The wide-open divisional races expected this winter in Southeastern Conference men’s basketball have been nothing of the sort.
Florida and Alabama are dominating their respective sides by three games in the win column with three weeks remaining in the regular season. Georgia and Vanderbilt are the only other teams currently with winning SEC marks, leaving their Wednesday night matchup in Athens as big as it gets these days in the league landscape.
“It will be a tremendous challenge, and it always is when we play them,” said Vandy coach Kevin Stallings, who has won twice in his last 10 trips to Stegeman Coliseum. “There is a lot at stake in the game as far as placement in the conference and in the divisional race, so we’re excited about the opportunity and feel good about how our team is playing.”
The Bulldogs and Commodores are each 6-4 in league games, with Florida 9-2 and fellow East teams (and former Top 10 members) Kentucky and Tennessee 5-5. Alabama’s 8-2 conference mark is safely ahead of the West logjam of Mississippi State (5-5), Arkansas (5-6) and Ole Miss (4-6).
The top two teams in each division receive first-round byes in the conference tournament.