At the beginning of SEC play, we framed the conference-opening battle between Tennessee and Missouri as the early meeting of the giants. At the time, it seemed appropriate — both were ranked in the top 15, and very few other SEC teams had emerged as real contenders.
At the time Alabama ranked 55th in KenPom, a middling team with a lackluster 5-3 non-conference record and no real wins of substance. Since then, of course, the Crimson Tide have ripped off a perfect 10-0 start in SEC play, vaulting into their current status as a consensus top 10 team.