The Pinnacle of College Hoops

All SEC 2nd Team
PG-Chris Warren, SO- Mississippi
PG-Ronald Steele, SR- Alabama
SG-Marcus Thorton, SR- LSU
PF-Tasmin Mitchell, JR- LSU
PF-Jarvis Varnado, JR- Mississppi State

All SEC 3rd Team
SG-Jodie Meeks, JR- Kentucky
SF-Alonzoe Gee, SR- Alabama
SF-Scotty Hopson, FR- Tenenssee
PF-Wayne Chism, JR-Tennessee
PF-JaMychal Green, FR- Alabama

Honorable Mention
SG-Eniel Polynice, JR- Mississippi
SG-Barry Stewart, JR- Mississippi State
SF-Chandler Parsons, SO- Florida
SF-Terrence Woodbury, SR- Georgia
PF-Dominique Archie, JR- South Carolina

All Freshman Team
SF-Scotty Hopson, Tennessee
PF-JaMychal Green, Alabama
PG-Courtney Fortson, Arkansas
SG-DeAndre Liggins, Kentucky
C-Kenny Kadji, Florida

Player of the Year
Nick Calathes, Florida

Freshman of the Year
Scotty Hopson, Tennessee

Defensive Player of the Year
Jarvis Varnado, MIssissippi State

Tournament teams
Florida, Tennessee, Alabama, Kentucky, Vanderbilt

#1 Florida Gators

National Rank #6
Projected Posteason- Elite 8
2008 Final Record 24-12 (8-8)
2008 Postseason- NIT Semis

Key Losses
C-Marreese Speights 6′11 255- 14.5ppg 8.1rpg 1.4blk 62%FG

Projected Starting Lineup
C-Kenny Kadji 6′10 250 FR- Top 35 Recruit
PF-Dan Werner 6′7 230 JR- 9.1ppg 6.4rpg 2.5apg 44%FG
SF-Chandler Parsons 6′8 200 SO- 8.1ppg 4.0rpg 47%FG 32%3pt
SG-Walter Hodge 6′1 175 SR- 10.4ppg 2.9apg 48%FG 37%3pt
PG-Nick Calathes 6′5 185 SO- 15.3ppg 5.2rpg 6.1apg 43%FG 37%3pt
Top Bench Players(in order)
PG-Jai Lucas 5′11 155 SO- 8.5ppg 2.3apg 46%FG 44%3pt
PF-Alex Tyrus 6′8 210 SO- 4.3ppg 2.6rpg 54%FG 54%FT
PF-Eloy Vargas 6′9 220 FR- Top 35 Recruit
SG-Rayford Shipman 6′4 185 FR- Top 75 Recruit
PF-Allan Chaney 6′8 230 FR- Top 100 Recruit
PG-Erving Walker 5′8 155 FR- Top 150 Recruit
SF-Adam Allen 6′8 205 SO- 4.0ppg 48%FG 42%3pt

Frontcourt
Losing Speights to the NBA draft hurts because he developed into a quality big man last year but Florida has more than enough depth and incoming talent to make up for the loss of Speights.  The only problem Donovan may have is trying to find enought minutes for all of his young and quality front court players. 
We’ll start with the returnees in Dan Werner, Chandler Parsons and Alex Tyrus.  Werner started all of last year and proved to be a capable offensive player even though he struggled with his shot and his lack of athleticsm and size hurt them defensively.  He is a good rebounder though and should be  considered a threat to score the basketball from all over the court.  However, don’t be surprised to see him lose out on some minutes this year to a player like Alex Tyrus.  Tyrus is a much more athletic player that would give Donovon more defense and energy. 
Parsons could be the sleeper player in the SEC this year and possibly the key to Florida’s ultimate success this year.  He is a very long and athletic talent that struggled with his shot last year.  However, he is a more than capable offensive player that can put the ball on the floor, create his own offense and get to the foul line.  If he can improve his jump shot and his overall offensive mentality he could develop into an All SEC player this year.
Now for the newcomers.  Florida adds three in Kenny Kadji, Eloy Vargas and Allan Chaney.  At least one will start and possibly two could be starting mid way through the year.  The most likely to start is Kadji because of his size, athleticism and defense at center.  He’s expected to come in and replace Speights and he should be able to on the defensive end but he won’t replace Speights offensive production.  Kadji is a strong and athletic big man with a lot of potential but his offensive game needs development. 
If Kadji is too raw to play right away than expect Vargas to get the shot inside.  Vargas is a more skilled offensive player.  He can step out to 17 feet and shoot the basketball as well as face up and score.  He’s still a little weak physically though and is not as good of a finisher isnide as Kadji but he’s just as athletic and active.  Allan Chaney is the most skilled offensively of the three incoming big men.  He can score inside and outside and has a very smooth offensive game for a player his size.  He’s not as athletic as the other two freshman though and may struggle defending in the post as a  freshman.

Backcourt
The back court is just as deep as the front court but more talented and proven.  It also includes the teams best player in NIck Calathes who many consider to be the preseason favorite to win Player of the Year in the SEC.  Calathes offensive skill set is second to none at the guard postion on the college level.  His ability to play smart but still create offense is simply phenomal.  His passing, ball handling and finishing ability make him a nightmare to defend.  His main weakness right now is his defense which needs to be improved.
Both Walter Hodge and Jai Lucas started last year and both may this year unless Donovon elects to go with a bigger and more defensive oriented lineup this year.  Hodge is the teams best on ball defender and a good outside shooter with a lot of experience on the college level.  He’s also a capable ball handler that can create offense off the bounce for others.  Lucas is the quickest player on the team and also has the ability to knock down shots from the perimeter.  He may be best suited coming off the bench this year and would give Florida energy, ball handling and offense behind Calathes and Hodge.
Two freshman in Rayford Shipman and Erving Walker will really have to fight hard in practice for playing time this season.  Shipman is a slasher who loves to get out in the full court and create havoc.  His perimeter shot needs a ton of work though and until he develops a better overall game he’ll likely be a role player off the bench.  Walker is probably about a year away from getting enough minutes in the rotation but he’s an extremely quick and skillful young guard.

Final Thoughts
Florida is one of the deepest teams in the country.  If not the deepest.  They have size, athleticism, point guard play, a ton of shooting and a good amount of experience.  Everything starts and stops with Nick Calathes.  He’s the teams catalyst and he’s a great floor general that can score the basketball at a very high rate.  He has scoring options on the perimeter in Hodge, Lucas, Parsons, Werner and Shipman and has a ton of athletes on the interior in Kadji, Tyrus, Vargas and Chaney to work with as well.  However, in order for Florida to take that next step and become a final four caliber team they will need someone step up as a reliable secondary scoring option behind Calathes.  That player may be Parsons and his development as a sophomore will prove crucial to just how far this Florida team goes in 09.

