All for Tennessee Women's Basketball SEC Power Rankings for Feb. 8: Huge Drop for Lady Vols
Jan 22, 2017; Knoxville, TN; Tennessee head coach Holly Warlick talks with guard/forward Kortney Dunbar (13) during the game against the Vanderbilt Commodores. Tennessee defeated Vanderbilt, 91-63. Mandatory Credit: Saul Young/Knoxville News Sentinel via USA TODAY NETWORK
The Lady Volunteers had a major drop in the All for Tennessee women’s basketball SEC Power Rankings for the week of Feb. 8, 2017.
Well the Tennessee Lady Vols just can’t figure out where they belong in the SEC Power Rankings. The massive inconsistency continues for Holly Warlick’s team.
But Tennessee isn’t the only team that took a hit because of that this week.
As we get set to bring you our women’s basketball SEC Power Rankings for this week, the changes in the standing are weighed based on the schedule strength of some teams vs the wins of others.
Those things were pretty consistent this week, but it forced us to get a little bit more conventional in where we place each team. So this week, the rankings are a bit more in line with the SEC standings.
We didn’t factor in margin of victory as much this week, but we did factor in RPI rankings.
Two teams woke back up to reality, another team is more inconsistent than the Lady Vols and had a huge jump with a dramatic turnaround, and there is still a clear-cut top two.
Right now, the conference has 11 teams in the Top 100 of the RPI, and eight of them are in the Top 30.
Legitimately, those eight teams would all be in the NCAA Tournament right now, and one of those other teams is clearly on the bubble at this point despite falling this past week in our standings.
So with a major disparity between where some teams stand here and their postseason hopes, these are the official All for Tennessee women’s basketball SEC Power Rankings for the week of Feb. 8, 2017.
Jan 22, 2017; Knoxville, TN; Vanderbilt head coach Stephanie White talks with Commodores guard Rebekah Dahlman (1) during the game against against the Tennessee Lady Volunteers. Tennessee defeated Vanderbilt, 91-63. Mandatory Credit: Saul Young/Knoxville News Sentinel via USA TODAY NETWORK
Vanderbilt Commodores
11-12 (1-9)
Last week: Lost to Kentucky WildcatsLast rank: 13th
Well that was fast. The Vanderbilt Commodores got to spend one week outside of the bottom of our SEC Power Rankings, but a loss to the Kentucky Wildcats knocked them back into this spot.
Okay, so to be fair, losing to Kentucky is not a reason to fall, especially if you’re as low as Vanderbilt is. And they fell despite putting up a huge fight at Kentucky and only losing by 8 points.
But they were already at No. 13, and the team below them, whom we will get to, had an amazing week.
So this was more about that team rising, but by default, Vanderbilt then had to fall.
Meanwhile, their No. 109 ranked RPI, last place standing in the SEC, and losing record combined are all enough to keep this team at the bottom.
It doesn’t get any easier either as this team tries to rebuild under first-year coach Stephanie White. Two of the Commodores’ next three games are on the road against the Mississippi State Bulldogs and South Carolina Gamecocks. Their other game is a home date against the very tough LSU Tigers.
So they are likely to fall off a cliff over the next week and a half unless they turn things around quickly.
Jan 9, 2016; Fayetteville, AR, USA; Arkansas Razorbacks cheerleaders perform during a timeout in the first half in game against the Mississippi State Bulldogs at Bud Walton Arena. Arkansas won 82-68. Mandatory Credit: Brett Rojo-USA TODAY Sports
Arkansas Razorbacks
13-10 (2-8)
Last week: Lost to Georgia Bulldogs and South Carolina GamecocksLast rank: 10th
The Arkansas Razorbacks may have a case to be at the bottom of the women’s SEC Power Rankings considering the fact that they are second to last in the SEC standings and actually have the worst RPI in the conference with a No. 121 ranking.
It’s only by default that they are not.
But last week, they were the first team to lose to who was the worst team in the SEC, and they did it at home.
Right after that, they lost at home to the South Carolina Gamecocks. While there is no shame in such a loss, there is shame when you lose the game by 30 points, as they did.
Jimmy Dykes is still rebuilding this team in just its second year of playing together, and with a winning record, he’s doing a decent job.
But they are still showing an inability to beat competent teams.
This week, they have a tough stretch with two road games. One is against the Florida Gators, which will be a fight to move out of the bottom of the conference.
