This was a bit of a slow week for SEC basketball, but the next few days loom large for a number of the conference’s top squads.

However, none of them match Tennessee’s showdown in Phoenix against No. 1 Gonzaga — a game that the Vols could actually win. Based on how they battled No. 2 Kansas, this should be a lot of fun.

A win would surely vault the Vols to No. 1 in the rankings, but for now, they remain at No. 2 in the SEC power rankings, behind Auburn. Here’s a look at how all 14 teams stack up heading into a big week of nonconference play:

1. Auburn (6-1, Last week: 1)

The Tigers play at N.C. State on Dec. 19, but outside of that, their nonconference schedule should be very manageable. It’d be nice to see the team challenge itself more, but they do look like the best team in the conference.

They could fall out of the top spot though if the No. 2 team picks up some big wins in the next couple of weeks …

2. Tennessee (6-1, Last week: 2)

Sunday is going to be must-see TV, as the Vols take on No. 1 Gonzaga in Phoenix. That’ll be a great neutral court test for Rick Barnes’ squad, and we’ll see if they move up to the top spot in the SEC rankings afterward.

A trip to Memphis on Dec. 15 won’t be easy either, so we’ll learn a lot about the Vols over the next two games.

3. Kentucky (7-1, Last week: 3)

Mark Zerof-USA TODAY Sports

This team could drop in the rankings in the coming weeks. Coach John Calipari’s squad struggled at home against UNC Greensboro on Saturday, trailing 40-37 at halftime before rallying in the second half.

With remaining nonconference games against Seton Hall, Louisville, North Carolina and Utah, the Wildcats need to play much better or they could lose two or more of those games.

4. Mississippi State (6-1, Last week: 4)

A huge matchup looms for the Bulldogs on Saturday, as they take on ACC foe Clemson in Newark. That’s the best nonconference game the Bulldogs have played in a couple of years.

They have lost their best nonconference games the past couple of years, and it has hurt them come tournament time. A win here would be huge.

5. Arkansas (5-1, Last week: 5)

The Razorbacks just keep winning, and that likely won’t change this week. They have games against Colorado State and Western Kentucky, so two more wins are possible.

This team could theoretically enter SEC play with only 1 loss, which is a bit of a surprise based on what they lost this offseason.

6. LSU (6-2, Last week: 6)

The Tigers bounced back from back-to-back losses with a big win over Grambling State, but that’s not exactly a quality victory. Still a win is a win, and it’ll only help the Tigers’ confidence moving forward.

7. Alabama (5-2, Last week: 7)

The Crimson Tide lost to UCF, a team Mizzou beat this week. However, they actually traveled to Orlando for the game, so they get a couple of bonus points for that.

They play Arizona on Sunday, so that’ll be a chance to pick up a signature win.

8. Florida (4-3, Last week: 9)

The Gators have a huge week ahead. On Tuesday night, they play West Virginia in the Jimmy V Classic, and on Saturday, they host a ranked Michigan State squad.

Based on what we’ve seen from the Gators so far, that could be an 0-2 stretch. A big win would likely vault them ahead of a team or two in the standings.

9. Mizzou (4-3, Last week: 10)

Not many people thought the Tigers would be able to compete against a tough mid-major like UCF, but Mizzou defended its home court and came away with a 64-62 victory in overtime.

Games later this month against Xavier and Illinois might be too tough to handle, so a drop could be coming. For now, though, the Tigers are moving up a spot thanks to a quality victory over the Knights.

10. Vanderbilt (5-2, Last week: 8)

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This team is in trouble without star PG Darius Garland, who is now out for the season and will likely be off to the NBA next year. The Commodores lost a game to N.C. State this week and didn’t look good at all without Garland running the show.

In the coming weeks, they play ranked Arizona State and Kansas State squads, so Bryce Drew’s team is in trouble without its freshman leader.

11. Ole Miss (5-2, Last week: 12)

Other than beating Baylor, the Rebels don’t have many strong victories, but they do get credit for continuing to win. If nothing else, this team is fun, and they could enter SEC play with a 10-2 record if they keep winning.

12. Georgia (5-3, Last week: 11)

The Bulldogs have this week off, and they’ll need it, as a Dec. 15 showdown against a ranked Arizona State team looms large. Tom Crean has his squad playing fun, but inconsistent basketball, so we’ll see how they handle this next test.

13. South Carolina (4-3, Last week: 13)

The Gamecocks face an absolutely brutal 3-game stretch beginning on Saturday when they travel to red-hot Michigan. Then, they host Virginia and Clemson — yikes.

14. Texas A&M (3-4, Last week: 14)

The Aggies have won two games in a row, and have a home game against Boston College on Saturday. A win there over a tough ACC team would help A&M climb out of the cellar in these rankings.