SB Nation - Tasmin Mitchell

UK Basketball: A Statistical Look at the SEC

Ken Howlett — Sat, 19 Dec 2009 00:41:16 -0000

Kentucky coach John Calipari asks, where do my 'Cats stand statistically within the SEC?

Ten games into the season, and the Kentucky Wildcats are sporting a pristine 10-0 record, with two wins against top-15 competition. OK, so you already knew that, but do you know how UK stands within the conference in the many statistical categories? If not, prepare yourself for an onslaught of SEC stats, standings, as well as enough conference information to make one forget about Bob Knight and his "unamusing" musings.

After the jump comes ... the rest of the story.

Conference Standings

East West

1. Kentucky - 10-0 1. Mississippi - 9-1

t2. Tennessee - 8-1 2. Mississippi State - 8-2

t2. Florida - 8-1 3. LSU - 7-2

4. South Carolina - 7-2 4. Alabama - 7-3

5. Vanderbilt - 6-3 t5. Arkansas - 5-5

6. Georgia - 4-4 t5. Auburn - 5-5

Scoring Offense -- 1. Tennessee (84.1) 2. Mississippi (83.1) 3. Kentucky (80.3) 4. Arkansas (80.2) 5. South Carolina (78.1) 6. Mississippi State (76.2) 7. Florida (75.4) 8. Vanderbilt (74.4) 9. Auburn (72.2) 10. Alabama (70.7) 11. LSU (66.1) 12. Georgia (63.5).

Arkansas is averaging over 80 points per game, but is still only 5-5?

Scoring Defense -- 1. Mississippi State (59.5) 2. Tennessee (60.2) 3. Florida (60.9) 4. LSU (62.1) 5. Alabama (63.2) 6. Georgia (63.6) 7. Kentucky (65.5) 8. Auburn (67.7) 9. South Carolina (68.2) t10. Mississippi (68.3) t10. Vanderbilt (68.3) 12. Arkansas (72.6).

Tennessee and Florida, both weak defensively last season, have so far shown a tremendous defensive turnaround. John Pelphrey, on the other hand, needs to instill some of the defensive tenacity at Arkansas he employed while playing for the 'Cats.

Scoring Margin -- 1. Tennessee (+23.9) 2. Mississippi State (+16.7) t3. Mississippi (+14.8) t3. Kentucky (+14.8) 5. Florida (+14.6) 6. South Carolina (+9.9) 7. Arkansas (+7.6) 8. Alabama (+7.5) 9. Vanderbilt (+6.1) 10. Auburn (+4.5) 11. LSU (+4.0) 12. Georgia (-.1).

It looks as if Bruce Pearl has finally reigned in his talented UT squad ... as of now, that is.

Field Goal % -- 1. Tennessee (50.4) 2. Kentucky (49.7) 3. Arkansas (49.0) 4. Mississippi State (47.5) t5. Florida (46.3) t5. Mississippi (46.3) 7. Vanderbilt (46.1) 8. Alabama (45.4) 9. South Carolina (43.9) 10. LSU (43.4) 11. Georgia (42.9) 12. Auburn (42.7).

South Carolina must shoot the ball better if they wish to atone for last year's NCAA Tournament slight. Arkansas, shooting 49% and standing at 5-5? I sense a trend developing.

Field Goal % Defense -- 1. Mississippi State (36.8) 2. Tennessee (37.8) 3. Kentucky (38.6) 4. Arkansas (40.1) 5. Florida (40.3) 6. LSU (41.5) 7. Mississippi (41.6) 8. Auburn (41.8) 9. Georgia (42.0) 10. Vanderbilt (42.1) 11. Alabama (42.2) 12. South Carolina (42.3).

Tennessee once again surprises. What once was holding UT back from fulfilling their promise, may now become the strength of their team ... if they can keep up D-heat.

Three-Point % -- 1. Mississippi State (41.9) 2. Tennessee (40.6) 3. Arkansas (39.3) 4. Kentucky (38.0) 5. Mississippi (36.2) 6. Alabama (34.8) 7. Florida (33.0) 8. Georgia (32.3) 9. South Carolina (32.1) 10. Vanderbilt (31.9) 11. LSU (30.5) 12. Auburn (30.4).

Shooters, shooters, needed in middle Tennessee, Louisiana, and Alabama.

Three-Point % Defense -- 1. Florida (21.5) 2. Tennessee (27.5) 3. Mississippi (31.3) 4. Auburn (34.0) 5. Alabama (34.1) 6. South Carolina (34.8) 7. Mississippi State (35.1) 8. Vanderbilt (35.2) 9. LSU (35.4) 10. Kentucky (36.1) 11. Georgia (36.4) 12. Arkansas (38.4).

Allowing 38.4% shooting from beyond the three-point line isn't defense, it's indifferent defense, and also the reason Arkansas may have a new head coach next year. UT and Florida continue to impress.

Free Throw % -- 1. Mississippi State (70.7) 2. Georgia (70.6) 3. Florida (70.1) 4. Tennessee (69.6) 5. Alabama (69.2) 6. Vanderbilt (67.4) 7. LSU (67.4) 8. South Carolina (67.0) 9. Mississippi (66.9) 10. Kentucky (66.0) 11. Arkansas (64.6) 12. Auburn (62.1).

The relative weak conference free throw shooting may render UK's poor average inconsequential.

Rebound Average -- 1. Kentucky (42.1) 2. Mississippi State (40.6) 3. Mississippi (39.6) 4. LSU (39.4) 5. South Carolina (38.0) 6. Florida (37.8) 7. Tennessee (37.1) 8. Vanderbilt (36.7) 9. Auburn (36.6) 10. Georgia (34.5) 11. Alabama (34.3) 12. Arkansas (34.1).

Kentucky should win a number of SEC games based strictly on their ability to hit the boards with a vengeance.

Rebounding Defense -- 1. LSU (30.9) 2. Kentucky (31.5) 3. Georgia (32.2) t4. Tennessee (32.6) t4. Mississippi State (32.6) 6. Alabama (34.1) t7. Florida (36.0) t7. Arkansas (36.0) 9. Auburn (36.2) 10. Vanderbilt (37.8) 11. Mississippi (39.1) South Carolina (39.6).

Rebounding Margin -- 1. Kentucky (+10.6) 2. LSU (+8.6) 3. Mississippi State (+8.0) 4. Tennessee (+4.6) 5. Georgia (+2.2) 6. Florida (+1.8) 7. Mississippi (+.5) 8. Auburn (+.4) 9. Alabama (+.2) 10. Vanderbilt (-1.1) 11. South Carolina (-1.6) 12. Arkansas (-1.9).

Offensive Rebounds -- 1. Kentucky (15.4) 2. South Carolina (14.7) 3. LSU (14.6) 4. Mississippi (13.8) 5. Auburn (13.6) 6. Florida (13.3) 7. Alabama (12.6) 8. Vanderbilt (11.8) 9. Tennessee (11.7) 10. Georgia (11.6) 11. Mississippi State (10.4) 12. Arkansas (10.0).

Offensive rebounds equals a gained possession, something UK has been lacking in to a great degree the last four years.

Offensive Rebound % -- 1. Kentucky (44.8) 2. LSU (40.8) 3. Florida (37.5) 4. Alabama (37.0) 5. South Carolina (36.6) 6. Mississippi (35.8) 7. Auburn (35.4) 8. Georgia (34.7) 9. Tennessee (34.5) 10. Vanderbilt (33.2) 11. Mississippi State (32.2) 12. Arkansas (29.9).

Surprisingly low number for Mississippi State. UK at nearly 45.0% is remarkable.