Then they have a brutal one at the Missouri Tigers, who are playing better than many teams in the conference right now.
Alabama Crimson Tide
15-8 (3-7)
Last week: Lost to LSU TigersLast rank: 12th
Nothing changed for the Alabama Crimson Tide this past week. They only played one game, and it was a loss to the LSU Tigers.
That is nothing to be ashamed of considering the fact that LSU is ranked No. 26 in the RPI and is a very solid team under Nikki Fargas. At the same time, the Tide can be happy about the fact that they made the game a defensive struggle and only lost by 7 points.
Still, Alabama is now on a three-game losing streak. They are fourth from worst in the SEC right now, and even with their 15-8 record, they have the No. 117 ranked RPI. Why? Kristy Curry’s team scheduled as weak of a slate as they possibly could in non-conference play, making for the No. 128 ranked strength of schedule.
As a result, this team is not even in NCAA Tournament contention despite a very good record.
With that weak slate and the skid they are on, we had no choice but to keep them here at No. 12.
They’ll have a chance to prove themselves over the next two weeks if they want to move up with a road trip to the Texas A&M Aggies and home games. One is against the Tennessee Lady Vols. Before that, though, they have a home date this week against the next team on this list.
Florida Gators
11-12 (2-8)
Last week: Lost to Texas A&M Aggies and Ole Miss RebelsLast rank: 9th
The Florida Gators looked like they had finally figured things out and were ready to go on a roll. Amanda Butler had finally gotten her young team to play together, and the NCAA Tournament suddenly seemed within reach.
Then they woke up this past week.
A loss to the Texas A&M Aggies on the road is nothing to be too ashamed of, but the Ole Miss Rebels at home was a game to prove they are out of the bottom of our SEC Power Rankings.
And the Gators couldn’t get it done.
With these losses, there are legitimate questions as to why we would put them ahead of the Alabama Crimson Tide. After all, they have a worse SEC record, and they have a losing record overall while Alabama is 15-8.
Well, it’s because of two things: Alabama is on a longer losing streak, and their schedule strength is much worse.
Despite these losses, Florida is still No. 73 in the RPI due to its solid schedule, and getting on a roll down the stretch could still put the team on the NCAA Tournament bubble.
The Arkansas Razorbacks at home and then the Tide on the road this week could help that. If they win both, watch out. But that other loss to Ole Miss hurt, and we go to the Rebels next.
Jan 17, 2017; Oxford, MS, USA; A general view center court prior to the game between the Mississippi Rebels and the Tennessee Volunteers at The Pavilion at Ole Miss. Mandatory Credit: Justin Ford-USA TODAY Sports
Ole Miss Rebels
15-8 (4-6)
Last week: Defeated Florida GatorsLast rank: 11th
They only played one game this past week, but it was enough to move them past the team they beat in our SEC Power Rankings.
The Ole Miss Rebels are currently just inside the Top 100 of the RPI at No. 96, and that’s due to their awful No. 117 ranked strength of schedule.
But unlike the Alabama Crimson Tide, they have four SEC wins, not three, and they just beat the Florida Gators in Gainesville, so we have no qualms about moving them ahead of the Gators and the Tide.
Still, this team remains a part of the bottom tier in our SEC Power Rankings, and they have a huge hill to climb if they want to get to their first NCAA Tournament under fourth-year head coach Matt Insell.
But three home games over the next week and a half could help their case, and the opponents will certainly improve their schedule strength.
A home game against the LSU Tigers this week will test them, and getting a win could go a long way towards that, but then they have a brutal home game against the Mississippi State Bulldogs. This week of home games will really define them, and then next week, they host the team that we have just above Ole Miss on this list.
Mar 20, 2016; Waco, TX, USA; Auburn Tigers head coach Terri Williams-Flournoy takes the court prior to the second round of the 2016 women’s NCAA Tournament against the Baylor Bears at Ferrell Center. Baylor won 84-52. Mandatory Credit: Ray Carlin-USA TODAY Sports
Auburn Tigers
15-9 (5-5)
Last week: Lost to Mississippi State Bulldogs and Texas A&M AggiesLast rank: 9th
We’ve moved out of the bottom tier of our SEC Power Rankings, and with their No. 25 ranking in the RPI, it’s probably extremely unfair to have the Auburn Tigers so low.
After all, two losses last week to the Mississippi State Bulldogs and Texas A&M Aggies are nothing to be ashamed of, as they were two extremely tough opponents.
