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SEC Power Rankings: UK, A & M, Vanderbilt, Mississippi State, LSU, UGA, UF, SC, Ole Miss, Auburn, Arkansas, Alabama, Tennessee, Missouri.
— Jon Rothstein (@JonRothstein) July 22, 2015
With the addition of transfer Willy Kouassi, it appears this season's basketball roster is finally set (although we're still waiting to see if Ted Kapita makes it to campus). What are your expectations for this season?
Ryan: I expect no worse than the NIT from Mike Anderson at this point in his tenure. I am one of the biggest Mike Anderson fans out there, but we have to have realistic standards. The Hogs lost a lot and don't know if Kapita will be here or not.
Mitchell: Honestly, It's hard to see the future for a team that's losing Qualls and Portis. However, Anderson has built a strong team that I fully expect to contend in the SEC and make the NCAA tournament. Time will tell how good this team will actually be, but I'm optimistic!
Mark: Honestly, my hoops expectations aren't high. I think we could take a step back this year. Hope I'm wrong. Hopefully we can tread water at least while we wait for Malik Monk, who we have to get.
Derek: I honestly believe this team is going to be a lot better than people think. Mike Anderson has never had a losing season as a head coach, and this won't be the worst roster he's ever had to deal with. I think Anton Beard will step into a leadership role at point guard, and I think we will see a radically different Moses Kingsley. Plus, I'm really excited about Jimmy Whitt and his potential. If Ted Kapita makes it to campus and can contribute right away, this team could win 20 or more games.
Josh: Anderson's guards should be much better. Those transfer players will help to add depth, but it will be the guys that have been in the program for several years like Moses Kingsley who will need to make a huge jump. Not making the tournament would be a huge step back, and I'm not sure fans will be patient for much longer.
Scottie: Adding a 6-10 big man is rarely a bad thing. Well, unless you're adding Hunter Mickelson. I kid. It was a necessity to add another frontline guy, but it's obviously still not enough for Arkansas to head into the season comfortably. Guard play should be pretty good with Dusty Hannahs finally eligible, but people are really going to see the value Ky Madden brought to the floor. I think the backcourt will probably be OK, but the lack of a guy you can throw the ball to on the block when you need a bucket is going to loom large. I have Arkansas as a 16-17 win team as of July.
Jamie: We don't have anyone who can fill in for Bobby and Qualls/Madden leave large holes as well. Top 6 in the SEC, but definitely not the clear #2 like last year.
Doc: If Rothstein is right and Arkansas ends up in the dreaded Wednesday night portion of the SEC Tournament, that's a really bad look with no real way to spin it. I'm not convinced it will be that bad. This team has a ton of question marks, and depending on how many of those pan out, it could be a decent year. I'm certainly not ready to throw in the towel yet. The Hogs have some good players, so there's still potential for good things to happen. I'll make an early prediction and say they finish closer to the middle of the league before I'll say they finish in the bottom four. Plus, it's a big senior class so you'd like to think they'll play with urgency.