Defensive Rebounds -- 1. Mississippi State (30.2) 2. Kentucky (26.7) 3. Mississippi (25.8) 4. Tennessee (25.4) t5. Vanderbilt (24.9) t5. LSU (24.9) 7. Florida (24.4) 8. Arkansas (24.1) 9. South Carolina (23.3) 10. Auburn (23.0) 11. Georgia (22.9) 12. Alabama (21.7)

Defensive Rebound % -- 1. Mississippi State (73.8) 2. LSU (71.8) 3. Tennessee (70.9) 4. Georgia (68.8) 5. Kentucky (68.1) 6. Auburn (66.9) 7. Arkansas (65.8) 8. Mississippi (64.2) 9. Florida (64.0) 10. Vanderbilt (63.8) 11. Alabama (63.3) 12. South Carolina (62.3).

How can MSU be so strong on the defensive boards, and so bad on the offensive glass?

Blocked Shots -- 1. Mississippi State (8.6) 2. Kentucky (8.1) 3. South Carolina (7.8) 4. Mississippi (6.0) 5. Georgia (5.6) 6. Vanderbilt (5.0) 7. Alabama (4.6) 8. Arkansas (4.1) t9. Tennessee (3.2) t9. LSU (3.2) t11. Florida (3.0) t11. Auburn (3.0).

Raise your hand if you think John Calipari will have his players drive directly into the path of MSU's Jarvis Varnado, continuing an unpleasant Billy Gillespie tradition, which resulted in nearly 30 blocked shots in two games.

Assists -- 1. Tennessee (18.2) 2. Arkansas (16.3) 3. Kentucky (15.6) 4. Florida (15.4) 5. Mississippi (14.3) 6. Alabama (14.1) 7. Mississippi State (13.6) 8. Auburn (13.1) 9. LSU (12.4) 10. Georgia (12.3) 11. Vanderbilt (11.2) 12. South Carolina (10.7).

I expect UK's assist numbers to rise, as the team continues to gel. Does UT's 18 dimes per game signal an end to the alleged chemistry issues which plagued the team last season?

Steals -- 1. Auburn (9.5) 2. South Carolina (9.1) 3. Tennessee (8.9) 4. Alabama (8.4) 5. Mississippi (8.3) 6. Florida (7.8) 7. Georgia (7.7) 8. Kentucky (7.6) 9. Vanderbilt (6.7) 10. Arkansas (6.5) 11. LSU (5.8) 12. Mississippi State (5.3).

Strong numbers at the top the conference.

Turnover Margin -- 1. Tennessee (+6.9) 2. South Carolina (+5.1) 3. Mississippi (+4.7) 4. Alabama (+3.6) 5. Florida (+2.3) 6. Auburn (+2.0) 7. Arkansas (+1.6) 8. Vanderbilt (-.33) 9. LSU (-.56) 10. Georgia (-1.4) 11. Kentucky (-1.9) 12. Mississippi State (-2.6).

If UK hopes to race to Indianapolis as a Final Four participant, this number has to improve.

Assist/Turnover Ratio -- 1. Tennessee (1.4) 2. Arkansas (1.2) 3. Alabama (1.2) 4. Mississippi (1.1) t5. Florida (1.0) t5. Mississippi State (1.0) 7. LSU (.96) 8. Kentucky (.93) 9. Auburn (.86) 10. Georgia (.84) 11. Vanderbilt (.75) 12. South Carolina (.74).

Top Individual SEC Performers

Scoring -- 1. Rotnei Clarke (ARK) - 21.1 2. Chris Warren (UM) - 19.2 3. John Wall (UK) - 18.1 4. Tasmin Mitchell (LSU) - 18.0 5. Devan Downey (SC) - 17.7 6. Patrick Patterson (UK) - 16.8.

Now we see why Clarke was a hard target recruit for Billy Gillespie.

Rebounding -- 1. Storm Warren (LSU) - 11.4 2. Jarvis Varnado (MSU) - 10.1 3. Patrick Patterson (UK) - 9.6 4. Tasmin Mitchell (LSU) - 8.4 5. DeMarcus Cousins (UK) - 8.3.

Field Goal % -- 1. Jarvis Varnado (MSU) - 67.5 2. Storm Warren (LSU) - 64.3 3. Patrick Patterson (UK) - 62.5 4. Murphy Holloway (UM) - 59.5 5. Ravern Johnson (MSU) - 56.0.

Coming in at No. 7 is UK's John Wall at 54.0%, and at No. 8 UK's DeMarcus Cousins (52.9%).

Three-Point FG % (min. 2.5 made per game) -- 1. Rotnei Clarke (ARK) - 53.9 2. Ravern Johnson (MSU) - 50.0 3. Frankie Sullivan (AU) - 41.3 4. Chris Warren (UM) - 39.8.

Somebody get a hand in Clarke's face.

Assists Per Game -- 1. John Wall (UK) - 7.1 2. Mikhail Torrance (UA) - 5.5 t3. Dee Bost (MSU) - 5.4 t3. Julysses Nobles (ARK) - 5.4 5. Erving Walker (UF) - 5.1.

Steals Per Game -- 1. John Wall (UK) - 2.8 2. Devan Downey (SC) - 2.4 3. Ricky McPhee (UGA) - 2.1 4. DeWayne Reed (AU) - 2.0 5. Eniel Polynice (UM) - 1.9.

Free Throw % (min. 2.5 made per game) -- 1. Frankie Sullivan (AU) - 93.3 2. Mikhail Torrance (UA) - 90.9 3. Kodi Augustus (MSU) - 87.1 t4. Dustin Ware (UGA) - 82.8 t4. Trey Thompkins (UGA) - 82.8.

UK's John Wall checks in at No. 8, making 78.7% of his free throws.

Blocked Shots -- 1. Jarvis Varnado (MSU) - 5.3 2. Sam Muldrow (SC) - 3.3 3. Reginald Buckner (UM) - 2.4 4. JaMychal Green (UA) - 2.3 5. DeMarcus Cousins (UK) - 2.2.

Cousins is averaging less than 20 minutes per game!

Offensive Rebounds -- 1. Storm Warren (LSU) - 5.1 2. Patrick Patterson (UK) - 4.2 3. DeMarcus Cousins (UK) - 3.6 4. Murphy Holloway (UM) - 3.3 t5. JaMychal Green (UA) - 3.0 t5. Jarvis Varnado (MSU) - 3.0.

Patterson and Cousins average nearly as many offensive boards per game as the entire South Carolina team. Paying attention, Darren Horn?

Defensive Rebounds -- 1. Jarvis Varnado (MSU) - 7.1 2. Tasmin Mitchell (LSU) - 6.4 3. Storm Warren (LSU) - 6.3 4. Lucas Hargrove (AU) - 5.6 5. Patrick Patterson (UK) - 5.4.

UK's DeMarcus Cousins comes in at No. 8 with 4.7 defensive rebounds per game.

Assist/TO Ratio -- 1. Tyler Smith (UT) - 4.1 2. Chris Bass (LSU) - 2.9 3. Kenny Boynton (UF) - 2.3 4. Bobby Maze (UT) - 2.3 5. Erving Walker (UF) - 2.2.

John Wall is ranked No. 10 at 1.6. Very impressive number for Tyler Smith, and it may be indicative of the focus he has this season.

Bad Conference Losses -- Alabama (Cornell), Arkansas (Morgan State, East Tennessee State, and South Alabama), Auburn (Missouri State, Central Florida, and Troy), Georgia (Wofford and UAB), Mississippi State (Rider and Richmond), Vanderbilt (Western Kentucky).