#2 Tennessee Volunteers

National Rank #13
Projected Postseason- Sweet 16
2008 Final Record 31-5 (14-2)
2008 Postseason- NCAA Second Round loss

Key Losses
SG-JaJuan Smith 6′2 190- 14.4ppg 2.3apg 46%FG 38%3pt
SG-Chris Lofton 6′2 185- 15.5ppg 1.8apg 40%FG 38%3pt
PG-Ramar Smith 6′2 200- 7.4ppg 3.2apg 44%FG 28%3pt
PF-Duke Crews 6′7 235- 5.4ppg 4.0rpg 51%FG 67%FT

Projected Starting Lineup
C-Wayne Chism 6′9 240 JR- 9.9ppg 5.8rpg 1.4blk 47%FG
PF-Tyler Smith 6′7 210 JR- 13.6ppg 6.7rpg 3.4apg 54%FG 38%3pt
SF-Scotty Hopson 6′5 185 FR- Top 10 Recruit
SG-J.P. Prince 6′6 180 JR- 8.0ppg 1.8apg 50%FG 15%3pt
PG-Bobby Maze 6′3 175 JR- Top 25 JUCO Transfer
Top Bench Players(In order)
PF-Emmanuel Negedu 6′7 240 FR- Top 50 Recruit
C-Brian Williams 6′10 265 SO- 2.8ppg 3.5rpg 60%FG 50%FT
SF-Renaldo Woolridge 6′7 185 FR- Top 100 Recruit
C-Phillip Jurick 6′11 250 FR- Top 100 Recruit
SG-Josh Tabb 6′4 190 JR- Played Sparingly
SF-Cameron Tatum 6′6 195 FR- Redshirted
PF-Ryan Childress 6′9 250 SR- Played Sparingly
PG-Daniel West 6′1 175 FR- Top 350 Recruit

Frontcourt
Both frontcourt starters return in Wayne Chism and Tyler Smith and Tennessee adds a number of talented recruits as well as sophomore big man Brian Williams inside.  Not many teams in the SEC will be able to match Tennessee’s size, depth and athleticism in the frontcourt.  Everything starts and stops with junior forward Tyler Smith.  He is one of the best all around players in the country.  He fills up a stat sheet like no one else can.  He scores inside, off the bounce as well as from the outside.  He defends, rebounds, passes and creates offense for others at a very high rate.  There is nothing Smith cannot do on the basketball court and that makes him one of the five best players in the SEC heading into the 09 season.
Chism is the teams best big man and is one of the most versatile big men in the SEC.  He can step outside and shoot the basketball as well as score with his back to the basket.  Chism’s defense and rebounding have improved and all he needs in order to become an All SEC player is more consistency and smarter decision making.
The prize recruit of this top five recruiting class is Scotty Hopson.  Hopson will play minutes at the wing from day one and he’ll give Tennessee an elite athlete that can put the ball on the floor and create his own offense.  He’s extremely quick off the bounce, has tremendous leaping ability and has a fundamental skill set that is needed in order to one day play in the NBA.
Tennessee has options off the bench as well with Brian Williams and freshmen Emmanueal Negadu, Phillip Jurick and Renaldo Wooldridge.  Williams is a skilled and smooth big man that has simply lacked the proper conditioning in order to play a good amount of minutes in Pearls uptempo brand of basketball.  Jurick is a very big and physical player in the same mold of Williams.  Neither big man is athletic but both score in the low post, rebound the basketball and take up space inside.  Woolridge is another freakish athlete that Pearl loves to throw out onto the court, however, this athlete might be a little too raw offensively to earn quality minutes this season.
Last but not least is one time Arizona commitment, freshman Emmanuel Negedu.  Negedu is a great athlete with outstanding upper and lower body strength.  He’s a little short in stature but makes up for it with his freakishly long arms.  He’ll play this year and could even start because of his ability to block shots and defend in the both the post and the open court.  Offensively, he’s raw and will get most of his points off of put backs and general garbage around the hoop.

Backcourt
The backcourt is not near as deep as the front court because of the losses of all three starting guards in Jajuan Smith, Chris Lofton and Ramar Smith.  That’s a lot to lose and for most programs would cripple a team.  The Volunteers back court will not be as lethal as it as has been in the past years but it’s far from lacking in talent.  J.P. Prince returns and he has argaubly more potential than anyone on the team and mabye even the entire SEC.  He’s an extremely versatile perimeter player that can play just about every position on the court.  This year he’ll likely be asked to do a little bit of everything.  His greatest asset as a player is his ball handling and length.  He can get to hoop at an alarming rate but must improve his decision making and at least attempt to become somewhat of a threat from behind the arc.
The point guard position is Tennessee’s weakest postion, at least in terms of depth.  Juco transfer Bobby Maze will have the job all to himself with Prince as his back up.  Maze is a very talented Junior College transfer who should be able to handle the job but injuries and foul trouble loom large and could crush this team quite easily.

Final Thoughts
It will be interseting to see what Pearl does with this group of kids.  In years past he has thrived off full court pressure and uptempo basketball but on paper this team of his appears to be more suited to play in a half court setting with their size, depth and athleticism up front to wear teams out.  Tyler Smith is the star of the team and he’s type of player that can carry a team on his back for stretches but Tennessee will need improvement and leadership from both Chism and Prince and will need instant impact from many of their newcomers, most notably, Scotty Hopson and Bobby Maze.  The depth, talent and athleticism is there but the ball handling, point guard play and perimeter shooting are serious question marks that may leave Tennessee just outside the elite teams in 09 and behind Florida in the SEC.

#3 Alabama Crimson Tide

National Rank #32
Projected Posteason- NCAA Second Round
2008 Final Record 17-16 (5-11)
2008 Posteason- None

Key Losses
PF-Richard Hendrix 6′8 255- 17.8ppg 10.1rpg 2.0blk 60%FG
SG-Mykal Riley 6′6 185- 14.9ppg 5.2rpg 45%FG 43%3pt

Projected Starting Lineup
C-Demetruis Jemison 6′7 235 JR- 5.6ppg 5.3rpg 46%FG 73%FT
PF-JaMychal Green 6′8 220 FR- Top 25 Recruit
SF-Alonzo Gee 6′6 215 SR- 14.5ppg 6.8rpg 42%FG 31%3pt
SG-Senario Hillman 6′2 195 SO- 4.3ppg 1.2apg 43%FG 15%3pt
PG-Ronald Steele 6′1 190 SR- Medical Redshirt
Top Bench Players(in order)
C-Yamene Coleman 6′9 240 JR- 2.3ppg 1.9rpg 45%FG 38%FT
SF-Tony Mitchell 6′6 180 FR- Top 50 Recruit
PG-Brandon Hollinger 5′11 165 SR- 6.3ppg 3.2apg 43%FG 43%3pt
PG-Mikhail Torrance 6′4 190 JR- 3.3ppg 2.4apg 46%FG 18%3pt
SG-Andrew Steele 6′3 200 FR- Top 100 Recruit
PF-Justin Knox 6′9 235 SO- Played Sparingly
PG-Anthony Brock 5′9 165 JR- Juco Transfer

Frontcourt
Alabama loses it’s best player in Richard Hendrix.  He was one of the more underrated players in the country last year.  His loss will be felt but it helps when you add a recruit the caliber of JaMychal Green.  Green is one of the most ready freshman big men entering college this year.  He’s extremely powerful with very long arms and will out work and out hustle just about every player he faces this season.  He doesn’t have tremendous size andhis low post game is still a work in progress but the kid has very soft hands, quick feet, is a great rebounder and will help improve Alabama defensively from the very moment he steps on the court.
The other interior position will be between Demetrius Jemison, Yamene Coleman and Justin Knox.  Jemison would be the best option offensively but he doesnt have the size or interior strength as that of Coleman or Knox.  Coleman has more experience than Knox and could be ready to step up and man the center position for the Tide this year.  None of these guys are great options to have but most of Alabama’s offense is going to be coming from the perimeter and not the interior anyway.
Alonzo Gee returns on the wing for Alabama and he’s the teams leading returning scorer and their most capable all around scorer.  Gee has the ability to put the ball on the floor, create his own offense and get to the foul line.  He’s not the best shooter in the world and he does tend to shoot a little too much.  Backing up Gee will be athletic freshman Tony Mitchell.  Mitchell is the teams best athlete and one of the best athletes in this year incoming freshman class.  He’ll give Bama a defensive athlete on the perimeter, a ton of energy off the bench and a dangerous player in the open court.

