SEC tournament capsules

Alabama Crimson Tide

@BR Box Type bold lede colon:Head coach: Anthony Grant

Record: 16-14 (6-10)

Players to watch: Mikhail Torrance (15.4 ppg, 5.3 apg), JaMychal Green (14.3 ppg, 7.0 rpg), Tony Mitchell (9.2 ppg, 5.6 rpg)

Outlook: The Tide dropped seven of eight games during a one-month stretch late in the season but rallied to win their final two contests of the season. Torrance and Green provide an effective inside-outside scoring tandem, but Alabama will need better efforts from the supporting cast to advance.

Arkansas Razorbacks

@BR Box Type bold lede colon:Head coach: John Pelphrey

Record: 14-17 (7-9)

Players to watch: Courtney Fortson (18.1 ppg, 5.3 rpg, 6.0 apg), Rotnei Clarke (15.5 ppg), Marshawn Powell (15.1 ppg, 6.7 rpg), Michael Washington (12.2 ppg, 6.2 rpg)

Outlook: An early season injury to All-SEC guard Fortson hindered the Razorbacks, who rebounded to win five straight in late January and early February. But the wheels came off at the end of the season, with Arkansas dropping six of its final seven games behind a shaky defense.

Auburn Tigers

@BR Box Type bold lede colon:Head coach: Jeff Lebo

Record: 15-16 (6-10)

Players to watch: DeWayne Reed (16.1 ppg, 4.3 apg), Tay Waller (15.9 ppg), Lucas Hargrove (12.9 ppg, 6.9 rpg)

Outlook: Lebo finds himself on the hot seat at Auburn after another down season, and he may be coaching for his job in the SEC tournament. Despite a well-rounded scoring attack, the Tigers rank last in the SEC in scoring defense, allowing 74 points per game.

Florida Gators

@BR Box Type bold lede colon:Head coach: Billy Donovan

Record: 20-11 (9-7)

Players to watch: Kenny Boynton (13.5 ppg), Erving Walking (12.6 ppg, 5.0 apg), Chandler Parsons (11.9 ppg, 6.8 rpg), Alex Tyus (11.8 ppg, 6.9 rpg), Vernon Macklin (10.6 ppg, 5.6 rpg)

Outlook: Florida is perhaps the most balanced team in the SEC, but the Gators have struggled down the stretch, losing three straight games. After back-to-back national championships, the Gators are in danger of missing the NCAA tournament for the third straight season and likely need to win at least one game in the SEC tourney to secure its slot in the NCAA tourney.

Georgia Bulldogs

@BR Box Type bold lede colon:Head coach: Mark Fox

Record: 13-16 (5-11)

Players to watch: Trey Thompkins (17.7 ppg, 8.2 rpg), Travis Leslie (13.9 ppg, 6.9 rpg), Dustin Ware (8.3 ppg, 3.4 apg), Ricky McPhee (9.8 ppg)

Outlook: The Bulldogs improved dramatically during the 2009-10 season and played close games against all of the SEC’s top competition. Still, Georgia failed to win a game on the road and dropped two straight to end the season, including a loss against lowly LSU in the finale.

Kentucky Wildcats

@BR Box Type bold lede colon:Head coach: John Calipari

Record: 29-2 (14-2)

Players to watch: John Wall (16.8 ppg, 6.2 apg), DeMarcus Cousins (15.6 ppg, 10.1 rpg), Patrick Patterson (14.9 ppg, 7.5 rpg), Eric Bledsoe (10.4 ppg, 3.0 apg)

Outlook: Kentucky has a ton of talent — likely more than any other SEC team — but the Wildcats are young, and this will be the first time stars like Wall and Cousins have experienced an SEC tournament setting. Still, Kentucky has handled all comers this season and should be the favorite to take home the conference crown.

