If one thing is for certain in SEC basketball this season, it's that any win is a good win. Alabama learned that the hard way on Saturday in a closer than expected 80-73 home win over LSU where the Crimson Tide was 17.5 point favorites.
Nothing can be taken for granted this year in a league with 13 projected NCAA Tournament teams according to Joe Lunardi's latest Bracketology on ESPN. Every night is a dog fight, and there's plenty of movement each week in the standings.
Let's take a look at where Alabama and everyone else stands in this week's power rankings.
SEC Basketball Power Rankings
16. South Carolina Gamecocks: 10-10 (0-7)
The Gamecocks are the only winless team in conference play and carry with them a seven game losing streak to open their SEC schedule. They've been competitive in several games, and were once again on Saturday in a five-point overtime home loss to Mississippi State. It was a big improvement from the 35 point loss to the Bulldogs in Starkville at the beginning of the month.
This week, the Gamecocks go on the road to play Georgia on Tuesday before coming home to face Texas A&M on Saturday.
15. Arkansas Razorbacks: 12-8 (1-6)
The good news for Arkansas is that they got their first SEC win of the season by beating Georgia by three at home in the middle of the week. The bad news is that the Hogs should have gone 2-0 this week, but they gagged a big lead and lost to Oklahoma at home on Saturday.
The next time Arkansas steps on the court will be in John Calipari's return to Lexington next Saturday.
14. LSU Tigers: 12-7 (1-5)
LSU looked like a well-rested team on Saturday in Tuscaloosa after not having a midweek game. The Tigers fought hard, and probably played their best basketball of SEC play so far. It wasn't quite enough, though, as LSU came up short in an 80-73 loss to Alabama.
The Tigers needed a big win for its NCAA Tournament resume. Luckily, there's plenty of opportunities to come. LSU has home games this week against Auburn and Texas. They need to win at least one of those games.
13. Georgia Bulldogs: 14-6 (2-5)
Georgia is now sporting a four-game losing streak following another 0-2 week. The league office did them little favors with this stretch, though, as the Bulldogs have played three of its last four games on the road with the one home game coming against No. 1 Auburn.
Georgia came up short in Fayetteville for the midweek matchup with Arkansas and then got blown out on the road by Florida on Saturday. South Carolina at home on Tuesday will give the Dawgs a chance to stop the bleeding before they travel to Alabama next weekend.
12. Oklahoma Sooners: 15-4 (2-4)
Oklahoma has won two in a row after an 0-4 start to SEC play and they have themselves back in the NCAA Tournament picture as a result. The Sooners followed up a home win over South Carolina last Saturday with a road victory over Arkansas this week.
They go to Texas A&M in the midweek matchup before hosting Vanderbilt on Saturday.
11. Mississippi State Bulldogs: 16-4 (4-3)
Mississippi State needed overtime to knock off South Carolina on the road to salvage a .500 week. They lost by 12 on the road against Tennessee in the middle of the week.
It's tough to rate the Bulldogs this low, but other teams earned some big wins that have escaped State in SEC play thus far. They have two big chances in the week coming up, though, with Alabama and Missouri coming to Starkville.
10. Texas Longhorns: 14-6 (3-4)
One of the teams that earned some big wins that helped them leapfrog Mississippi State was Texas. The Longhorns took care of business on their home floor this week, knocking off both Missouri and Texas A&M in Austin. The win over the rival Aggies was particularly impressive, as Texas overcame an 18-point deficit to pull out the win.
After starting 0-3, Texas has won three of its last four SEC games. The Longhorns take to the road this week, with trips to Oxford and Baton Rouge.
9. Vanderbilt Commodores: 16-4 (4-3)
Vanderbilt has earned massive wins on consecutive Saturdays. Last week, the 'Dores knocked off Tennessee in Nashville. This week, Kentucky fell victim in Memorial, earning Mark Byington and his team another huge victory. Byington has to be on the shortlist for SEC Coach of the Year for the job he has done.
The 'Dores get a week off before traveling to Norman to face Oklahoma on Saturday.
8. Ole Miss Rebels: 15-5 (4-3)
The hangover following the road win over Alabama has been rough and now the Rebels have lost three straight games since. After losing in overtime last weekend to Mississippi State on the road, Ole Miss gagged away a home game against Texas A&M before falling on the road against Missouri.
They take a big tumble this week as a result. Home games against Texas and Auburn this week will give them a chance to move back up.
7. Missouri Tigers: 16-4 (5-2)
Dennis Gates deserves a lot of praise for what he has done with Missouri this year. The Tigers went 0-18 in SEC play a year ago and are now 5-2 through seven games. They lost to Texas on the road this week, but earned another resume boosting win by knocking off Ole Miss at home.
Missouri gets a week off before making the trip to Starkville to face Mississippi State.
6. Texas A&M Aggies: 15-5 (4-3)
Blowing the big lead and losing to Texas soured the week a bit, but it was still productive for Texas A&M. It could have just been exceptional had they hung on in Austin after already banking a road win over Ole Miss in the midweek game.
The Aggies host Oklahoma on Tuesday before playing South Carolina at home on Saturday.
5. Kentucky Wildcats: 14-5 (3-3)
Kentucky dug themselves into a big hole on the road against Vanderbilt and found themselves down 14 points at halftime. They battled back, but came up short in a five-point loss to the Commodores. It was the second straight loss for the Wildcats, but neither has been overly concerning.
They have a tough road game at Tennessee on Tuesday before welcoming Calipari back to Rupp on Saturday.
4. Tennessee Volunteers: 17-3 (4-3)
Tennessee had a chance to earn perhaps the most impressive win of the college basketball season on Saturday, but game up just short in the Jungle against Auburn. The Vols had a corner three to win the game, but it rimmed out and the Tigers survived.
The Vols have no time to hang their head as the grind in the SEC is brutal. Though both games are at home, they face Kentucky and Florida in the week ahead.
3. Florida Gators: 18-2 (5-2)
Florida survived on the road against South Carolina and then blew out Georgia at home. The two wins keeps the Gators alive in the SEC Championship race and they have the statistical profile of a legitimate contender in the national title race.
Florida gets to rest up without a midweek game this week before traveling to Knoxville on Saturday.
2. Alabama Crimson Tide: 17-3 (6-1)
Alabama had about as easy of a week as you can get in the SEC this season with consecutive home games against Vanderbilt and LSU. It wasn't always pretty, but the Tide did what it needed to do to go 2-0.
Alabama remains a game behind Auburn, but still very much alive in the SEC race. The Crimson Tide faces a tough road test on Wednesday in Starkville before facing Georgia at Coleman Coliseum on Saturday.
1. Auburn Tigers: 18-1 (6-0)
Auburn had a much-needed week off and got Johni Broome back in Saturday's 53-51 win over Tennessee at home. The Tigers have an insane resume with seven wins over AP Top 25 opponents. It wasn't pretty against the Vols, but Auburn continues to show they can win any which way they have to.
The Tigers have a two game road trip this week with games against LSU and Ole Miss on tap.