Backcourt
Exactly what type of season Alabama has rests on the shoulders of their injury riddled point guard, Ronald Steele.  When healthy Steele is one of the five best point guards in the country.  However, it’s unknown as to whether or not Steele is a shell of his former self or capable of doing the type of things that made him into an All-American at Alabama.  He tested the draft waters this summer and impressed quite a few scouts before choosing to return to school.  Steele gives Alabama leadership, shooting, ball handling and elite decision making at the point.  Don’t expet Steele to be an All-American guard this year but don’t be surprised if he’s an All SEC guard.
His running mate in the back court could be a number of different players.  Sophomore Senario Hillman has as good of shot as anyone at taking over as the teams starting two guard.  He’s another great athlete that should help improve Alabama’s defense with increased playing time.  He can really get to the hoop and finish above the rim.  However, his periemter shot and decision making leave much to be desired.
Brandon Hollinger is an experienced point guard who could start if Bama wants to play Ronald Steele off the ball as a shooter.  Hollinger is a stable lead guard with a good outside shot but he’s a liability defensively and will not create a lot of offense off the bounce.  Another player that could see some minutes is Ronald Steele’s younger brother, Andrew.  Andrew Steele is a very well built young guard that is more suited playing off the ball.  His jump shot needs some work though as does his ball handling but he’s another athlete that can defend.

Final Thoughts
Alabama struggled last year because they lacked reliable guard play and struggled defending teams.  This year they have more athletes and should be better defensively as a whole.  Guard play will most certainly be better if Steele can stay healthy and play at the level that Alabama fans are used to.  This is the type of team that is hard to predict going into a season but they have a lot of what  a team needs to be successful.  They have athletes, depth, an interior scoring presence in Green, a go to scorer in Gee, perimeter shooting and point guard play.  At least on paper they have all of these things.  In all comes down to the health of Ronald Steele.

#4 Kentucky Wildcats

National Rank #33
Projected Postseason- NCAA First Round
2008 Final Record 18-13 (12-4)
2008 Postseason- NCAA First Round loss

Key Losses
SG-Joe Crawford 6′4 200- 17.9ppg 2.1apg 47%FG 36%3pt
PG-Ramel Bradley 6′2 175- 15.9ppg 3.4apg 42%FG 38%3pt
PG-Derrick Japser 6′5 190- 4.2ppg 5.5rpg 2.4apg 43%FG

Projected Starting Lineup
C-Patrick Patterson 6′9 235 SO- 16.4ppg 7.7rpg 57%FG 73%FT
PF-Perry Stevenson 6′9 205 JR- 5.9ppg 5.1rpg 1.5blk 58%FG
SF-Ramon Harris 6′6 215 JR- 4.2ppg 3.5rpg 51%FG 60%FT
SG-Jodie Meeks 6′4 200 JR- 8.8ppg 1.5apg 31%FG 32%3pt
PG-DeAndre Liggins 6′6 185 FR- Top 35 Recruit
Top Bench Players(in order)
PG-Kevin Galloway 6′6 205 JR- Top 10 JUCO Transfer
SF-Darius Miller 6′6 215 FR- Top 50 Recruit
PF-Josh Harrellson 6′9 280 SO- JUCO Transfer
PG-Michael Porter 6′1 185 JR- 2.0ppg 1.1apg 31%FG 42%3pt
SF-A.J. Stewart 6′8 205 SO- Played Sparingly
C-Jared Carter 7′2 260 JR- Played Sparingly

Frontcourt
Kentucky returns both of their starting big men from last year and bring in a couple recruits that look to help out as well.  The star of the team is sophomore big man Patrick Patterson.  As a freshman he emerged as one of the most consistent big men in the SEC and as a sophomore figures to be the teams focal point offensively.  He’ll have to carry a lot of the scoring load with the losses in the back court and as long as he can stay healthy Kentucky should be able to compete at a very high level all year long.  Not many players in the country can match Patterson’s size, athleticism and skill set.  He’s one of the truly special players in college basketball this year.
His returning teammate inside is long and athletic big man Perry Stevenson.  Stevenson improved more than any player for Kentucky last year.  His defense and length are his greatest assets.  Offensively, he’s still rather raw but learned not to make silly mistakes as the year progressed last season.  This year his role figures to very similiar but he’ll get stiff competition from JUCO big man Josh Harrellson.  Harrellson would give Kentucky more offensive firepower and shooting which are two things that this Kentucky team figures to be lacking in quite a bit heading into the new season.  He’ll need to trim his weight down a little bit and improve his conditioning and he will not give Kentucky as much athleticism or defense as that of Stevenson.
The small forward position is going to be an interesting situation this year for Kentucky.  Ramon Harris returns and depending upon what Kentucky needs he could find his way into the starting lineup.  He’s Kentucky’s best on ball defender and he can rebound the basketball.  Offensively, he doesn’t offer much though.  Freshman Darius Miller is a much more skilled offensive player than Harris and would give Kentucky more ball handling and offensive versatility. 

Backcourt
Kentucky loses three players from it’s back court and return very little ball handling and experience.  The lone returnees are Jodie Meeks and Michael Porter.  Meeks was injured and rather ineffective for all of last year.  However, he’ll be needed this year in a very big way and he has the type of offensive game to deliver the neccessary results.  Meeks is Kentucky’s best and to an extent only perimeter shooting option.  Both he and Patterson will be asked to carry the scoring load this season and whether or not Meeks can both stay healthy and produce will determine much of Kentucky’s success this year.
The point guard position is Kentucky’s biggest question mark heading into the season.  They lose both of their point guards from last year in Ramel Bradley and Derrick Jasper.  Michael Porter returns but he figures to play behind two newcomers in DeAndre Liggins and Kevin Galloway.  Neither newcomer is a true point guard and both will have their fair share of ups and downs throughout the season but both are extremely talented young men. 
Galloway may be more ready to play from day one considering he already has college experience but he’s more of an unknown at the time.  He’s considered to be more of a pass first, shoot second guard with length and athleticism.  Liggins is very similiar to Galloway in size and ability.  Both players hover around 6′6 and neither has much of a perimeter shot to offer.  Liggins is a multi skilled point forward with very good vision and passing ability.

Final Thoughts
Kentucky has the potential to be a very dangerous team in 09 and could finish much higher than a first round exit in March.  Patterson is one of the very best big men in the country and they have size, athleticism and should be a good defensive team.  The questions that need answered are mostly in the back court.  Can Meeks step up and become a go to scorer?  Does this team have enough perimeter shooting to keep teams out of the lane and away from Patterson?  Does this team have a leader in the back court that can set up and run the offensive effectively?  One thing is for certain though and that’s that head coach Billy G has this program headed in the proper direction.