Good Conference Wins -- Alabama (Michigan), Auburn (Virginia), Florida (Michigan State), Kentucky (Stanford, North Carolina, and UConn), Mississippi State (UCLA ... kind of), Mississippi (Kansas State), Vanderbilt (Arizona and Missouri).

Individual and Team Points of Interest

Rotnei Clarke scored 51 points versus Alcorn State ... In that game he made 13 three-point shots ... Clarke made 10 threes in a game versus East Tennessee State ... Devan Downey dropped 34 points on Jacksonville ... DeMarcus Cousins, Patrick Patterson and Tasmin Mitchell have all corralled 18 rebounds in a game this year ... John Wall dished out 14 dimes against UNC Asheville, and 11 versus Rider ... Dee Bost and Julysses Nobles each handed out 11 assists in games this year ... Jarvis Varnado has twice blocked eight shots this season ... Arkansas scored 130 points against Alcorn State ... Tennessee scored 124 points against UNC Asheville ... Arkansas shot 65.9% from the field against Delaware State ... Arkansas, Tennessee, and Mississippi State have all made 16 three-pointers in games this year ... Arkansas made 35-45 free throws against Morgan State and still lost ... Auburn pulled down 52 rebounds versus Alabama A&M ... Florida and Vanderbilt both have games where they recorded 51 rebounds ... Tennessee dished out an astounding 34 assists in their contest with UNC Asheville ... UK handed out 28 dimes versus the same club ... Mississippi and Tennessee have both recorded 17 steals in games this year.

Thanks for reading, and Go 'Cats!

You obligatory SEC Primer

SFBE.MP — Thu, 29 Oct 2009 02:54:32 -0000

Kentucky, Kentucky, Kentucky! That’s about all you’ve heard about since Luther Vandross dropped those angel whispers of One Shining Moment on us back in April. Yes, Kentucky has the talent to be observed as the outright favorite to win the National Championship but there are a handful of other worthy opponents that can interrupt a bluegrass march through March.

Mississippi State and Tennessee provide the dangerous combination of experience and talent. Both programs biggest loss in the off season was probably a concessions employee and we’re positive that won’t be enough to cause for a first round exit like last year (MSU to Washington, UT to OK ST). South Carolina carries five seniors and arguably the best point guard in the conference in Devan Downey. Of course, we sidebar the previous statement with the ability to hold an exception based on the unproven ~~Jesus Shuttlesworth~~ John Wall of Kentucky.

The Commodores of Vanderbilt and Billy Donovan’s Florida Gators are sophomore heavy but possess the cohesion required to play spoiler on any given night.

After the newly acquired Calipari takes Rupp Arena, we’re sure the hype will fall true behind the broad shoulders of our pick to take home Conference Player of the Year honors, Patrick Patterson.

Where there is hype, there is Hocus Pocus and we think that the Southeastern Conference could be most wide-open races.

Our breakdown is after the jump.

Tourney teams (in order of conference finish)

   1. Kentucky
   2. Mississippi State
   3. Tennessee
   4. South Carolina
   5. Vanderbilt
   6. Ole Miss

All Conference Team

Patrick Patterson, Kentucky
Tasmin Mitchell, LSU
Devan Downey, South Carolina
Jarvis Varnado, Miss St.
John Wall, Kentucky

Most overrated – John Calipari’s character judgment

Most underrated – Mississippi State’s balance and experience. Florida’s recent ability to find themselves in the NIT.

Notable non-conference match-ups:

12/5 – North Carolina @ Kentucky
12/9 – Kentucky @ UCONN
1/10 - Kansas @ Tennessee
12/19 – Tennessee @ USC
11/27 - Florida @ Michigan State

Five story lines to keep tabs on:

John Wall. Can he be the Carmelo or Derrick Rose of Kentucky
Will Mississippi State let the Final Four talks come to their demise as they accumulate the wins?
Tennessee faces the toughest non-conference schedule with USC, Memphis and Kansas. Will the Vol’s use that help their seeding or ruin it?
Anthony Grant. Can Grant bring what worked at VCU to the Southeastern Conference? We think…yes.
What is the better fashion accessory? Courtney Fortson’s hair length or Wayne Chism’s headband.

BtB 2009-10 Southeastern Conference Preview

Chris Dobbertean — Sun, 11 Oct 2009 21:27:31 -0000

During the two weeks before Selection Sunday last March, I frequently heard these words (or something close) in conversation, "The SEC is going to get more than two or three bids to the Tourney. How can we not? We're the SEC." Of course, it took another surprising run through the SEC Tournament by a team nicknamed the Bulldogs to keep the Southeastern Conference from becoming (gasp) a two bid league. But Mississippi State became the league's second straight surprise auto bid winner. However, just like Georgia in 2008, the boys from Starkville also lost in the first round after getting a low seed.

But it's not like the two SEC teams who earned at-large bids did much better. Ninth seeded Tennessee fell to Oklahoma State in a tight first round contest, while eighth seeded LSU reached round two, where they were outclassed by North Carolina. Kentucky, Florida, Auburn, and South Carolina all ended up in the NIT, where none of the four managed to make it to New York. Vanderbilt won 19 games and didn't even get a postseason bid. All in all, it was a disappointing 2008-09 for a conference used to postseason success.

The good news for the SEC is that the league should be far better this year, thanks to a couple of major coaching hires (as explained in my Coaching Carousel column) and an infusion of new talent (some of whom are listed in my All-Transfer and All-Freshman team columns). But there's a lot more going on in the league than what happened in Lexington and Tuscaloosa this offseason, which I'll explain after the jump.

Let's first take a look at last season's SEC standings.

Southeastern Conference Standings

(updated 3.25.2009 at 10:42 PM EDT)

East	Conf		Overall
	W	L	W	L
South Carolina Gamecocks	10	6	21	10
Tennessee Volunteers	10	6	21	13
Florida Gators	9	7	25	11
Kentucky Wildcats	8	8	22	14
Vanderbilt Commodores	8	8	19	12
Georgia Bulldogs	3	13	12	20

West	Conf		Overall
	W	L	W	L
LSU Tigers	13	3	27	8
Auburn Tigers	10	6	24	12
Mississippi St. Bulldogs	9	7	23	13
Alabama Crimson Tide	7	9	18	14
Mississippi Rebels	7	9	16	15
Arkansas Razorbacks	2	14	14	16

Now, here are my picks for 2009-10, presented in reverse order. If a school's name appears in red, that's a link to its SBNation site. You can go there for more detailed analysis throughout the season.

West Division

Auburn (last NCAA: 2003) The Tigers fell to Baylor in the NIT quarterfinals last season, a disappointing end to a good season that could've ended in the NCAA Tournament with a marquee win or two. It's going to take a lot for Jeff Lebo's team to reach that level of success this season. Even with the graduation of Rasheem Barrett (9.9 ppg) and Quantez Robertson (6.0 ppg, 3.2 apg), DeWayne Reed (13.2 ppg, 3.7 apg) and Tay Waller (12.1 ppg) anchor a solid backcourt that will give the opposition fits. However, Korvotney Barber and his contributions of nearly 13 points and 10 rebounds a game will be severely missed in the frontcourt, even in Lebo's guard-oriented system. Seniors Brendan Knox and Johnnie Lett will have to step up to fill the void left by Barber's departure, and freshmen Rob Chubb and Ty Armstrong can expect to see playing time as well. Junior college transfer Kenny Gabriel should also see significant time, as he can be a true inside/outside threat for Auburn.

