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SEC women's basketball power rankings: Stage set for South Carolina-LSU clash

Cory Diaz, Lafayette Daily Advertiser
·5 min read

All eyes on the big one now.

No. 1 South Carolina (17-0, 5-0) marches into Baton Rouge for a top-10 showdown with No. 10 LSU (17-2, 5-1) Thursday night inside Pete Maravich Assembly Center, a.k.a. the Deaf Dome.

Both teams stomp into the matchup off of nearly identical games. South Carolina and Dawn Staley opened up with an 18-0 run at Texas A&M before winning 99-64. Kim Mulkey and the Tigers opened with an 18-0 run against Arkansas before winning 99-68.

ESPN's College Gameday will be on hand for the biggest Southeastern Conference game of the season as the eyes of women's college basketball will fixed to the action.

As the conference's main course arrives, here are my power rankings leading into it:

1. South Carolina (17-0, 5-0)

Last week: No. 1

Up next: Jan. 25 at LSU; Jan. 28 Vanderbilt

We've reached the point in the season where Dawn Staley's reserves are scoring as many points in games as her starters. Gamecocks just get scarier as the season rolls on.

2. LSU (18-2, 5-1)

Last week: No. 2

Up next: Jan. 25 South Carolina; Jan. 29 at Mississippi State

LSU hasn't beaten South Carolina in 12 seasons. With her "super team," is this the year Kim Mulkey finally does it?

3. Tennessee (12-6, 5-1)

Last week: No. 6

Up next: Jan. 28 at Ole Miss; Feb. 1 at Georgia

The Lady Vols clearly have several deficiencies but they held off a good Vanderbilt team in a one-point fourth-quarter in a rivalry game without Rickea Jackson playing a single second. That matters and in these power rankings, Tennessee is finally where we all thought they'd be.

4. Vanderbilt (17-3, 4-2)

Last week: No. 5

Up next: Jan. 28 at South Carolina; Feb. 1 Ole Miss

Vandy is just a couple of plays away from being undefeated in SEC play but it feels like Shea Ralph's group is coming back down to earth after two losses in its last three games. Important stretch upcoming, starting at South Carolina Jan. 28.

5. Mississippi State (16-5, 3-3)

Last week: No. 3

Up next: Jan. 29 LSU; Feb. 1 at Kentucky

Sam Purcell's Bulldogs managed five points at home in a pivotal third quarter against Tennessee. That quarter was a bit alarming.

6. Texas A&M (14-4, 2-3)

Last week: No. 4

Up next: Jan. 25 at Missouri; Jan. 28 at Florida

Playing LSU and South Carolina is the same week is tough enough and factor into star Janiah Barker possibly missing extended time while in concussion protocols makes matters much worse.

7. Arkansas (14-6, 2-3)

Last week: No. 8

Up next: Jan. 25 Kentucky; Jan. 28 at Missouri

Even without freshman sensation Taliah Scott, Mike Neighbors and company continue to be competitive and look cohesive. Arkansas could go on a tear here, playing several teams below in these rankings before a trip to Knoxville in the middle of February.

8. Ole Miss (13-5, 3-2)

Last week: No. 9

Up next: Jan. 25; Jan. 28 Tennessee

Listen, Ole Miss isn't going to beat you with finesse. Not sure Coach Yo's team has a finesse bone in its collective body. The uglier the game, the better for the Rebels.

9. Auburn (13-6, 2-4)

Last week: No. 10

Up next: Jan. 29 Georgia; Feb. 1 South Carolina

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Auburn had lost nine straight to its rival Alabama before winning the Iron Bowl of Women's Basketball first meeting Sunday at home. Naturally, Auburn hit the Tide with Rammer Jammer after the win.

10. Alabama (15-6, 2-4)

Last week: No. 7

Up next: Jan. 28 Kentucky; Feb. 1 at Arkansas

Alabama is this week's biggest tumbler in the power rankings. The Crimson Tide are losers of three straight and it's tough to pinpoint when things could turn around for them.

11. Kentucky (9-10, 2-3)

Last week: No. 13

Up next: Jan. 25 at Arkansas; Jan. 28 at Alabama

Kyra Elzy's group is handling business against the other teams in and around it in the standings. The top half of the league? Not so much.

12. Missouri (11-8, 2-4)

Last week: No. 12

Up next: Jan. 25 Texas A&M; Jan. 28 Arkansas

Seems like Missouri just can't get out of its own way. Tigers worked back from trailing at Kentucky by 9 to tie the game with a minute to go, but couldn't manage any offense the rest of the way.

13. Florida (10-7, 1-4)

Last week: No. 11

Up next: Jan. 25 at Ole Miss; Jan. 28 Texas A&M

Florida nearly let an 18-point led slip away at home to Georgia, the worst team in the league, to win by nine. There's not much going right in Gainesville right now.

14. Georgia (10-9, 1-5)

Last week: No. 14

Up next: Jan. 29 at Auburn; Feb. 1 Tennessee

Five straight conference losses for the Bulldogs. Woof ...

Cory Diaz covers the LSU Tigers and Louisiana Ragin’ Cajuns for The Daily Advertiser as part of the USA TODAY Network. Follow his Tigers and Cajuns coverage on Twitter: @ByCoryDiaz. Got questions regarding LSU/UL athletics? Send them to Cory Diaz at bdiaz@gannett.com.

This article originally appeared on Lafayette Daily Advertiser: SEC women's basketball power rankings: Set for South Carolina-LSU