#5 Vanderbilt Commodores

National Rank #41
Projected Postseason- NCAA First Round
2008 Final Record 26-8 (10-6)
2008 Postseason- NCAA first round loss

Key Losses
SG-Shan Foster 6′6 195- 20.3ppg 4.9rpg 52%FG 47%3pt
PG-Alex Gordon 6′0 175- 10.8ppg 3.1apg 40%FG 40%3pt
PF-Ross Neltner 6′9 245- 8.3ppg 5.6rpg 45%FG 79%FT

Projected Starting Lineup
C-A.J. Ogilivy 6′10 250 SO- 17.0ppg 6.7rpg 1.4blk 59%FG 78%FT
PF-Steven Tchiengang 6′9 230 FR- Top 100 Recruit
SF-Andre Walker 6′7 210 SO- 2.4ppg 2.0rpg 38%FG 20%3pt
SG-Brad Tinsley 6′3 190 FR- Top 100 Recruit
PG-Jermaine Beal 6′3 200 JR- 7.6ppg 4.6apg 38%FG 32%3pt
Top Bench Players(In order)
PF-Lance Goulborne 6′7 200 FR- Top 100 Recruit
SG-George Drake 6′4 210 JR- Played Sparingly
PF-Darshawn McClellan 6′7 220 SO- 2.7ppg 3.0rpg 43%FG 50%FT
C-Festus Ezeli 6′11 245 FR- Redshirted
SF-Charles Hinkle 6′5 210 FR- Redshirted
PG-Elliot Cole 5′11 175 SO- Played Sparingly
PF-Joe Duffy 6′8 225 SO- Played Sparingly
SF-Jeff Taylor 6′7 190 FR- Top 400 Recruit

Frontcourt
The true strength of this Vanderbilt team will come from their frontcourt this year.  They’ll be led by one of the very best players in the country in Australian big man A.J. Ogilvy.  He’s one of the most skilled offensive big men in the country.  In the low post he is as polished and as talented as anyone in the country.  Add to the fact that he has tremendous size and a very good understanding of how to operate on the low block and you have arguably the most complete offensive low post player in the country.  With Ogilivy’s skill set inside, Vanderbilt should be able to throw the ball inside to him just about whenever they want and get some sort of production out of it.
The question becomes what does Vanderbilt have to offer outside of Ogilivy.  What they have are two very good offensive freshman in Lance Goulborne and Steven Tchiengang.  The problem is that they’re both freshman and they both play the same position.  Tchiengang has thje bigger body and is considered a slightly better shooter from the outside which could give him the edge.  He’ll give Vanderbilt more size and rebounding and should be able to spread defenses with his excellent shooting ability to keep defenses out of the paint so that Ogilivy can operate inside. 
Goulborne will see get minutes too though and could possibly start ahead of his fellow freshman teammate.  He’s the slightly better athlete and has an offensive game that really flows within an offense.  He can also step outside and shoot the basketball at a high rate.  Neither fershman has the ability to put the ball on the floor and create their own offense though.
The other forward position will likely come down to a pair of sophomores in Andre Walker and Darshawn McClellan.  Neither has the offensive skill set from the perimeter like the two freshman but both are better athletes and would give Vanderbilt more defense.  Walker is the more natural fit at the wing but his offensive skills need some serious refining.  McClellan is really more of a rebounding and low post forward at this stage in his career and will more than likely be used off the bench for energy.

Backcourt
The backcourt is not near as deep or as talented as the frontcourt.  Vanderbilt loses two starters from it’s three guard lineup last year in Shan Foster and Alex Gordon.  Shan Foster was the SEC Player last year and his loss will be greatly felt.  He was one of the best and most efficent scorers and one of the deadly shooters the SEC has seen in quite some time.  No one will be able to replace his offense this season but incoming freshman Brad Tinsley will try his best.  Tinsley is an absolute dead eye shooter with a very high basketball IQ.  He may even be asked to play a little point guard this year as well.  However, he doesn’t have Fosters length, athleticism or creative ability off the bounce.
Vanderbilt does return Jermaine Beal though at the point guard position.  Beal is not a natural point guard but he understands the offense, is intelligent, makes great decisions and takes great care of the basketball.  He’s not a deadly shooter and won’t beat that many people off the dribble but at the same time he’s not going to lose any games for Vanderbilt with foolish plays either.
Behind Beal and Tinsley there is very little depth.  Players like George Drake, Charles Hinkle and Elliot Cole may need to have bigger roles on the roster this year, however, it’s unclear as to whether or not any of them are capable of bringing much to the table for Vanderbilt in 09.

Final Thoughts
Anytime you have a player like A.J. Ogilivy on the interior and experienced lead guard play in Jermaine Beal you have the starting blocks for a competitive team which is what Vanderbilt most certainly will be this year.  The qusetion though is how competitive?  NIT or NCAA competitive?  A lot of that will depend on the freshmen and Vanderbilt brought in three very talented ones in Goulborne, Tchiengang and Tinsley.  All three will likely need to contribute and possibly start.  As of now it appears as though Vanderbilt should be able to score the basketball although not at the efficient rate that they scored it last year.  Defense, however, is still an issue and the teams depth is rather thin.  Vanderbilt will more than likely be a bubble team in 09.

#6 LSU Tigers

National Rank  #50
Projected Postseason- NIT
2008 Final Record 13-18 (6-10)
2008 Postseason- None

Key Losses
PF-Anthony Randolph 6′10 205- 15.6ppg 8.5rpg 2.3blk 46%FG

Projected Starting Lineup
C-Chris Johnson 6′10 210 SR- 11.6ppg 6.6rpg 2.6blk 53%FG
PF-Tasmin Mitchell  6′7 230 JR- Medical Redshirt
SF-Terry Martin 6′5 205 SR- 8.3ppg 2.5rpg 37%FG 31%3pt
SG-Marcus Thornton 6′4 200 SR- 19.6ppg 5.6rpg 44%FG 38%3PT
PG-Garrett Temple 6′6 190 SR- 6.4ppg 3.6apg 39%FG 31%3pt
Top bench players(in order)
PF-Storm Warren 6′7 220 FR- Top 100 Recruit
SF-Delwan Graham 6′6 220 FR- Top 125 Recruit
PG-Bo Spencer 6′0 180 SO- 3.4ppg 1.4apg 32%FG 32%3pt
PF-Quinton Thorton 6′8 230 SR- Played Sparingly
SG-Alex Farrer 6′5 195 JR- 3.0ppg 1.7rpg 38%FG 24%3pt
PG-Chris Bass 6′1 170 FR- Top 300 Recruit
PF-Garret Green 6′9 220 SO- Played Sparingly
PF-Dennis Harris 6′10 205 FR- Top 400 Recruit