LSU (last NCAA: 2009) Expect the Tigers, last year's SEC regular season champs, to take a step back after the loss of three key starters. F Marcus Thornton and his 21 points per game are gone, so is C Chris Johnson, and the team's heart and soul, PG Garrett Temple. However, LSU still has Tasmin Mitchell, who averaged 16.3 points and 7.2 rebounds last season, while spending time at both small forward and power forward. Guard Bo Spencer is the other returning starter. He's a good shooter (averaging 11.4 ppg while shooting 40% from beyond the arc), but is coming off wrist surgery. Beyond those two, head coach Trent Johnson has his work cut out for him, as none of the other returnees averaged more than 2 points per contest. Expect the newcomers, like G Aaron Dotson (coming off a patellar tendon injury) and Fs Eddie Ludwig and Garrett Green (a medical redshirt last year), to see significant time during the rebuilding process.

Arkansas (last NCAA: 2008) It hasn't been the greatest of offseasons in Fayetteville, where head coach John Pelphrey will suspend at least one player after an offseason rape investigation that resulted in no charges. The possibility of suspensions will make the Razorbacks task of recovering from last season a bit more difficult. The Hogs were in full rebuilding mode last year, but managed to get off to a 12-1 start, featuring wins over regional rivals Oklahoma and Texas. It didn't last, and Arkansas finished bottom of the SEC West with a ghastly 2-14 record. This season, the Razorbacks will again roll out a three-guard lineup in their search for more consistency. That quest starts at point guard, where sophomore Courtney Fortson did a great job of distributing the ball (nearly 6 assists per game), while turning it over far too often (4.4 per game). Rotnei Clark led the nation's freshmen in three point shooting (39.3%), and Stefan Welsh contributed 11.5 oints per game. PF Michael Washington decided to stay in school, which means the Hogs keep their leading scorer (15.5) and conference-leading rebounder (9.8). The biggest reason Arkansas is this low is depth, with only six returning players from last season, Pelphrey will need a lot out of his newcomers to move up the SEC ladder.

Alabama (last NCAA: 2006) Bama alum Mark Gottfried resigned as head coach last January, when it was clear that the Tide would spend a third straight year outside of the NCAAs. Anthony Grant left a good gig at VCU to take the head job, and he's going to try to implement a more up-tempo style in Tuscaloosa. Alabama's biggest issue over the past few seasons has been inconsistent point guard play, especially with Ronald Steele's injuries and eventual departure from the program. Senior Mikhail Torrance (10 ppg, 2.3 apg) moved to the 1 slot after Steele left the program and performed well, though he's more of a natural shooting guard. As Grant implements his offense, watch for 5-9 Anthony Brock and Andrew Steele, Ronald's brother, to get time at the point, so Torrance can move over to his natural position. In the frontcourt, Grant has two 6-9 guys who will need to step it up. JaMychal Green had a decent freshman season, but will need to better his averages of 10.6 ppg and 7.6 rpg. Justin Knox, who averaged 5.7 ppg and 5.1 rpg, should be able to increase both those numbers with more time on the court.

Mississippi (last NCAA: 2002) Ole Miss head coach Andy Kennedy made headlines for all the wrong reasons last season, when he was arrested for allegedly assaulting a cab driver the night before the Rebels faced his former employer, Cincinnati, in the SEC/Big East Invitational. Things only got worse from there, as Miss lost All-SEC guard Chris Warren to a knee injury during that outing. Add in the fact that the Rebels had already lost Eniel Polynice and Trevor Gaskins to injuries, and it's amazing that they managed 16 wins last year. This season, all three guards are back, making the loss of Florida transfer David Huertas almost inconsequential. Zach Graham, the team's best three point shooter, is also back, giving the Rebels perhaps the best backcourt in the league. Kennedy's frontcourt isn't quite as strong. Sophomore Murphy Holloway will have to improve on his 8.4 points and 6.6 boards per game, while 6-8 freshman Reginald Bucker and 6-9 JC transfer DeAngelo Riley will have to contribute immediately. The fact the Rebels don't quite have the inside force to match Miss State's Varnado means they should finish behind their in-state rivals in the standings.

Mississippi State (last NCAA: 2009) Rick Stansbury recruited Renardo Sidney to provide some support for C Jarvis Varnado inside. However, it doesn't look like the NCAA is going to rule Sidney eligible. Stansbury also got a commitment from 7-2 Sudanese C John Riek, who was finally ruled eligible, but will have to sit out the first 9 games of the season. That means Varnado, who fell ill at one point this summer, will likely see some time as the lone big man on the court if Stansbury runs out a four-guard offense, as he did frequently last season. When you have guards like Dee Bost, Ravern Johnson, Barry Stewart, and Phil Turner who can shoot the three well, that offensive strategy isn't a bad idea. However, with the development of 6-8 Fs Kodi Augustus and Romero Osby (and Riek's eventual eligibility), you can expect to see Varnado get far more frontcourt help. Additionally, Varnado only needs 19 blocks to pass Shaquille O'Neal as the SEC's all-time leader in that category (though Shaq did it in fewer games).

East Division

Georgia (last NCAA: 2008) For some reason, Mark Fox decided to leave a Nevada program he (along with LSU head man Trent Johnson) made into a national name. Fox now replaces Dennis Felton at the helm of a Georgia program that has never fully recovered from the Jim Harrick era, which is now six years in the past. After the graduation of G/F Terrance Woodbury (14.0 ppg), Fox is left with only one double-digit scorer from last season. However, 6-9 F Howard Thompkins is a pretty good player to have on your roster. Thompkins averaged 12.6 points and 7.4 boards per game, and should be even better after an offseason spent on the USA's Under-19 World Championship-winning team. In the backcourt, Dustin Ware should start at point guard, as he averaged 7.2 points and 3.4 dimes per game in 2008-09. After that, Fox has a lot of decisions to make, and that means the Bulldogs will probably be rooted to the bottom of the SEC standings yet again.

South Carolina (last NCAA: 2004) In Darrin Horn's first year at the helm, the Gamecocks managed to tie Tennessee atop the SEC East. Even though they only lost guard Zam Fredrick and his 15.5 points per game, Carolina probably won't reach such heights this season. That's not to say that the Gamecocks won't manage to get back to the NCAAs, something they failed to do last year. Thanks to the return of G Devan Downey (19.8 ppg, 4.5 apg, SEC leading 89 steals) and F Dominique Archie (10.9 ppg, 6.4 rpg), the Gamecocks still have some real star power in the lineup. Returning starters Mike Holmes (10.8 ppg, 7.7 rpg) and Sam Muldrow (5.6 ppg, 5.3 rpg) should provide even more help to Archie in the frontcourt this season, while JC transfer Johndre Jefferson will be expected to spend time at both small and power forward. In the backcourt, Evaldas Baniulis, after averaging a bit more than 6 points a game while shooting 48 percent from behind the arc, is expected to take a more active role in the offense with the graduation of Fredrick, as is 6-5 swingman Lakeem Jackson, a heralded recruit from Charlotte.

Florida (last NCAA: 2007) Has it really been over two years since the Gators last featured in an NCAA Tournament game? While the days of back-to-back championships may be in the rear-view mirror, Billy Donovan's latest group has the chance to finally get off the bubble. Georgetown transfer Vernon Macklin will be eligible this season, and he'll slide into the center position. That will allow Alex Tyus to move back to his natural position, power forward, which will allow Dan Werner to move to small forward. Kenny Kadji should be better in his sophomore year as well, giving the Gators more of a presence inside. More consistency is expected out of swingman Chandler Parsons, whose performances alternate between brilliant and frustrating. In the backcourt, Erving Walker (10.1 ppg, 2.4 apg) will lead the offense after Nick Calathes' departure for Greece. Israeli newcomer Nimrod Tishman could also see time at the point if the NCAA rules him eligible. Impact freshman Kenny Boynton will start at shooting guard. He's expected to be the Gators new three-point threat, though he can also really drive to the hoop.