However, Terri Williams-Flournoy’s team has lost four of its last five games, and with two losses in a row, they did nothing to move up the ladder in the rankings this week.
So right now, they are still in the bottom half of our SEC Power Rankings. But it’s not all bad news, and they likely don’t care what we’re saying.
That’s because, fortunately for them, with a 15-9 record and a Top 10 strength of schedule, they still are in great contention to get to the NCAA Tournament. If the season ended today, they’d likely be a No. 8 seed or higher.
But the schedule still gets brutal for them this week. It starts with a road trip against South Carolina Gamecocks. Then, they have a chance by going on a roll, hosting the Georgia Bulldogs, Alabama Crimson Tide, and LSU Tigers while visiting the Ole Miss Rebels and Arkansas Razorbacks.
Dec 21, 2015; Hartford, CT, USA; LSU Tigers head coach Nikki Fargas watches from the sideline as they take on the Connecticut Huskies in the first half at XL Center. Mandatory Credit: David Butler II-USA TODAY Sports
LSU Tigers
16-7 (5-5)
Last week: Lost to Tennessee Volunteers; Defeated Alabama Crimson TideLast rank: 7th
Nikki Fargas’s LSU Tigers remain right in the middle of the pack of our SEC Power Rankings this week, but they did have to drop a spot.
That’s because beating the Alabama Crimson Tide at home is nothing really to brag about, and while losing on the road to the Tennessee Lady Vols is nothing to really be ashamed of, it is bad when you lose the game 77-58.
Currently, this tam is No. 26 in the RPI with its 16-7 record and No. 13 ranked strength of schedule, so it’s right there with the Auburn Tigers as teams that may be in the bottom half of our SEC Power Rankings but are firmly in the NCAA Tournament at this point.
However, they have some improving to do if they want to stay there.
LSU is now 2-4 in its last six games and still struggling, so if they don’t want to drop in these rankings, they need to turn things around.
Road trips to the Ole Miss Rebels and Vanderbilt Commodores should be easy wins this week for them, but since they’re on the road, they are sort of toss-ups. So we’ll now what type of team they are by both games.
Jan 22, 2017; Knoxville, TN; Vanderbilt head coach Stephanie White talks with Commodores guard Rebekah Dahlman (1) during the game against against the Tennessee Lady Volunteers. Tennessee defeated Vanderbilt, 91-63. Mandatory Credit: Saul Young/Knoxville News Sentinel via USA TODAY NETWORK
Georgia Bulldogs
12-11 (4-6)
Last week: Defeated Arkansas Razorbacks and Tennessee VolunteersLast rank: 14th
Talk about the biggest jump in the SEC! We give you all this talk all year about the Tennessee Lady Vols being inconsistent, but it’s the Georgia Bulldogs who go on a five-game losing streak, highlighted by a loss to one of the worst teams in the SEC, and then hit a two-game winning streak.
In that winning streak, they shocked the red-hot Tennessee Lady Vols in double-overtime. That win was enough to jump them seven spots in our SEC Power Rankings this week to No. 7.
Georgia is back to having a winning record, and despite that one bad loss to Florida in the losing streak, three games in that streak include two losses to the South Carolina Gamecocks and one to the Kentucky Wildcats.
So maybe they just needed a dose of confidence after a brutal run like that.
Well, they’ve got it now.
Georgia has jumped into the Top 100 of the RPI with a No. 97 ranking, and Joni Taylor’s team could potentially be making a push to move up into the NCAA Tournament bubble.
However, while we have them at No. 7 since our SEC Power Rankings are based on how teams are playing at that moment, they still have a lot to prove before we have confidence in them.
This week, they host the Kentucky Wildcats again and then face the Auburn Tigers on the road. If they win both games, we’ll start talking about that bubble. But for now, we have to be skeptical.
Dec 11, 2016; Austin, TX, USA; Tennessee Lady Volunteers guard Jordan Reynolds (0) and Tennessee Lady Volunteers head coach Holly Warlick speak during a time out in the second half against Texas Longhorns at Frank Erwin Center. Mandatory Credit: Sean Pokorny-USA TODAY Sports
Tennessee Volunteers
15-8 (6-4)
Last week: Defeated LSU Tigers; Lost to Georgia BulldogsLast rank: 2nd
Just like the Georgia Bulldogs, we can’t figure these Tennessee Lady Vols out. To be fair, that has been a staple of Holly Warlick’s team over the last two years.