Frontcourt
There is good news and bad news this year in the front court.  The good news is LSU gets Tasmin Mitchell back from the injury and the bad news is they lost Anthony Randolph to the NBA.  Randolph was a one and done type of talent that put up good numbers as a freshman but probably was not as valuable to the team as his numbers would have indicated.  Randolph could score, rebound and block shots but he wasn’t an efficient scorer and was out of position on defense quite a bit.  Tasmin Mitchell is not as athletic as Randolph and doesn’t have quite as much raw talent but he’s probably the better college player.  Mitchell will give LSU more leadership, experience and toughness.  He’s the teams best all around player, he’s a versatile inside/outside scorer and a proven winner.
Chris Johnson returns as a starter from last year on the interior.  He’s a very slender athlete that has the ability to slash to the hoop, block shots and can really get out and run the in the open court.  However, he’s extremely thin, tends to float on the perimeter and does not respond well to contact or physical play at all.
Another player that returns from last year is small forward Terry Martin.  Martin is a shooter but he has realy struggled with his shot while at LSU and in return has actually hurt the team more than he has helped them.  However, Martin has the talent and skill set to be a capable outside shooter for LSU and whether or not he develops the confidence in his shot will determine not only how much he plays but likely also the amount of the success the Tigers have in 09.
LSU has two talented freshman that could see starting minutes in the frontcourt.  Storm Warren is an undersized warrior on the interior.  He’s a kid that is not going to give head coach Trent Johnson back to the basket scoring but he will give LSU some rebounding, interior defense and a lot of energy and toughness.  Graham is considered to be a sleeper heading into the season.  Not a lot of people considered Graham a high prospect coming out of high school but the kid can flat out score the basketball.  He has a nice outside shot and is athletic, strong and explosive enough to get into the lane and finish around the hoop.  If Terry Martin continues to struggle with his shot don’t be surprised to see one of these freshman step in as starters in the frontcourt alongside Mitchell and Johnson.

Backcourt
LSU has not had effective lead guard play for what feels like forever now and that has been a big part of this team teams struggles the past two seasons.  Garrett Temple has, to say the least, struggled handling the point guard duties the last couple of years but LSU has yet to bring in anyone that can help relieve Temple of his duties.  It’s likely that Temple be will be asked to run the offense once again this year.  He’s had three years now to develop his ability to run the offense and while he’s still not a great option at the point, he is at least a servicable option.  One positive that Temple continues to bring the team though is his athletic defensive play on the perimeter. 
The other guard spot goes to senior Marcus Thorton.  He’s the teams leading returning scorer and one of the best shooting guards in the SEC.  Thorton gives LSU a consistent go to scorer that can be relied on game in and game out to put points up on the scoreboard.  Don’t be surprised to see him possibly lead the SEC in scoring this year.
If Temple struggles at the point than LSU will go to either Bo Spencer or freshman Chris Bass.  Bass is the younger brother of one time LSU great Brandon Bass.  Chris figures to be a work in progress though.  Spencer is more or less a below average SEC player with a very limited skill set.  Needless to say, neighter is a very good option at the piont.

Final Thoughts
The last couple seasons have been very difficult for LSU fans.  High expections and underachieving teams.  This year, however, feels different and that’s mostly because they bring in a very promsing coach in Trent Johnson and return their best player in Tasmin Mitchell from injury.  This team is filled with question marks but the answer might be the head coach because this is a team with talent that may have just needed proper direction the past couple seasons.  They have a low post scorer and leader in Mitchell, they have length, experience and athleticism with Johnson and Temple, perimeter firepower with Thorton and Martin and two freshman that appear ready to contribute in Warren and Graham.  The talent is there, the athleticism is there, the experience is there and now maybe the leadership is finally there.  Does all this add up to an NCAA Tournament appearance though?  Probably not.  They still have shaky lead guard, inconsistent periemter shooting and not enough size inside to defend and rebound the basketball at a high  enough level.

#7 South Carolina Gamecocks

National Rank- Outside the top 50
Projected Postseason- NIT
2008 Final Record 14-18 (5-11)
Postseason- None

Key Losses
SG-Dwayne Day 6′5 185- 5.1ppg 3.7rpg 37%FG 25%3pt

Projected Starting Lineup
C-Mike Holmes 6′7 235 SO- 8.5ppg 5.7rpg 50%FG 62%FT
PF-Dominique Archie 6′7 205 JR- 10.6ppg 5.7rpg 49%FG 67%FT
SF-Evaldas Baniulis 6′6 200 JR- 5.4ppg 2.2rpg 43%FG 44%3pt
SG-Zam Frederick 6′1 210 SR- 14.8ppg 3.2apg 40%FG 35%3pt
PG-Devan Downey 5′10 175 JR- 18.4ppg 5.4apg 3.2stl 42%FG 35%3pt
Top Bench Players(In order)
SG-Brandis Raley-Ross 6′2 180 JR- 6.0ppg 0.9apg 49%FG 51%3pt
PF-Sam Muldrow 6′8 210 SO- 3.1ppg 3.5rpg 1.blk 48%FG
C-Mitchell Carter 6′11 250 SO- Played Sparingly
PF-Austin Steed 6′8 205 FR- Redshirted
PG-Robert Wilder 6′1 185 SO- Played Sparingly

Frontcourt
The frontcourt simply just does not have a lot ot offer.  There is not a tremendous amount of skill, size, athleticism, depth or experience.  Both Holmes and Archie are nice players but nothing great and both are undersized at their respective positions.  Archie does, however, give USC an athletic and versatile defender with fairly solid and developing offensive skills.  If Holmes were able to play at his more natural position at the power forward spot he would be a more effective post option, however, while he tries hard and works hard he is simply too undersized to be a truly efficient low post scoring presence and to top it off he’s a defensive liability at his position.
Off the bench USC has options with Sam Muldrow, Mitchell Carter and Austin Steed.  Muldrow is a physical player that can block shots and rebound but is very ineffective on the offensive end.  Carter has yet to put his skills and size together but if he does he could be the key piece to the puzzle for Dave Odoms team.  He came in as a somewhat highly recruited big man but has yet to make a physical impact on the team.  Better conditioning and work ethic are key.
Evaldas Baniulis is used only as a shooter but he’s a solid shooter.  Dave Odom would prefer to play a bigger lineup and bring Baniulis off the bench but that would have to involve Mitchell Carter developing into a reliable low post player and it is yet to be determined whether or not that is a possiblity this year.

Backcourt
USC road their back court last year to a 14-18 record and they’ll once again have to ride that same back court this year.  It is indeed a good back court but there is little depth behind Frederick and Downey and the coaching staff brought in absolutely no one in the recruiting class to help out. It’s nice to bring back your starting back court but is that going to be enough to get USC over the hump?
One thing is for sure though and that’s that Devan Downey is one of, if not the best guard in the entire country.  Devan Downey can flat out play basketball.  No returning player in the country averaged 18 points, 5 assists and 3 steals last year.  He’s relied on more heavily by his team than just about any player in the country and the pint sized guard is about as consistent a player as a coach could hope for.
Downeys running mate is senior guard Zam Frederick.  Frederick is a good but not great combo guard.  His numbers last year were good in terms of the totals but in terms of efficiency they were below average.  He’ll be asked yet again to carry much of the scoring load because outside of Downey the team has very little to offer in that department.
Off the bench USC has Brandis Raley-Ross.  Ross gives USC an accurate outside shooter and reliable ball handler.  However, Ross is not a playmaker, he cannot create his own offense and he’s undersized.

Final Thoughts
USC returns a lot of experience and a lot of minutes from last year but they added absolutely nothing in the recruiting class and will still be an undersized team with average overall talent and very little depth.  Having Downey run the team is a blessing as he truly is an elite player on the national level but after Downey there is a huge drop off in talent.  Players like Frederick, Archie and Holmes are role players that are all playing out of position.  With that being said there is absolutely no reason to think that USC shouldn’t be improved from lat year considering they return basically the entire team but it’s unlikely that they will be improved enough to get a birth into the NCAA Tournament in 2009.

