Returning to Form?

COLUMBIA -- It's fairly regular for a team to go from worst to first. But how about an entire conference?

The Southeastern Conference was maligned last season for being down, across the board.

But four teams bring back all five starters. Eight bring back four.

That's cause for a quick turnaround.

And there are three new coaches in the league, including one you might have heard of.

In the blink of an eye, John Calipari turned Big Blue's frown upside down.

After a run of 17 consecutive NCAA bids came to an end, Kentucky sensed a change was needed. Hiring Calipari away from Memphis certainly qualified as change.

Calipari immediately got going by assembling, unquestionably, the nation's top recruiting class.

The centerpiece was a late addition. But 6-4 point guard John Wall might very well rival South Carolina's Devan Downey for the league's best point guard.

In fact, some reporters felt so strongly about Wall, that a half-dozen of them picked Wall for preseason player of the year. Teammate Patrick Patterson won, but Wall -- who has yet to play a second of college basketball -- finished second.

"This year feels a lot different," said Patterson, who withdrew his name from the NBA draft pool to come back for his junior season. "Everyone expects us to have a great year this season. Not only us, but our fans and people close to us expect us to have a true 'Kentucky' season."

What's a "Kentucky season?"

"They expect a national championship, a run in the SEC Tournament and an SEC championship," said Patterson, who averaged 17.9 points and 9.3 rebounds a game last year. "They expect our team to be successful and have one of the best years in a while.

"We embrace expectations and do not see them as pressure. Everyone wants to be great and this year we think we can get it done."

Post addition DeMarcus Cousins (6-11) is no joke, either.

Despite a world of expectation, it still won't be easy for the Wildcats. The SEC East will be one of the toughest divisions in America.

"You could be even better than you were last year," second-year South Carolina coach Darrin Horn said, "and maybe your win total or place in the league won't show it."

Two teams from the league would have earned NCAA invites last season, had Mississippi State not won the SEC Tournament. So, three made it, including LSU and Tennessee.

But it was the first time since the league's expansion in 1992 that a team with 10 SEC wins didn't earn an NCAA berth.

In fact, two didn't. Horn's Gamecocks, the East co-division champs, were one. Auburn, which surged toward the end of the year, was the other.

Calipari, for one, didn't seem to think that would be a problem in 2010. He suggested that seven or eight teams would reach the NCAAs this season.

The East is a good place to start. After Kentucky, you could throw darts to determine the predicted order of finish.

South Carolina returns two rare fifth-year seniors in transfer Devan Downey and redshirted Dominique Archie. Throw in freshman Lakeem Jackson, and the Gamecocks could again fight for the East's top spot.

Tennessee is never that far out of the discussion, with coach Bruce Pearl and senior Tyler Smith.

Vanderbilt needed a shooter, and it's got one in freshman John Jenkins. He'll complement center A.J. Ogilvy to give the Commodores an inside-outside threat.

Florida lost Nick Calathes, but peers are high on what freshman guard Kenny Boynton might bring to the team.

Georgia could still be a year away with first-year coach Mark Fox. Only Trey Thompkins returns as a standout for what could be a backcourt-shallow team.

In the West, Mississippi State's improbable tournament run will likely lead to more success. Especially with big man Renardo Sidney joining the league's best defensive player, Jarvis Varnado.

Mississippi and Alabama will push the Bulldogs. Chris Warren is healthy for the Rebels, and he might be in that class with Wall and Downey.

Alabama lured Anthony Grant from VCU, and he'll have the Tide running in his first year. He just seems to win where he goes, and having sophomore forward JaMychal Green helps.

Arkansas has nowhere to go but up after a 2-14 conference season a year ago. If the Hogs don't, John Pelphrey might not be around long.

Auburn wants to keep capitalizing on the success it experienced a year ago, but it might miss Korvotney Barber more than it expects.

Trent Johnson's rebuilding project begins in his second year at LSU, but Tasmin Mitchell is still around to keep the Tigers competitive in the league.

Something akin to the football regular season, the strong will survive in the suddenly tough conference.

"Because this league is going to beat up on each other," Pearl said, "I think the team that handles adversity and handles success the best is the team that is going to win the championship."

Reach Travis Haney at thaney@postandcourier.com and check out the South Carolina blog at www.postandcourier.com/blogs/gamecocks.