Vanderbilt (last NCAA: 2008) The Commodores sat at home last postseason, despite finishing the regular season with 7 wins in their last 10. Vandy shouldn't be so unlucky this season. Chemistry should be good, as head coach Kevin Stallings gave up a $100,000 raise so the team could take a scheduled trip to Australia, home country of star C A.J. Ogilvy. Ogilvy averaged 15.4 points and 7.1 rebounds per game, and those numbers should improve if he stays healthier this season. The 'Dores frontcourt boasts an international flavor beyond their Aussie star with Swede Jeffery Taylor (12.2 ppg. 6.2 rpg) a fixture at small forward, 6-9 Cameroonian PF Steve Tchiengang (3.6 ppg, 3.2 rpg) expected to spend more time in the 4 spot, and 6-11 Nigerian C Festus Ezeli (3.8 ppg. 2.6 rpg) expected to both backup and spend time on the floor with Ogilvy. 6-7 Andre Walker may also return to the starting lineup, after suffering an ACL tear early last season. The backcourt may be more US-centric, but it's still talented. Jermaine Beal (12.5 ppg, 3.2 apg) amd Brad Tinsley (11.0 ppg, 2.8 apg) will take turns running the offense, but 6-4 John Jenkins, the USA's highest scoring high school player last season, will get plenty of opportunities to showcase his inside/outside game. Even if he only manages 25 percent of his senior year average, Jenkins should provide plenty of scoring punch for the Commodores.

Tennessee (last NCAA: 2009) The Volunteers return all five starters in their quest to improve on last year's NCAA first round exit. The best news for the Vols this offseason was Tyler Smith's decision to skip the NBA Draft and return for his senior season. Bruce Pearl is glad he doesn't have to replace Smith's 17.4 points and 5.8 rebounds per game. Wayne Chism (13.7 ppg, 8 rpg) will continue to be a force inside, while 6-10 C Brian Williams will need to improve his scoring (5 ppg) to match his rebounding (5.6 rpg). Bobby Maze (8.2 ppg, 3.2 apg) will run the offense, while J.P. Prince and Scotty Hopson, who were forces at both ends of the floor last year, are expected to continue their strong two-way play. Cameron Tatum (7.6 ppg) and Renaldo Woolridge, son of former NBA star Orlando, are going to be Bruce Pearl's key swingmen this season.. Woolridge, who only managed 2.6 points in a little more than 8 minutes a contest, should be improved in his sophomore season. The Vols only personnel loss is a sad story, as Nigerian F Emmanuel Negedu, as he suffered a sudden cardiac arrest last month.

Kentucky (last NCAA: 2008) During my Season Preview series, I've written a fair amount about John Calipari's arrival in Lexington and his stellar recruiting class. Patrick Patterson (17.9 ppg, 9.3 rpg) will lead a strong frontcourt that already features senior Perry Stevenson (7.8 ppg, 5.9 rpg), and will be bolstered by the arrival of the 6-11 DeMarcus Cousins and 6-10 Daniel Orton, two highly coveted recruits. And the backcourt will feature the most highly coveted recruit for this season, 6-4 point guard John Wall, who will be responsible for running Calipari's dribble drive offense. If the chemistry works, the Wildcats will quickly be on their way, and the blue half of the Commonwealth will quickly forget about the Gillispie period.

I'm picking Kentucky to win the overall SEC title, so they'll take the league's auto bid in my 2009-10 Final Preseason Bracket, which I will release on November 9. To wrap up this preview, here is my preseason All-SEC team, featuring the best returning players from last season.

Preseason All-SEC Team

Player of the Year: Tyler Smith, 6-7 F, Sr. (Tennessee)

Remainder of the Team
Devan Downey, 5-9 G, Sr. (South Carolina)
Tasmin Mitchell, 6-7 F, Sr. (LSU)
Patrick Patterson, 6-9 F, Jr. (Kentucky)
Jarvis Varnado, 6-9 F/C, Sr. (Mississippi State)

Poll

Who is your pick to win the SEC this season?

Alabama

9 votes

Arkansas

9 votes

Auburn

3 votes

Florida

14 votes

Georgia

2 votes

Kentucky

213 votes

LSU

3 votes

Ole Miss

7 votes

Mississippi State

57 votes

South Carolina

5 votes

Tennessee

68 votes

Vanderbilt

17 votes

407 votes | Poll has closed

Tuesday News and Notes: Downey, Archie, and Horn on the Recruiting Trail

Gamecock Man — Tue, 09 Jun 2009 14:50:07 -0000

More photos » by Chris O'Meara - AP

8 months ago: FILE - In this March 13, 2009, file photo, South Carolina guard Devan Downey (2) shoots around Mississippi State forward Jarvis Vernado during the first half of an NCAA college basketball game at the Southeastern Conference men's tournament in Tampa, Fla. Downey is making himself eligible for the NBA draft without hiring an agent, meaning he can withdraw his name by June 15 and still return to school. The 5-foot-9 guard announced his decision Tuesday, April 7. (AP Photo/Chris O'Meara, File)

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I'm back in business after spending some time over the weekend with my girlfriend's friends and family in Columbia and Spartanburg. There's not a whole lot of news today, but there should be soon, as the June 15th deadline for college basketball players that have declared for the draft without hiring an agent to decide whether or not they want to stay in the draft is fast approaching. LSU's Tasmin Mitchell has recently backed out, but our own Devan Downey and Dominique Archie have yet to make up their minds. Considering that he said he plans to when he declared, I still expect Archie to come back and assume that he's just trying to get as much as he can out of the workout process. I could be wrong, but I have no problem with taking Arhchie at his word at this point. Downey, though, is tougher to figure out, and every day without hearing that he's coming back makes me worry more that he plans to do something other than play in Columbia in 2009-2010. That probably won't be playing in the NBA, but the guy does have other options, and as a fifth-year senior who is supposedly close enough that he could graduate in the fall, he may feel it's time to move on.

In more basketball news, ESPN's Michael LaPlante has an informative column up that ranks the SEC recruiting classes. He gives us a C+. That's not as bad as it sounds; only one team (Kentucky) got an A-range grade, and our C+ puts us around the middle of the pack. That's not too bad for Darrin Horn's first real class. Horn signed a potential star in Lakeem Jackson. Jackson has been looking more and more like a real gem for Horn as his stock has risen considerably over the last few months. Horn also signed some potential role players that could be good for us if they pan out. Still, Horn will need to pull more talent in future classes if he truly hopes to challenge John Calipari, Billy Donovan, and Bruce Pearl in the SEC. Horn is a career overachiever and his coaching smarts will keep USC in games, but to truly compete for SEC titles consistently he'll have to get the kind of talent the league's other coaching stars get.

A few other items of interest:

They don't consider us a rival. Rrright. (H / T to cocknfire on this one.)
This story got a lot of play over the weekend in my absence, and since everyone who reads this site should already know what I think of Kiffin, I'm not going to weigh in. If you haven't already seen it, though, UT has self-reported yet another recruiting violation.
We could get hit hard by the MLB draft. Underclassman Sam Dyson is projected as a first-round pick, and star commitment Chris Owings may also have to decide between big money and playing for Ray Tanner.