#8 Mississippi State Bulldogs

National Rank- Outside the top 50
Projected Postseason- NIT
2008 Final Record 23-11 (12-4)
2008 Postseason- NCAA 2nd round loss

Key Losses
SG-Jamont Gordon 6′4 225- 17.2ppg 6.6rpg 4.9apg 42%FG
C-Charles Rhodes 6′9 245- 17.4ppg 7.8rpg 1.4blk 56%FG
SG-Ben Hansbrough 6′2 190- 10.5ppg 2.6apg 42%FG 36%3pt

Projected Starting Lineup
C-Jarvis Varnado 6′9 215 JR- 7.9ppg 7.8rpg 4.6blk 64%FG
PF-Romero Osby 6′8 215 FR- Top 50 Recruit
SF-Ravern Johnson 6′7 180 SO- 2.5ppg 1.0rpg 48%FG 29%3pt
SG-Barry Stewart 6′2 170 JR- 11.5ppg 2.6apg 38%FG 33%3pt
PG-Dee Bost 6′2 175 FR- Top 100 Recruit
Top Bench Players(In order)
PF-Brian Johnson 6′8 245 JR- 2.3ppg 2.2rpg 63%FG 77%FT
SG-Phil Turner 6′3 175 SO- 4.0ppg 2.8rpg 33%FG 30%3pt
SF-Kodi Augustus 6′7 220 SO- Played Sparingly
SG-Antiquan Beckham 6′4 185 FR- Top 200 Recruit
PF-Elgin Bailey 6′8 265 SO- Played Sparingly
SG-Riley Benock 6′4 180 SO- Played Sparingly

Frontcourt
The Bulldogs are losing their lone interior scoring option in Charles Rhodes but they are returning one of the very best interior defenders and shot blockers in the country in Jarvis Varnado.  Last season, with increased playing time, Varnado was ability to develop his offensive game and display his overall defensive dominance.  With Varnado back, Mississippi State should once again be right at the top in terms of defense in the SEC.
However, it’s the offensive end of the court where the Bulldogs are likely going to struggle.  They don’t have anyone that can or will replace Rhodes interior production on offense.  Big man Brian Johnson returns and gives the Bulldogs a strong interior player that can rebound the basketball and take up space but he gives them very little offense.
Mississippi State has a number of talented but young and extremely inexperienced players in Romero Osby, Ravern Johnson, Kodi Augustus and Elgin Bailey that will need to step up this season in order for the Bulldogs to compete in the SEC.  With the exception of possibly Osby these are the types of players that coaches typically would rather have another year to work with before throwing them out on the court.  Unfortunetly for Rick Stansbury he does not appear to have that option.
Osby is the most promising of this group as he has an NBA ready body and a versatile enough offensive game to play on the SEC level.  Osby is an inside/outside threat that is long, sleek and athletic.  He has a nice outside shot and has the ability to finish around the rim with both hands.  His defense will need work though as he lacks intensity on the interior and doesn’t have the defensive skill set to defend on the perimeter just yet.
Ravern Johnson is a very athletic wing player that has the ability to shoot the ball from the perimeter.  However, his handle needs work and he’s still extremely thin and will need to have added some muscle in the offseason in order to crack the starting lineup.  Augustus is more built and has a better body than Johnson but his offensive game is still developing.  He has the body of a big man but the game of a wing player.  Bailey is a husky and big bodied low post scorer that wasn’t in good enough shape to get minutes as a freshman.

Backcourt
Last season the Bulldogs went with a three guard lineup with Gordon, Hansbrough and Stewart.  Gordon left school to play pro ball somewhere and Hansbrough transfered to Notre Dame which leaves only Stewart to return and a host of very green newcomers and returnees to fill in the gaps.  Barry Stewart will need to be a much more reliable and consistent offensive performer as a junior.  He’s the teams leading returning scorer and most proven offensive threat.  He’s a streaky outside shooter that has good quickness and can get to the hoop.  He’ll be asked this year to be the teams go to scorer.
The other guard spot will likely be between two freshmen in Dee Bost and Antiquan Beckham.  Bost is the more highly regarded of the two but Beckham maybe the most ready to play.  Beckham is a pass first guard with good size but doesn’t have the breakdown ability or explosiveness of Bost.  Bost would give Stansbury more offense at the point but also more headaches.  Either way, Mississippi State will be breaking in a new point guard unless they elect to go with Stewart at the point.
Another player who may have a shot at starting is sophomore combo guard Phil Turner.  Turner really struggled as a freshman with his shooting but he’s the third most experienced player on the roster behind Varnado and Stewart.  Unfortunetly, he’s not a point guard and the Bulldogs will not be going with a three guard lineup this year so unless Stewart runs the point, it’s more than likely that Turner will be coming off the bench in 09.

Final Thoughts
The Bulldogs lose a lot of talent and experience from last year.  Rhodes, when healthy, was one of the most effective low post scorers in the SEC, Gordon was one of the most talented all around players in the country and losing Hansbrough just adds to the fire.  This team was a team that won with their defensive last year though and their defense should not drop off drastically despite losing three starters.  However, this was an average at best offensive team last year and they lose arguably their three most effective and capable offensive players.  If players like Ravern Johnson and Kodi Augustus can develop into reliabe players as sophomores and the freshman class can hold it’s own than this team would have a shot at making the NCAA Tournament because of their ability to defend the basketball in the half court setting.  In the end though this team is probably just too young and a little too raw offensively to do any real damage in the SEC this season.

#9 Mississippi Rebels

National Rank- Outside the top 75
Projected Postseason- NIT
2008 Final Record 24-11 (7-9)
Postseason- NIT Semifinals

Key Losses
C-Dwayne Curtis 6′9 275- 14.9ppg 9.6rpg 63%FG 67%FT
PF-Kenny Williams 6′8 240- 8.5ppg 6.6rpg 53%FG 49%FT

Projected Starting Lineup
C-Malcom White 6′8 225 SO- Played Sparingly
PF-Terrance Henry 6′9 190 FR- Top 75 Recruit
SF-Eniel Polynice 6′4 200 JR- 10.7ppg 5.3rpg 4.1apg 45%FG 27%3pt
SG-David Huertas 6′3 190 JR- 10.7ppg 1.9apg 38%FG 36%3pt
PG-Chris Warren 5′11 170 SO- 15.8ppg 4.5apg 40%FG 39%3pt
Top Bench Players(in order)
SF-Terrico White 6′6 200 FR- Top 100 Recruit
SF-Murphy Holloway 6′7 200 FR- Top 125 Recruit
SG-Trevor Gaskins 6′2 205 SO- 5.9ppg 1.1apg 37%FG 39%3pt
SF-Zach Graham 6′4 220 SO- 5.9ppg 2.7rpg 46%FG 43%3pt
PF-Kevin Cantinol 6′9 240 FR- Redshirted
PF-DeAndre Cranston 6′8 245 FR- Top 300 Recruit
SF-Brandon Wilson 6′5 190 FR- Top 250 Recruit
PG-Will Bogan 6′1 175 FR- Top 400 Recruit

