Tennessee men the favorite in Southeastern Conference

Bruce Pearl has it rolling high on Rocky Top.

The Tennessee Vols, led by their two-time national coach of the year, are coming off back-to-back NCAA Sweet 16 appearances and a school-record 31 wins. They were picked to defend the title.

Following is a look at SEC teams in order of last season's finish:

EASTERN DIVISION

Tennessee (31-5, 14-2)

Junior forward Tyler Smith leads the Vols, who were predicted to defend the SEC championship.

Smith, a 6-7 junior forward, was picked as the preseason conference player of the year. Smith was third on last season's team in scoring (13.6) while leading in assists (3.4), rebounding (6.7) and field goal percentage (53.6).

Tanner Wild of Huntington, a 6-foot senior guard, is a fourth-year Vols player.

Kentucky (18-13, 12-4)

All-SEC forward Patrick Patterson of Huntington, a 6-9 sophomore, is an all-conference player who averaged 16.4 points and 7.7 rebounds in an injury-shortened freshman debut.

Junior guard Jodie Meeks (8.8 ppg) also had his season cut short because of injuries.

Vanderbilt (26-8, 10-6)

Sophomore center A.J. Oglivy, 6-11 and 250 pounds, was named to the preseason All-SEC team. Oglivy led SEC freshman in scoring (17.0) while getting 6.7 rebounds a game. He attempted the most free throws (229) in the conference.

Florida (24-12, 8-8)

Gators fans think their team only scratched its potential last season when head coach Billy Donovan's young club posted the sixth-most wins in school history.

Nick Calathes, a 6-6 sophomore, averaged 15.3 points as the SEC Newcomer of the Year.

Senior guard Walter Hodge (10.4 ppg) is a career 40 percent 3-point shooter.

South Carolina (14-18, 5-11)

Devan Downey is an all-conference junior guard for the Gamecocks. Downey led the team in scoring (18.1), assists (5.1), steals (3.2), assists (5.4) in 37.4 minutes a game.

Senior guard Zam Frederick (14.8 ppg) and 6-7 junior forward Dominique Archie (10.6 ppg, 5.7 rpg) are returning starters.

Georgia (17-17, 4-12)

Expectations are relatively low for the reigning SEC tournament champion.

Terrrance Woodbury averaged about 16 points a game in four SEC tournament games, including 25 against Ole Miss. The 6-7 senior averaged 11.0 points and 4.1 rebounds per game.

WESTERN DIVISION

Mississippi State (23-11, 12-4)

The Bulldogs were represented on the preseason All-SEC second team by 6-9 junior Jarvis Varnado (5.0 ppg, 4.2 rpg) who led the nation with 157 blocked shots.

Junior guard Jamont Gordon (16.0 ppg, 7.1 rpg) and 6-8 senior Charles Rhodes (13.7 ppg, 6.2 rpg) tested the NBA water in the off-season.

Arkansas (23-12, 9-7)

Junior guard Stefan Welsh is the top returning scorer (5.3 ppg) and the only returning starter for head coach John Pelphrey, the former Kentucky player and Marshall assistant from Paintsville, Ky.

The top returning big man is 6-9 junior Michael Washington (4.3 ppg, 3.9 rpg).

Mississippi (24-11, 7-9)

Andy Kennedy joined Eddie Sutton, Tubby Smith and Bruce Pearl as the fourth SEC head coach with 45 wins in his first two seasons.

Sophomore guard Chris Warren (15.8 ppg) was on the preseason all-conference second team. Warren set the school record for 3-pointers with 103.

LSU (13-18, 6-10)

Head coach Trent Johnson is the new man in Baton Rouge after stops at Stanford and Nevada. His Stanford team last season was in the NCAA Sweet 16.

Alabama (17-16, 5-11)

The Crimson Tide has two preseason all-conference second team players -- senior guard Ronald Steele and 6-6 senior forward Alonzo Gee.

Steele was out last season following surgery to both knees. He averaged 8.6 points and 4.0 assists as a junior. Gee averaged 14.5 points and 6.6 rebounds last season.

Auburn (17-16, 4-12)

A clean bill of health for Korvotney Barber is reason for optimism.

Barber, a 6-7 senior, broke his hand in the 10th game last season and was finished. He averaged 13.8 points and 6.9 rebounds while shooting 72 percent from the field.