College Basketball Power Rankings: SEC Maintains Top-10 Supremacy As Regular Season Closes Out

It's no surprise to see Auburn at No. 1 for the eighth-consecutive week, but the real surprise is how strong the SEC has remained throughout the regular season. They came in firing in non-conference play, but many thought they would even out as the year dragged on. But they have actually gotten stronger. Four of them are in the top six, half of them are ranked in the latest AP Poll, and a record 13 are expected to make the NCAA Tournament. The obvious test will be if they can avoid a group meltdown when meeting the other conferences, but there are few weeks of tune-up to get ready before then.

We've got a few final showdowns this week, two of them involving Alabama in top-10 matchups. Can the Crimson Tide hold their own against their fellow SEC heavyweights, and can they still earn a 1 seed in March Madness? Those questions and more will be answered in the coming days, as the deepest SEC field ever gears up for the conference tournament and postseason play. Let's assess each squad's readiness for March in the penultimate power rankings.

Get oddschecker+ right now for just $0.99 per month. Don't miss out on this first month deal!

College Basketball Power Rankings - February 24th

1. Auburn Tigers (27-2)

New week, same story. Auburn remains the king of college basketball. They manhandled Ole Miss and Kentucky, two of the stronger SEC squads. This week will be a tough final test for the Tigers, visiting a ranked A&M on the road who is desperate to stop their slide, and finishing with a rivalry showdown against the Crimson Tide on Saturday. They are looking to finish strong and keep the No. 1 overall seed in the tournament over Duke.

2. Duke Blue Devils (26-3)

Cooper Flagg had to fight through an eye injury on Saturday, but it didn't stop Duke from smoking FSU by 35. It doesn't matter who you put in front of the Blue Devils, they are dominating opponents left and right. While the strength of schedule isn't as high as the SEC, the style points translate over. They are a powerhouse on both sides of the court, and will be flying high in March.

3. Houston Cougars (25-4)

The Houston Cougars have dominated the Big 12 over and over, and have locked themselves in as a 1 seed barring a catastrophic collapse this week. They are 15-1 in conference, losing the only game by 1 point in OT to Texas Tech, another top-10 team. Final tests against Kansas and Baylor, who both have the talent to keep it close, but Houston's clutch gene continues to show each game.

4. Tennessee Volunteers (24-5)

Tennessee was the big winner on Saturday, closing out with a fury against Bama and finishing with a game-winning three from Jahmai Mashack. The Vols are on a four-game win streak, and close out against Ole Miss and South Carolina. They should be able to finish strong heading into the SEC Tournament, and would be the current favorite for the last 1 seed unless Bama or Florida could outshine them this week.

5. Alabama Crimson Tide (23-6)

Alabama dropped to No. 7 in the AP Poll after the buzzer beater three against Tennessee, but they don't really belong that far down. They were leading for the majority of that game on the road, and a 7-0 run to end the game cost them. They have another huge game against Florida tomorrow, and they'll be a solid favorite. If they can take down both Florida and Auburn this week somehow, they will be back in for the 1 seed.

Will the Crimson Tide compete for a SEC title? Check out the latest odds

6. Florida Gators (22-5)

The Gators dropped an unfortunate one on the road against Georgia last week, despite mounting a 25-point epic comeback that was foiled at the last second. They regrouped nicely with a blowout of a reeling Texas A&M team, and are certainly good enough to be one of the best four teams in the country. Their last chance at the 1 seed is tomorrow night in that Bama game, where they'll have to pull one out on the road in what is sure to be an absolute barn burner.

7. St. John's Red Storm (26-4)

St. John's really could be higher, and climbed up to No. 6 in the AP Poll this week. They are a victim of the top-level SEC padding, with Tennessee, Bama, and Florida taking the spots above them in these power rankings. As good as they've been, the Big East is having a down year outside of them, and their offensive metrics like 86th in efficiency are not gonna cut it in March Madness when they are trailing. Those SEC squads are unfortunately more well-rounded.

8. Michigan State Spartans (24-5)

The Spartans had another very good week, highlighted by a three-quarter court buzzer beater against Maryland to snap a tie. They followed that up with a nine-point home win over Wisconsin, marking two massive ranked wins in the Big Ten, and tallying up to five wins in a row against all of the best teams in the conference. You couldn't dream up a better stretch for the Spartans, yet they still haven't broken through in the AP Poll, sitting at 8th there as well. They are much like St. John's, buoyed by a top-5 defense and a slightly less impressive offense. They'll finish up against Iowa and Michigan, and have likely played themselves into a 2 seed over the past month.

9. Texas Tech Red Raiders (22-7)

Texas Tech pulled out a huge win against Kansas on Saturday, despite the Jayhawks mounting a furious second-half charge. The Red Raiders continued to hit clutch shots, and improved to 7-2 on the road, one of their most impressive statistics. Winning in hostile environments will get them ready for March. Their last two games are against Colorado and Arizona State this week, both of which should be easy wins.

10. Iowa State Cyclones (22-7)

Wrapping up the top 10 with Iowa State, who may have lost a few games over the past few weeks, but have proven themselves to be a force when at full strength. They obviously missed Keshon Gilbert and Curtis Jones in losses to Houston and Oklahoma State, but they stopped the bleeding on Saturday with a beatdown of Arizona. They can solidify their standing with wins over No. 25 BYU and Kansas State this week heading into the conference tournament. They should be an underrated 3 seed come tournament time.

Can St. John's or Michigan State make a run at the National Championship despite weaker offenses? Check out their latest odds here

Just Outside the Top 10

11. Wisconsin Badgers (22-7)

12. Maryland Terrapins (22-7)

13. Missouri Tigers (21-8)

14. Gonzaga Bulldogs (23-8)

15. Clemson Tigers (24-5)

Can one of these climbing squads move into the Top 10 this week? See their upcoming matchup odds here

Biggest Losers

Texas A&M Aggies (20-7)

Texas A&M has cratered down the rankings more than anyone in the last two weeks. They have lost four games in a row, albeit to powerhouse SEC teams, but inexcusable nonetheless. All of that could go away when No. 1 Auburn comes to College Station tomorrow, but it probably won't. They'll be about +7.5 as a home underdog, and with the way their 56th-ranked offense is playing, they won't be able to keep up once again. That was the theme against Florida and others, and it's time for them to step up and fix it. This is a great squad with veteran leadership, but they are crashing at the worst time, and are out of runway to stop the skid.