Frontcourt
Ole Miss loses their two starting interior post players in Curtis and Williams as well as their top back up in Jeremy Parnell.  That’s a lot of size and experience to lose in one year.  Curtis was one of the most efficient offensive finishers in all of college basketball last season.  He was also easily one of the best rebounders in the country.  With Curtis and Williams inside Ole Miss was able to outrebound and outmuscle most of their opponents last year.  That is most certainly not going to be the case this year as Ole Miss lacks a great amount of size and experience on the interior..
The only post players that return are Malcom White and Kevin Cantinol.  White played a total of a 173 minutes last year and Cantinol redshirted.  White has a decent amount of potential but struggled finding the time to play last year behind Curtis, Williams and Parnell. 
The recruiting class adds very little size and strength but does add some athleticism and length with Terrance Henry, Murphy Holloway and Terrico White.  All three freshman will be asked to play right away. 
Henry is the only “post” player of the three and is also the most highly touted.  He’s a long, athletic and lanky lefty that is very active around the rim and can get out in transition and runs like a guard.  However, he needs to put on some serious muscle and his interior offensive game is extremely raw and unproductive.  Holloway gives Ole Miss an outside shooter with good size.  He can also run and jump and will help out on the glass as much as he possibly can.  He’s considered to be the most ready of the recruits for Ole Miss.  White on the other hand is a silky smooth scorer from the wing who will have to fight out one of the three returning starting guards for minutes.

Backcourt
This will be the Rebels strength in 2009.  They return all three starters and have one of the most underrated players in the country in sophomore lead guard Chris Warren.  The Rebels will go as far as Warren can take them this year.  He’s one of the most complete all around offensive guards in the country because of his quick release and deadly outside shot but he can also get into the lane with his quickness and create offense for himself as well as his teammates.  He’ll likely need to take on more of a scoring role this year with more of a spread out attack because of the losses inside.
The other returning guards are Eniel Polynice and David Huertas.  Polynice is a well built guard that is most effective in the open court or when he’s attacking the hoop.  He’s arguably the teams best ball handler and is also the teams leading returning rebounder.  Huertas was used mostly as an outside shooter last year.  He’s a fearless shooter that’s not afraid to huck up three pointers whenever and wherever.  That sometimes can be a good thing and a bad thing but one thing is for sure and that is unless Huertas improves his ball handling, he’ll likely lose some of his minutes to one of the incoming freshman.
Sophomores Zach Graham and Trevor Gaskins will give Ole Miss a little bit of firepower off the bench.  Gaskins is used for his shooting and very little else while Graham is a strong and sturdy forward that is effective at drawing contact and getting to the foul line.

Final Thoughts
Andy Kennedy is an up and coming head coach and Chris Warren is one of the best lead guards in the country and that gives Ole Miss a solid foundation to work with this year.  However, they’re going to have to rely heavily on their back court for offensive support this year because they have very very little to offer on the inside.  Interior scoring and offensive rebounding will not be strengths for this team like they were last year and that will greatly effect them on the offensive end.  Defensively, they should be improved as they add more athleticism and length but they were not exactly a good defensive team last year.  Anytime you have guard play like Ole Miss though you’ll have a chance to compete and this will be a competitive team that should be able to make the NIT.

#10 Arkansas Razorbacks

National Rank- Outside the top 75
Projected Postseason- None
2008 Final Record 23-12 (9-7)
2008 Postseason- NCAA Tournament 2nd round loss

Key Losses
SF-Sonny Weems 6′6 200- 15.0pg 4.5rpg 2.6apg 46%FG 37%3pt
SG-Patrck Beverly 6′2 175- 12.1ppg 6.6rpg 2.4apg 41%FG 38%3pt
C-Darian Townes 6′10 250- 12.1ppg 5.5rpg 60%FG 62%FT
PG-Gary Ervin 6′0 180- 9.5ppg 3.8apg 43%FG 29%3pt
PF-Charles Thomas 6′7 235- 9.2ppg 4.5rpg 52%FG 73%FT
C-Steven Hill 7′0 245- 4.2ppg 2.9blk 68%FG

Projected Starting Lineup
C-Michael Sanchez 6′8 235 FR- Redshirted
PF-Michael Washington 6′9 230 JR- 4.3ppg 3.9rpg 41%FG 62%FT
SF-Montrell McDonald 6′6 205 JR- Top 25 Juco
SG-Rotnei Clarke 6′1 185 FR- Top 100 Recruit
PG-Courtney Fortson 5′11 175 FR- Top 50 Recruit
Top Bench Players(in order)
SF-Jason Henry 6′6 180 FR- Top 75 Recruit
SG-Stefan Welsh 6′2 180 JR- 5.3ppg 2.1apg 36%FG 33%3pt
PF-Andre Clark 6′10 205 FR- Top 175 Recruit
PF-Brandon Moore 6′9 215 FR- Top 175 Recruit
SG-Marcus Britt 6′3 180 SO- Played Sparingly
SG-Levan Patsatsia 6′6 205 SO- Played Sparingly

Frontcourt
No team in the SEC lost more frontcourt talent than that of Arkansas.  They lost all three starters in Townes, Thomas and Weems as well as top back ups in Steven Hill and Vincent Hunter.  That’s a lot to lose and it’s enough to lose that it will likely take Arkansas a couple years to get back to form.  They do bring in a healthy dose of athletic and talented young recruits though.  Juco Transfer Montrell McDonald is the type of recruit that is physicaly mature and ready to play from day one.  He’ll likely replace Sonny Weems at the wing position, however, who starts on the interior is up for grabs. 
Michael Washington is the only post player on the team with any college basketball experience at all.  That should give him an edge heading into the season but don’t be surprised to see athletic freshmen like Andre Clark, Brandon Moore and Michael Sanchez eat up some of his minutes. 
Especially Sanchez who could a sleeper player in the SEC this season.  He had a busy summer playing for the U21 USA team and is the teams most gifted low post player right now.  Clark and Moore are long and athletic forwards that haven’t yet developed their offensive games and need to really hit the weight room in order to play against SEC competition.
Last but not least is freshman wing Jason Henry.  He’s arguably the most touted of all the incoming freshmen.  He’ll give Arkansas an extremely athletic wing player that can leap, slash and attack the hoop.  Not many players in the SEC will be able to match Henry’s raw athleticism and he could be a deadly threat in the open court.  His perimeter game, shot and handle need a little refining though.

Backcourt
The loss of Patrick Beverly to grades is a big loss.  Add to the fact that they’re also losing inconsistent but starting point guard Gary Ervin and you have a situation where Arkansas also loses both of their starters in the back court as well as the front court.  With Beverly this is a team that could compete for a possible NCAA Tournament birth but without his leadership, experience, versatility, defense and all around talent, Arkansas will likely be fighting for an NIT birth insead.  The good news though is that Arkansas brought in two very talented young guards in Courtney Fortson and Rotnei Clarke and they return junior guard Stefan Welsh to boot.
Fortson is an extremely dynamic lead guard that is unquestionably good enough to run the offense from day one.  He’ll have his fair share of ups and downs as a freshman but as a whole this is a kid with a very bright future at Arkansas.  First off, he plays with heart and competes at a very high level.  He’s a quick lefty that is heady and can penetrate at will.  HIs outside shot is a little streaky and he can tend be a bit turnover prone at times when he tries to do too much.
Rotnei Clarke is a undersized two guard who has the ability to run an offense but is more suited towards playing off the ball.  He’s one of the best shooters in this freshman class.  In fact some pundits and recruiting gurus have even gone as far as to say that he is the best incoming shooter in the country.  Whether he is or isn’t doesn’t really matter because he can flat shoot the basketball.  There is no question about that. 
Off the bench Arkansas will have Stefan Welsh who depending upon how the freshman play could wind up starting at some point in the season.  He struggled last season with his jumpshot but he’s proven in the past that he has the ability to score the basketball from the deep and as one of the few upperclassmen on the team he will be called upon to be more of a leader and more of a consistent performer which he is capable of doing.