Heytvelt, Downs Workout for NBA Teams Today

Zach B — Fri, 05 Jun 2009 16:43:06 -0000

More photos » by Matt Slocum - AP

Micah Downs blocks North Carolina's Deon Thompson in the Sweet Sixteen. Today, Downs will be hoping to impress the Blazers. (AP Photo/Matt Slocum)

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Like our loyal reader GUnit pointed out yesterday, Micah Downs will be working out with the Portland Trailblazers today. A late addition, Downs is replacing Tasmin Mitchell, the forward out of LSU. He will be working out with Chris Johnson also from LSU, Omri Casspi from Israel, Jerel McNeal from Marquette, Greivis Vasquez from Maryland, and Chinemelu Elonu from Texas A&M. Aside from Casspi, all the players working out for Portland today are probably guys that will be projected in the second round or undrafted. The good thing for the six working out today is that Portland has a lot of picks to throw around. While Portland will probably be looking for a point guard in the first round, Casspi could be worth selecting with the Blazers 24th pick. You'll be hearing Portland's name a lot in the second round as they have four picks (#33, #38, #55, #56). It'd be great to see Micah remain in the Pacific Northwest and get drafted by the Blazers. Hopefully his work out goes very well and make sure to check BlazersEdge throughout the day as their writers will be at the workout today.

Also working out today is Gonzaga center Josh Heytvelt. JH has been projected as a mid-to-late second round pick and the Milwaukee Bucks will be testing him out today along with five other prospects. Josh has, much like Austin Daye, had some very mixed reviews throughout the pre-draft process. He got some raves during the combine and people were enamored with his size since graduating. The most recent review of Josh, however, was not so glowing:

Speaking of Gonzaga, several GMs were ranting about big man Heytvelt. "He looked completely disinterested," one GM said. "He was awful. He had his teammates urging him to compete harder. It was weird."

That was from ESPN's Chad Ford who has been covering the workouts. This makes you wonder about Josh's passion for the game, especially since he no longer has the option to come back another year. These three weeks could become very crucial for Josh because he is a guy that some think could be an end of the first round type guy but could also drop out of the draft. Milwaukee has two picks in this year's draft. With the tenth overall pick, Josh will not be the pick but if he impresses them enough, he could fit in as the 41st selection. Joining Josh in today's workout is UCLA's Josh Shipp, Miami of Ohio's Michael Bramos, Alabama's Alonzo Gee, West Virginia's Alex Ruoff, and North Carolina State junior Brandon Costner.

Tasmin Mitchell Declares for the NBA but Leaves the Door Open to Return

Richard Pittman — Thu, 09 Apr 2009 11:24:42 -0000

LSU junior forward but all around veteran leader Tasmin Mitchell has put his name into the NBA draft, but is not hiring an agent, which means he can return to LSU for his senior season if he does not like where he's projected to go. Mitchell has until June 15, 2009 to decide to remove himself from the Draft.

What I know about the NBA could be written on a small pamphlet, probably in the margins of an already-published pamphlet dealing with another topic. And then I could probably fit in a few small doodles on the pamphlet.

Be that as it may, one of the things that would fit into the margins of that used pamphlet is the fact that the NBA values length and athleticism above all else when it comes to drafting talent. Mitchell's greatest assets as a player, which are his head for the game, his work ethic, and his nice mid-range jumper, are not considered high priorities at the NBA Draft.

When it comes to the Draft, the team will look at size, arm length, vertical jump, first-step quickness, and things of that nature. Tasmin Mitchell will not measure up very well in those areas. He's about 6'6", which would make him shorter than the average NBA player. He plays below the rim (I don't recall seeing him get a dunk this year). He does not have great quickness.

If he was about 3 inches taller, he could be a power forward. If he was a little quicker, he could be a small forward. As it is, I don't see how the NBA scouts would rate him very highly. It's a shame for Tasmin because he really is a very good basketball player. I just think the NBA scouts aren't going to place a high value on the things he does well. Tasmin's an outstanding college basketball player, and he may yet find a place in the NBA, but he is not going to be the NBA equivalent of the sexy sports car when it comes to the Draft.

Which is all to say that I think Tasmin made a good decision not to hire an agent. I think that deep down, Tasmin knows he's probably going to end up coming back to LSU, but I think he wants to hear directly from the scouts and the teams that he's not going to be highly valued.

Part of his quickness and verticality problems could be a result of the injury that kept him out of action for the 2007-2008 season. I remember him as a freshman and he was quicker and more of a leaper back then. He's developed as a player, but it seems his body may still need to recover from his injury. If he can get healthier and improve those areas, he could have better luck next year.

Tasmin may not be a highly valued NBA prospect, but he sure is a highly valued Tiger. We love all the things about him that the NBA scouts devalue. I don't want to be so selfish as to hope his professional ambitions go unrealized, but I will be pleased if I see him on the court at the PMAC, in uniform, next season.

I am personally of the opinion that Tasmin MItchell would make a good coach one day.

SEC Tournament: Kentucky Wildcats vs. LSU

Ken Howlett — Fri, 13 Mar 2009 13:02:23 -0000

Reversal of Fortune

The Kentucky Wildcats (20-12, 9-8) experienced a trend reversal in yesterday's opening round 71-58 victory over the Ole Miss Rebels: It's the first time all year that UK has won a game in which they were outscored from the three-point line. Ole Miss notched five made threes, while UK wasn't "feelin' it" from long distance, going only 1-10.

The victory also halted UK's unpleasant four game losing streak, keeping alive their slim hopes for a bid to the NCAA Tournament.

How did they win? They won with defense, an aspect of their game that has been a dismal failure of late. But yesterday, UK held Ole Miss to only 20 points, and 31.8% field goal shooting in the second half, after allowing the Rebels to make 14-26 shots (53.8%) in the opening stanza. UK also took care of the basketball, committing only 10 turnovers to Mississippi's 18, which resulted in another reversal of fortune: UK outscored their opponent by 16 points in the points off turnovers category.

Continuing UK's reversal of fortune (Claus von Bulow would be proud): The 'Cats placed four players in double figures, with Jodie Meeks leading the way with 25 points, followed by Patrick Patterson's 15 (and 14 boards). Perry Stevenson must have eaten his Wheaties for breakfast because he showed signs of life with 13 points and eights rebounds (4 offensive), and late-comer Darius Miller chipped in with 12 points on 5-9 shooting.

And finally, what has been UK's undoing all season, offensive rebounding, was a strength yesterday. The 'Cats grabbed six more offensive boards than the Rebels, allowing UK to outscore Ole Miss by five in second chance points.

In order for UK to continue their improbable run toward the SEC Championship game, they must once again execute defensively and play smartly. Because today against the SEC Regular season champion, the #16 ranked LSU Tigers (25-6, 13-3), they will be facing an experienced-laden team that isn't prone to making the same mistakes as the depleted Ole Miss Rebels.

LSU Tigers

On February 28, LSU invaded Rupp Arena and came away with a hard-earned 73-70 victory: LSU junior forward Tasmin Mitchell nailed a three-pointer with 9.8 seconds remaining to seal the victory for the Tigers.

UK head coach Billy Gillispie said this after the loss --

"We're just not a mature enough team to beat a team that is smart and mature like LSU is."

Have the 'Cats grown-up? They certainly took a positive step toward maturity yesterday.

Gillispie placed the blame for the earlier LSU loss squarely on his own shoulders. Saying that his decision to take out Ramon Harris at the 10:54 mark of the second half with UK up 54-44, cost the Wildcats the game. Gillispie noted after the game that Harris "looked like he was having a heart attack," which is why he removed the junior G/F from the game. Gillispie also stated that he was worried that Harris may have been suffering some type of after-effect related to his head injury suffered earlier in the year.