Still, how do you beat the most invincible team in the conference on the road, go on a red-hot four-game winning streak, and then have it come crashing down on the road against a team we considered to be the worst in the conference a week ago?
A double-overtime loss like that means it could have gone either way, so that’s why we’re still keeping Tennessee in the top half of our SEC Power Rankings since they lost that game on the road.
But they did have to take a major four-spot drop as a result. That was a game they needed to win.
Still, with a 15-8 record and tied-for-fifth-place standing in the SEC right now, they do belong at this spot.
And their No. 4 ranked strength of schedule has earned them a No. 14 ranked RPI spot in the process, while even with the loss, the role they were on put them in the Top 25.
But this week is a chance for them to separate themselves in the conference. They host the Missouri Tigers and Texas A&M Aggies, whom they are tied with and behind in the standings respectively.
Two wins move them right back up the SEC ladder, and they have the talent to do it. So Warlick’s team is still in great shape.
Jan 1, 2017; Knoxville, TN, USA; Kentucky head coach Matthew Mitchell yells at his players during the first half against Tennessee at Thompson-Boling Arena. Mandatory Credit: Brianna Paciorka/Knoxville News Sentinel via USA TODAY NETWORK
Kentucky Wildcats
16-8 (7-4)
Last week: Lost to South Carolina Gamecocks; Defeated Vanderbilt CommodoresLast rank: 5th
Nothing really changes for the Kentucky Wildcats this week. They lost to one of the best teams in the SEC and then beat the worst team in the SEC. And despite everything changing around them, Matthew Mitchell’s team stayed right at No. 5 in our SEC Power Rankings.
Thanks to the No. 3 ranked strength of schedule, the Wildcats are just behind the Lady Vols in the RPI with the No. 18 ranking. The two teams have been nearly interchangeable, but with Tennessee’s bad loss this week, they fall below Kentucky despite having beaten the Wildcats earlier in the year.
This team is clearly still firmly in the NCAA Tournament, though, and they are also ever so slightly still in the race for thee SEC Championship due to that 7-4 conference record that puts them at fourth in the SEC standings.
But if they want to even have a chance to win the conference, they’ll have to upset the South Carolina Gamecocks and Mississippi State Bulldogs the final two games of the season.
Before that, they have three tough but winnable games with the Georgia Bulldogs and Arkansas Razorbacks on the road and then the Florida Gators at home.
They should be able to win all three games, but anything could happen.
Jan 21, 2017; Columbia, MO, USA; Missouri Tigers cheerleaders entertain fans during the game against the Mississippi Rebels at Mizzou Arena. Mississippi won 75-71. Mandatory Credit: Denny Medley-USA TODAY Sports
Missouri Tigers
16-8 (6-4)
Last week: Lost to Mississippi State BulldogsLast rank: 4th
Perhaps it was unfair to drop the Tennessee Lady Vols so far but keep the Missouri Tigers at No. 4 in our SEC Power Rankings.
After all, although Missouri had a much better loss to the Mississippi State Bulldogs, they got blown out while Tennessee lost in double-overtime.
Still, it’s such a better loss that, like the Kentucky Wildcats, with everything changing around them, there is really no shame in the Tigers. They still belong in the Top 4 of the SEC Power Rankings while their 6-4 conference record ties them for fifth place.
Missouri was on a five-game winning streak before that loss, and losing to the Bulldogs should not diminish that.
With a 16-8 record overall and a No. 30 RPI ranking due to their No. 21 ranked strength of schedule, Robin Pingeton has to be extremely happy about her team’s spot right now. They are firmly in place for their second straight NCAA Tournament under her.
But the schedule does get tougher.
Up next for the Tigers is a trip to Knoxville to face the Lady Vols, and they still have the South Carolina Gamecocks again down the road.
However, the Arkansas Razorbacks, Ole Miss Rebels, Florida Gators, and Alabama Crimson Tide should all be wins for them.
So getting over 20 wins should be the goal for this team.
Mar 4, 2016; Jacksonville, FL, USA; Texas A&M Aggies head coach Gary Blair coach looks on during the fourth quarter against the Tennessee Lady Volunteers during the women’s SEC basketball tournament at Jacksonville Memorial Veterans Arena. Tennessee Lady Volunteers won 70-60. Mandatory Credit: Logan Bowles-USA TODAY Sports
Texas A&M Aggies
17-6 (7-3)
Last week: Defeated Florida Gators and Auburn TigersLast rank: 6th
While the Tennessee Lady Vols took a huge drop, the Texas A&M Aggies and Gary Blair continue to climb the SEC ladder.