Final Thoughts
The Razorbacks recruiting class is a good one but it’s not good enough to replace five starters and that’s just what Arkansas is losing from last year.  Newcomers like McDonald, Fortson, Clarke and Henry will be ready to play and will give Arkansas fans something to chear about for the future but this is a team that lacks way too much experience to be considered a conteder in 2009.  They don’t have a player heading into the season that they can rely on to score the basketball and interior defense and rebounding could be an issue as well.  It’s also not a good thing to have to break in a new point guard when you lose so much experience and talent from the year before.  That being said this is still a talented team yet youth team and it’s a program that is heading in the right direction under second year head coach John Pelphrey.  Unfortunetly, they’re probably about a year away from really competiting at a high level in the SEC.

#11 Auburn Tigers

National Rank- Outside the top 100
Projected Postseason- None
2008 Final Record 14-16 (4-12)
2008 Postseason- None

Key Losses
PF-Quan Prowell 6′8 215- 15.0ppg 6.3rpg 54%FG 41%3pt
SG-Frank Tolbert 6′4 205- 13.4ppg 5.2rpg 43%FG 31%3pt

Projected Starting Lineup
C-Johnie Lett 6′9 240 JR- Juco Transfer
PF-Korvotney Barber 6′7 225 SR(10 games)- 13.8ppg 6.9rpg 1.3blk 72%FG
SF-Rasheem Barrett 6′4 220 SR- 13.6ppg 4.0rpg 44%FG 34%3pt
SG-Dewayne Reed 6′0 175 JR- 8.9ppg 3.7apg 35%FG 30%3pt
PG-Quantez Robertson 6′2 195 SR- 7.8ppg 5.0rpg 4.1apg 2.1stl 41%FG
Top Bench Players(in order)
C-Boubacar Sylla 7′1 275 FR- Redshirted
PG-Tony Neysmith 6′3 190 SO- Transfer from Oklahoma
PG-Frankie Sullivan 6′1 185 FR- Top 100 recruit
SF-Lucas Hargrove 6′5 195 JR- 7.8ppg 4.4rpg 48%FG 35%3pt
C-Brendon Knox 6′10 225 JR- Juco Transfer
PF-Kenny Kabriel 6′8 200 FR- Top 200 Recruit
SG-Tay Walker 6′2 180 JR- Juco Transfer
PF-Francis Aine 6′9 215- JR= Juco Transfer

Frontcourt
Auburn was one of the worst defensive teams in the country last season and a lot of that was because of their lack of size inside.  Their two best interior players in Josh Dollard and Korvotney Barber both went down with injuries and freshman big man Boubcar Sylla redshirted to prepare for this season.  That left Auburn with very little size, interior defense or rebounding and it forced them to play with a smaller and less effective lineup.  However, this season Auburn will have Barber as well as redshirt big man Sylla.  They’re also bringing in a host of newcomers that will add size and athleticism in Lett, Knox, Aine and Gabriel.  The loss of Quan Prowell will hurt as he was a mismatch nightmare for opposing teams but the improved depth, size and defense should more than make up for his loss.
The most likely candidate to start inside based on production and experience is Barber.  He’s undersized inside at 6′7 and doesn’t offer a lot of muscle but he’s one of the most active and athletic post players in the SEC.  Redshirt frehsman Sylla is a darkhorse option to start inside because of his incredible size and shot blocking ability but Juco transfer Johnnie Lett gives them athleticism, rebounding, strength and a lot more mobility and offense than that of Sylla.  Knox is a lanky and athletic prospect who’s a little raw right now but is good enough to contribute.  Freshman Gabriel is an athletic forward who’s still developing and doesn’t have an interior offensive game at the moment.

Backcourt
Auburn loses attacking guard Frank Tolbert who was effective at getting into the lane and scoring the basketball last season.  Auburn fans are hoping that freshman guard Frankie Sullivan will be able to pick up Tolberts slack offensively.  Sullivan is an atheltic combo guard that can really create his own shot and offense off of the bounce.  Don’t be surprised to see him supplant Dewayne Reed in the starting lineup before too long. 
Quantez Robertson is one of the most experienced guards in not only the SEC but in the country.  He’s been running the teams “offense” for the past three seasons and while the Tigers have had very little success in that time span it’s still nice to have an experienced lead guard like Robertson.  Robertson is not an All SEC talent but he does get after it defensively, has the ability to get into the lane and create offense, is very strong and well built and is one of the better rebounding guards in the country.
Auburn has a fair amount of the depth in the back court with returning starter Dewayne Reed and incoming trasnfer Tony Neysmith.  Neysmith was a top 100 recruit two seasons ago for Oklahoma.  He’s good enough to come in and start alonside Robertson in the back court which would give Auburn more ball handling options and more size.  Reed’s minutes should diminish a little with the additions of Neysmith and Sullivan but Reed is an explosive and attacking guard that is not afraid to pull the trigger from deep and has the ability to create offense in the open court.
Last but not least is the teams leading returning scorer in Rasheem Barrett.  He’s the teams most proven prerimeter scoring option.  He has the ability to shoot it from deep although he’s streaky and he’s quick and strong enough to put the ball on the floor and finish around the rim.

Final Thoughts
This is a deep, athletic and fairly talented Auburn team that will be able to get out and run on teams once again this year.  However, with improved ball handling and much more size, rebounding and defense on the interior this team will be more suited to play teams in the half court setting.  Depending upon how much they improve their defense and rebounding they will be improved from last year.  However, with the losses of Tolbert and Prowell this team will lack the same type of perimeter firepower.  They do not have a reliable interior scoring option and their outside shooting is shaky at best.  The althleticism and depth is their to compete at a very high level in the SEC though and Auburn is the type of team that could surprise in a very big way this season.

#12 Georgia Bulldogs

National Rank- Outside the Top 150
Projected Postseason- None
2008 Final Record- 17-17 (4-12)
Postseason- 1st round loss NCAA Tournament

Backcourt
Georgia loses both starting guards from last season in Sundiata Gaines and Billy Humprhey.  Both were Georgia’s two best offensive scorers on a team that really struggled scoring the basketball.  That does not bode well for this season.  Gaines was the true heart and soul of this Georgia team.  He was an All SEC guard and was by far and away Georgia’s best player.  His loss is huge and could cripple this Georgia team.  Humprhey was the teams best and really only reliable outside shooter.
The players that will compete for minutes in the back court this season will be Zac Swansey, Corey Butler, Troy Brewer and freshmen Dustin Ware and Ebuka Anyaorah.  It’s not exacly the type of back court that is striking fear into the eyes of SEC coaches this offseason.  Swansey and Butler are the most experienced of the bunch but that’s not saying much.  Swansey was the back up to Gaines last year and he’ll fight with incoming freshman Dustin Ware for minutes at the point.  Butler has the ability to knockdown shots from the perimeter but has yet to prove that he can do it consistently throughout a whole season.  Both Brewer and Anyaorah may be thrown to the wolves this season as both likely need more time to develop into SEC caliber players.