Regardless, UK went from up 10, to up only two points in Harris' four-and-a-half minute absence (he re-entered the game at the 6:35 mark), but more importantly newly minted Conference Player of the Year Marcus Thornton caught fire, scoring 15 late points (19 total second half points), carrying the Tigers to victory.

Kentucky also "accomplished" a rarity in the first LSU game: They lost despite shooting 60.7% in the second half (17-28). Meeks and Patterson were a combined 13-21 from the field (61.9%) in the second half, and accounted for 29 UK points. But it wasn't enough to overcome a 15-9 LSU advantage in second chance points, as well as a Tiger win in the points off turnovers battle (18-15).

But, the primary reason for the Tiger victory was once again a lack of perimeter defense by Kentucky -- LSU made 9-20 three-point shots (45.0%), dwarfing UK's 3-14 effort from beyond the arc (21.4%), and off-setting UK's huge advantage in points in the paint (46-24).

LSU Personnel -- Conference Games Only

Marcus Thornton: 6-4, 205 lb senior guard -- Thornton averages 22.7 points, 6.0 rebounds, 2.3 assists, and 1.6 steals per game. He's shooting 46.5% from the field, 38.5% from beyond the arc (37-96), and 78.9% from the free throw line.

In the first game -- Thornton scored 23 points on 8-23 shooting (2-7 threes), grabbed nine rebounds, dished out four assists and committed two turnovers.

Tasmin Mitchell: 6-7, 235 lb junior forward -- He's averaging 18.4 points, 8.1 rebounds (2.9 offensive), 2.0 assists and 1.8 steals per game. He shoots 53.9% from the field, 58.3% from the three-point line (7-12), and 73.6% from the free throw line.

In the first game -- Mitchell scored 21 points on 9-13 shooting (1-2 threes), gathered eight rebounds, had two assists, FIVE steals, three turnovers, and hit the previously-mentioned game-winning three-pointer.

Bo Spencer: 6-1, 185 lb sophomore guard -- Spencer is averaging 11.1 points, 2.6 assists, and 2.5 rebounds per game. He makes 40.3% of his shots, 40.3% of his three-point tries (25-62), and 81.5% of his free throws.

In the first game -- He scored 16 points, making 6-12 shots (4-7 threes). He dished out three assists, had two steals and two turnovers.

Garrett Temple: 6-6, 195 lb senior guard -- Temple averages 7.7 points, 4.9 rebounds, 3.9 assists, and 1.1 steals per game. He's shooting 35.8% from the floor, 29.8% from beyond the arc (14-47), and 81.4% from the charity stripe.

In the first game -- Temple scored one point, had one rebound, one assist, three blocks and one turnover.

Chris Johnson: 6-11, 210 lb senior center -- Johnson is averaging 7.8 points, 7.7 rebounds (2.7 offensive), and 3.4 blocks per game. He's shooting 49.5% from the field, and 87.5% from the free throw line (14-16).

In the first game -- In 14 minutes of action Johnson scored two points (1-3 shooting), had four rebounds, one assist, one turnover, and was generally abused by Patrick Patterson.

Terry Martin: 6-6, 210 lb senior guard -- Martin is averaging 4.7 points, and 2.7 rebounds per game. He makes 34.6% of his shots, 27.3% of his threes (9-33), and 66.7% of his free throws.

In the first game -- In 18 minutes he scored eight points on 3-4 shooting (2-3 threes), nabbed one rebound, dished out one assist, had one steal, one block and one turnover.

CliffsNotes Analysis

This is Patrick Patterson's day!

The big fella dominated the paint in the earlier LSU game, scoring 28 points on 12-17 shooting. He also grabbed nine rebounds. LSU simply has no answer for UK's big man. Feeding the post early and often should be a large part of Billy Gillispie's game-plan -- Let Patterson carry UK on his substantial shoulders, and with Perry Stevenson's renewed interest the 'Cats have a dual-threat post presence for the first time in several weeks.

Conference Coach of the Year Trent Johnson will once again pressure Jodie Meeks with Tasmin Mitchell, Marcus Thornton and Garrett Temple so UK will have to run some offensive sets to get their star guard some open looks (Meeks was 10-22 from the field, but only 1-9 from behind the arc in the first game).

I suspect that Ramon Harris will take on Marcus Thornton once again. UK's lock-down defender did an exceptional job on LSU's scoring machine in the first match-up. A repeat performance for the "Alaskan Assassin" will go a long way in helping UK secure their second victory in a row.

Michael Porter must take care of the ball as he did yesterday against Ole Miss -- He committed only one turnover, and had three assists. LSU isn't known for pressuring the ball, so Porter will have the opportunity to run the offense relatively hassle-free.

But most importantly, Kentucky's defense must show up as it did yesterday. When UK plays frenetic, active defense, they usually win. Today's game should be no different.

Thanks for reading, and Go 'Cats, beat the Tigers!

Sprints // 03.11.09

cocknfire — Wed, 11 Mar 2009 05:01:59 -0000

Basketball Awards. Coach of the Year goes to LSU's Trent Johnson, no real surprise after Darrin Horn's South Carolina team had trouble handling success. Johnson's team was the best of a down SEC, so we'll likely have to wait for the NCAA tournament to find out how good they really are.

Marcus Thornton, also of LSU, was Player of the Year.

The First Team All-SEC selections:

Pos	Name	Team
G	Nick Calathes	Florida
G	Jodie Meeks	Kentucky
F	Patrick Patterson	Kentucky
F	Tasmin Mitchell	LSU
G	Marcus Thornton	LSU
F/C	Jarvis Varnado	Mississippi State
G	Devan Downey	South Carolina
F	Tyler Smith	Tennessee

The rest of the awards are here.

Play ball! Auburn beats Alabama, 8-7, in your first SEC baseball game of the year. All other SEC teams win, except Arkansas, who managed to make four errors in three innings to lose to Centenary. Yes, Centenary. The most impressive non-conference win of the day might belong to Vanderbilt, which shellacked Lipscomb, 22-4.

Now might be a good time to mention that there are actually two SEC baseball games on television Sunday. For those of you with Cox Sports Television, Florida visits Arkansas at 2 p.m. ET. On CSS, Alabama hosts Georgia at 3 p.m. ET.

Another view on crime and punishment. Alligator Army reminds us that athletes are really just students -- and that many students face heavy-handed punishment without all the publicity.

While [Florida baseball player Stephen Kendall] Locke is an extreme case, an athlete who gets his charge dropped, the average student who gets a DUI is out of school before they can get kicked out. The last thing a student needs is a suspension, so it is better to withdraw before the university can get you. But, that student won't have his name in the paper or lose her athletic scholarship.

C&F is still not as comfortable about the resolution of the Carl Johnson situation as AA appears to be, but in the absence of prosecution, Johnson is innocent.

Auburn out of the NCAAs? So says Seth Emerson, though he adds a this-is-pre-tournaments caveat. A few from his bubble team rankings:

9. South Carolina
10. Florida
13. San Diego State (last in)
18. Auburn

It's an interesting list from someone who has spent a lot of time watching the bubble for Gamecocks fans.

'I said busing tables.' Lane Kiffin denies slurring every South Carolina-bred Gamecock in program history.

"I never said that to Alshon, nor would I say anything like that," an obviously concerned Kiffin said during a meeting in his office. [EMPHASIS C&F's]

Boy Wonder, you've already said many, many things like that. So color C&F skeptical. (HT: Joe Person)

In the meantime, practice gets underway in Knoxville. No reported outrageous quotes from Boy Wonder. Yet.

