on the performance:
That was a very winnable game. I don’t think that Clemson team is all that good. But they totally out worked Kentucky
Still worry the Cats don’t have a guy who can go get his own shot at key moments against good defensive teams
I think a lot of the performance tonight is credit to Clemson, a poor shooting night for Kentucky, and 1st half foul trouble. Not a ton of huge coaching mistakes.
The one I will point out is the lack of Koby Brea minutes. He might be a minus defender, but he needs to get shots.
Big time win for Clemson over Kentucky. Tigers have played at a high level all season and get that validating victory.
Schieffelin was one of four Clemson players in double figures with a massive double-double (11 pts, 20 rebs). Also held Kentucky to just 7/28 from deep
Kentucky may have entered the game as the undefeated powerhouse, but Clemson set the tone in the early going.
The Tigers built a 37-30 halftime lead as Schieffelin dominated the boards. He was a point away from a double-double at intermission with nine points and 13 rebounds, while Zackery found his stroke from deep and created turnovers on the defensive side.
Clemson's defense made life particularly difficult on Kentucky's outside shooters, which prevented the visitors from establishing an offensive rhythm.
It was only a matter of time before the Wildcats made a run, though, and Oweh took over early in the second half. He hit from deep and got inside the lane as his team took the lead within the first five minutes after halftime.
Yet the Tigers didn't fold and instead had an answer seemingly every time Kentucky was about to seize control.
One of those answers with less than five minutes remaining was particularly loud, as a layup from Wiggins and then an and-1 from Zackery extended the advantage to eight. Zackery did a little bit of everything for stretches with an assist on a Viktor Lakhin triple and multiple transition opportunities.
Back-to-back baskets from Kentucky cut the deficit to four, but the visitors went cold when it mattered most. Lamont Butler's three-pointer with two seconds left was their only field goal in the last three minutes, which underscored the overall shooting woes.
They will look to bounce back in a high-profile showdown with Gonzaga on Saturday.
