Tom Hart has broadcast a ton of SEC men’s hoops games for ESPN and the SEC Network this season, so he’s gotten to see the league’s top-4 teams — Auburn, Kentucky, Tennessee and Arkansas — up close numerous times.

So, what does he think of the gap that exists between Auburn and the other 3 elite SEC teams? And what about the gap between the top-4 teams and the rest of the league?

Hart joined “McElroy and Cubelic in the Morning” on WJOX on Wednesday to discuss that very topic:

“I thought that was a concerning performance for Kentucky last night,” Hart said. “They looked human. They need Oscar Tshiebwe to have a good matchup. Length bothers him. Tennessee rolled out a 6-11 dude last night that barely had played all season and he blocked 3 of his shots and he was an impact player. They need TyTy Washington on the floor to create space and get to the rim. They didn’t open up enough space for their outside shooters. They don’t have guys, if TyTy’s not playing well, who can really produce on their own. That was concerning. Kentucky’s just gotta be healthy and have TyTy Washington on the floor and Tshiebwe with a good matchup.

“Tennessee, on the other hand, I thought would take a big step back without Olivier Nkamhoua, who is lost for the season. (Jonas) Aidoo played really well there, (John) Fulkerson gave them some nice minutes. They’re shifting their identity again. Rick Barnes is an elite coach. He’s finding ways to make do.

“Arkansas is the hottest team in the league right now. That Auburn win was not just a blip on the radar. That’s who they are. They have 5 guys who can score. They dominated Missouri last night. I think the top 4 (teams) are closer than ever. If you’re looking forward to like what is the seeding going to look like in the tournament or who’s going to win this thing, Arkansas is at a disadvantage just because of their schedule. They’ve got Tennessee left twice and they’ve got Kentucky. And they’ve got to go to Florida. The other 3 have much more manageable schedules the rest of the way.”

There are still a handful of games left for each SEC team down the stretch. We’ll see if Auburn can be caught, or if the Tigers will cruise to the regular-season title. It should be a fun finish with plenty of good games!