LSU Tigers

@BR Box Type bold lede colon:Head coach: Trent Johnson

Record: 11-19 (2-14)

Starting Five: Tasmin Mitchell (17.0 ppg, 9.5 rpg), Bo Spencer (14.9 ppg), Storm Warren (11.6 ppg, 7.2 rpg)

Outlook: After winning the SEC a year ago, the Tigers fell apart during the 2009-10 season. Until knocking off Georgia in the regular-season finale, LSU had won just one SEC game all year. Despite the immense talents of Mitchell, LSU ranks dead last in the conference in scoring, averaging just 61.9 points per game — nearly seven points fewer than the next worst offense.

Mississippi Rebels

@BR Box Type bold lede colon:Head coach: Andy Kennedy

Record: 21-9 (9-7)

Players to watch: Chris Warren (17.2 ppg), Terrico White (14.4 ppg, 4.4 rpg), Murphy Holloway (10.0 ppg, 7.6 rpg), Eniel Polynice (9.8 ppg, 4.1 apg)

Outlook: The Rebels finished the season ranked second in the SEC in scoring and had the conference’s best mark from 3-point range, despite some occasionally lax defense. Mississippi boasts an impressive non-conference win over Kansas State and wrapped up the season by winning four in a row, but the Rebels would be well served to win a game or two in the SEC tournament if they want an invite to the Big Dance.

Mississippi State Bulldogs

@BR Box Type bold lede colon:Head coach: Rick Stansbury

Record: 21-10 (9-7)

Players to watch: Ravern Johnson (13.5 ppg), Jarvis Varnado (13.5 ppg, 10.6 rpg), Dee Bost (12.9 ppg, 5.4 apg), Barry Stewart (11.5 ppg)

Outlook: The Bulldogs have the SEC’s best defensive team, led by Varnado, the All-SEC big man who is among the country’s top rebounders. Mississippi State’s toughness on the defensive side of the ball makes it a tough matchup, but like their in-state rivals, the Bulldogs find themselves squarely on the NCAA bubble.

South Carolina Gamecocks

@BR Box Type bold lede colon:Head coach: Darrin Horn

Record: 15-15 (6-10)

Players to watch: Devin Downey (22.6 ppg, 3.6 apg), Dominique Archie (14.4 ppg, 6.0 rpg), Sam Muldrow (10.3 ppg, 6.3 rpg)

Outlook: Downey led the SEC in scoring this season and is one of the most dynamic players in the conference, making the Gamecocks dangerous in any matchup. South Carolina limped to the finish line, however, dropping six straight before pulling off an upset against Vandy in the season finale.

Tennessee Volunteers

@BR Box Type bold lede colon:Head coach: Bruce Pearl

Record: 23-7 (11-5)

Players to watch: Scotty Hopson (13.1 pp.), Wayne Chism (12.4 ppg, 6.8 rpg), Bobby Maze (9.5 ppg, 3.2 apg), Brian Williams (5.0 ppg, 5.3 rpg)

Outlook: Tennessee’s tumultuous season hit bottom with the dismissal of star Tyler Smith after an off-field arrest, but the Volunteers have managed to keep chugging away despite the distractions. Chism is an All-SEC performer who will prove a tough matchup in the post, and Tennessee is one of just two SEC teams to defeat Kentucky all season, making the Vols a darkhorse candidate for a conference title.

Vanderbilt Commodores

@BR Box Type bold lede colon:Head coach: Kevin Stallings

Record: 23-7 (12-4)

Players to watch: Jermaine Beal (14.7 pp., 3.1 apg), A.J. Ogilvy (13.9 ppg, 6.2 rpg), Jeffrey Taylor (13.9 ppg, 5.1 rpg), John Jenkins (10.5 ppg)

Outlook: Vandy dropped both regular-season games with division foe Kentucky, but the Commodores were nearly unstoppable against the rest of the SEC. Beal is a first-team All-SEC player, and Vandy’s prolific offense should make it a tough matchup for anyone — except for arch-nemesis Kentucky.