Men’s basketball SEC Power Rankings Feb. 12: Vols fall back to pack

Last week: Lost to Florida Gators; Defeated Ole Miss Rebels

Last rank: 9th

The LSU Tigers did absolutely nothing to change their position in our SEC Power Rankings this week. Nothing says hitting par like losing to the Florida Gators on the road and then beating the Ole Miss Rebels at home.

In his first season at the helm, Will Wade has presided over a very inconsistent team all year. As a result, hitting par is probably something he was glad to do. After all, it’s been impossible to predict where this team would land on a weekly basis.

So staying in the same spot in our SEC Power Rankings this week is pretty remarkable. LSU, right now, is smack in the middle of the pack of SEC teams, just on the lower end at 5-7. But they have proven that on the right night they can play with anybody.

As a result, at 14-10, they are not completely out of the NCAA Tournament yet. Their No. 45 ranked strength of schedule gives them the No. 77 ranked RPI. That could shoot up with one hot streak to end the season.

Their final six games include road trips to the Alabama Crimson Tide, Georgia Bulldogs and South Carolina Gamecocks and home games against the Missouri Tigers, Vanderbilt Commodores and Mississippi State Bulldogs. If they can win all three home games and steal a road game, they could definitely enter the bubble talk. So don’t count this team out of the picture just yet.