Yes, they did lose to the Missouri Tigers recently, a team we have below the Aggies, but that was a two-point loss on the road. Since then, Texas A&M has won three of four games, its only loss coming to the Mississippi State Bulldogs on the road.
Sure, the Aggies only have the No. 32 ranked strength of schedule, which puts their RPI at No. 20 with their 17-6 overall record, behind the Lady Vols and the Wildcats, but they are playing better than both teams now.
Beating the LSU Tigers and Auburn Tigers are not easy, and the Florida Gators were red-hot and riding high when they took them out. That has to count for something.
So as of right now, their spot in our SEC Power Rankings is the same spot as their spot in the SEC standings overall due to their 7-3 record.
But don’t worry. While they host the Alabama Crimson Tide at home this week, they follow that with a brutal four-game stretch that includes road games against the Tennessee Lady Vols and LSU Tigers before hosting the Mississippi State Bulldogs and South Carolina Gamecocks after that.
And speaking of South Carolina…
Dec 11, 2016; Columbia, SC, USA; South Carolina Gamecocks head coach Dawn Staley directs her team during a timeout against the Minnesota Golden Gophers in the second half at Colonial Life Arena. Mandatory Credit: Jeff Blake-USA TODAY Sports
South Carolina Gamecocks
20-2 (10-1)
Last week: Defeated Kentucky Wildcats and Arkansas RazorbacksLast rank: 3rd
It was obvious the South Carolina Gamecocks would be either No. 1 or No. 2 in our SEC Power Rankings this week, and the question would be if they rose back up to No. 1 after the Tennessee Lady Vols lost.
And the answer is no.
Dawn Staley’s team is still elite and should still be thinking about a national championship. Their 20-2 record and 10-1 conference record with the No. 6 strength of schedule and No. 3 overall RPI ranking is nothing to scoff at.
And a win at the Kentucky Wildcats is pretty impressive, particularly since they won by 12.
But they moved up to No. 2 in these rankings only because Tennessee lost. So they have more work to do if they want to get back up to that No. 1 spot.
And that work comes this week.
The Gamecocks first have to get past the Auburn Tigers, but then they have the game of the year on the road against the UCONN Huskies. Can they be the team to end Geno Auriemma’s ridiculous winning streak?
Obviously, that’ll tell us if they move back to No. 1 in these rankings.
The good news for them is they control their destiny to win the SEC regular season championship outright because they have the head to head advantage over the No. 1 team. But we’ll explain why that team remains No. 1 in our SEC Power Rankings.
Mar 6, 2016; Jacksonville, FL, USA; Mississippi State Lady Bulldogs head coach Vic Schaefer yells from the bench in the first quarter against the South Carolina Gamecocks during the women’s SEC basketball tournament at Jacksonville Memorial Veterans Arena. Mandatory Credit: Logan Bowles-USA TODAY Sports
Mississippi State Bulldogs
23-1 (9-1)
Last week: Defeated Auburn Tigers and Missouri TigersLast rank: 1st
And of course, with the South Carolina Gamecocks at No. 2, it was obvious the Mississippi State Bulldogs would be No. 1 in our Women’s SEC Power Rankings for this week.
Nothing that happened this past week was enough to drop Vic Schaefer’s team out of that No. 1 spot.
Now yes, they are one spot below South Carolina in the RPI with their 23-1 record and 9-1 SEC record due to their No. 19 ranked strength of schedule. And South Carolina has the tiebreaker over them for the SEC regular season championship due to their head-to-head win since the teams won’t meet again in the regular season.
But that was a three-point loss on the road in Columbia. So on a neutral court, the Bulldogs still look like the team that would win. After all, nothing changes the fact that Mississippi State owned Tennessee in Knoxville while the Lady Vols beat the Gamecocks in Columbia.
And this past week, the Bulldogs on average had better wins. Missouri is higher on our list than Kentucky, and Auburn is higher up than Arkansas.
The Bulldogs have the Vanderbilt Commodores at home and the Ole Miss Rebels on the road this week. Both are games they should easily win. Assuming they do and assuming South Carolina beats Auburn, our position on the No. 1 spot in these SEC Power Rankings will come down to what the Gamecocks do against the Huskies this week.
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