Leavin'. Jon Richt is transferring out of Clemson, reportedly to go to a smaller program. Or to escape the sinking feeling that he's stuck in an episode of Green Acres. One of the two. (HT: The Mayor)

The last thing they needed. Arkansas, not expected to be long for the SEC tournament? They are down by one (G/F Jason Henry), by virtue of the dreaded "violation of team rules."

Billy Gillispie is not worried. Good for him. Kentucky fans are.

SEC Alumnus News. Former Vanderbilt QB Jay Cutler's relationship with the Broncos is dissolving, in a story not at all leaked by anyone in Culter's camp. I mean, there is absolutely nothing in the story that transparently reveals that Cutler's side is the one talking here.

LSU 73, Kentucky 70: Postmortem

Truzenzuzex — Sun, 01 Mar 2009 01:04:36 -0000

Another day, another frustrating loss for Kentucky. I said this was the biggest game of the year for the 'Cats, and it was. It was a great college basketball game by both teams, incredible intensity and tenacious defense -- the kind of game you expect to see at the end of February, but not the kind of results the Cats have historically expected.

Congratulations to the LSU Tigers. They were the best team today -- barely. But the stat that counts the most is the final score, and when you are on the long end of that at Rupp Arena, you have a lot to be proud of. LSU's maturity was very much evident in today's game, and it wound up being the edge they needed to pull out a hard fought win. Well done, Tigers, and congrats to all the LSU fans out there. Your team did you proud.

For Kentucky, this was a big improvement from the South Carolina game in every way but the one that matters most -- the final score. This was also a tale of two halves -- a first half which looked very much like the Kentucky we have seen all to often lately, and the second half, which was a Jodie Meeks three or a challenged Marcus Thornton three and missed free throw away from a big win. You hate to lose games after getting a decent lead, but LSU is such a mature and experienced team that they have no quit or panic in them, and that was all they needed to fight back for a victory.

Some observations:

I predicted that Garrett Temple could not guard Meeks. I was both right and wrong. For about 20 minutes, he gave Meeks fits, but then Jodie used his quickness to put Temple in foul trouble, limiting him to only 25 minutes. Meeks was a missed free throw away from his average.
I was also concerned about Thornton, and that proved to be right. But I was wrong about him also. He did not do all his damage from the perimeter, as I have seen most times this year. In the end, he took UK to the hole and did a ton of damage.
Tasmin Mitchell was simply all-world. He was almost singularly responsible for defeating the cats. 21 points and 8 rebounds.
The adjustment Gillispie made at half was to go with Galloway at the point guard, and it paid off in spades. I have been very critical of Porter starting and playing all these minutes, and I wonder if Gillispie hasn't finally just gotten fed up with the limitations Porter has. I have never seen Porter look more tentative, and he managed one assist and two turnovers in only seventeen minutes.
Patrick Patterson was back to his old self, and got the job done. He did everything he possibly could.
Perry Stevenson once again disappeared after the first half. I can't explain it. He played reasonably well in the first half, and then simply vanished like Frodo putting on the Ring of Power. I have no idea what's happening there.
Darius Miller once again came up huge on both sides of the ball. Watching his confidence and ability grow is just a wonderful thing for this aging Kentucky fan. I just love what he is doing.
DeAndre Liggins did not play much today, because he got lazy defensively. End of story.
Josh Harrelson gave us some help, but vanished after four minutes and never got back in the game.
I think Gillispie just stuck with the lineup in the second half because it was playing so well, but he really should have gotten them more rest. I don't get the lack of substitution that seems to be a Gillispie hallmark in the second half of games. But, at least I saw something new and different that actually worked, and it gives me hope.
Gillispie's game plan was the same one as it has been all year. The problem is, when Meeks or Patterson aren't 100%, it just doesn't work. I suppose there is just not much to be done about it. We either win or lose with Meeks and Patterson.
Ramon Harris just didn't have much of an impact, except for one huge rebound and stick-back. But other than that, he was not a factor at all.
Bo Spencer killed us in the first half, but we contained him for the most part in the second half.
Great job by Kevin Galloway. He brought energy and defense and really was the difference in the second half. I am excited that he is finally emerging as a player on this team, and he was a big factor in this game, even though his stat line isn't very impressive with only 3 points, 2 assists and one rebound.
We shot 54% for the game. And lost. Seems impossible, doesn't it? But only 69% from the line, which turned out to be the difference.
A.J. Stewart blew an assignment in the end that resulted in an open look for Mitchell. Mitchell made it. Ouch.

This was a tough loss, and I am bitterly disappointed. But that disappointment is tempered with the hope that Gillispie may finally be learning and changing his maddening ways in a manner that may give us a chance to win some games at the end of the season.

As I said in my last postmortem, I have no real hopes for this season. They basically breathed their last breath with the embarrassing loss to South Carolina. But we all knew this team would have some difficulties coming in, and assuming Patterson and Meeks stay around another year, help is on the way. I know it seems kind of weak to already be looking toward next year with so much of this season left, but I have come to the realization that we just aren't a particularly good team this year, and we just don't have enough offense to do much damage in the post season. As the JAG prosecutor played by Kevin Bacon said in A Few Good Men, "Those are the facts ... and they are undisputed."

Kentucky Wildcats vs. LSU: Gameday Breakdown

Ken Howlett — Sat, 28 Feb 2009 12:10:03 -0000

If heat shrinks, then UK head honcho Billy Gillispie must stand 5'5" about right now. "Honey, We Shrunk the Coach" is the next Rick Moranis masterpiece headed to movie theater's across the Commonwealth. It's only February, but the Craft Center must feel like a sauna in the Sahara, with no oasis in sight.

If ever a win was needed, this is the game. After UK's uninspiring 77-59 embarrassment of an effort in Columbia, South Carolina Wednesday night, the 'Cats are in search of some mojo for the stretch run (which will hopefully reside in Rupp Arena about 4:00 o'clock this afternoon). If UK, after standing 5-0 in the SEC and 16-4 overall in early January, was then to miss the NCAA Tournament for the first time since 1988, illicit calls of gloom, despair and agony on me (my apologies to Grandpa Jones and his "homey's") will be heard from Boyd to Ballard County.

The arrival of the SEC's best team, though, provides Gillispie and the 'Cats with a most opportunistic shot at redemption. For beating #18 LSU (24-4, 12-1) would go a long way in extinguishing the fanning flames aflutter in the Bluegrass. The players, the coaches, the fans need a victory ... conference games get no bigger than this.

I've probably written too much already, so it's on to the Fightin' Tigers of LSU:

LSU Personnel

Marcus Thornton: 6'4" 205 lb senior guard -- Overall Thornton averages 20.9 points (2nd in the SEC), 5.4 rebounds, 2.1 assists and 1.7 steals per game (6th in the SEC). He shoots 48.9% from the field (7th in the SEC), 40.8% from the three-point line (62-152), and 75.5% from the free throw line (7th in SEC).

In league play he averages 23.0 points, 6.0 rebounds, and 2.2 assists per game. He shoots 49.0% from the field, 42.7% from the three-point line, and 80.2% from the charity stripe. In his last four games Thornton is averaging 26.8 points per contest, while making 31-62 shots and 12-30 threes (40.0%). He's also made 22 of his last 24 free throw attempts, and 33 free throws in his last four games. Last year versus UK (a 67-63 Wildcat win) Thornton played 36 minutes scored nine points on 4-14 shooting. He also had one assists and one steal.

Tasmin Mitchell: 6'7 235 lb junior forward -- On the year Mitchell is averaging 16.6 points, (8th in the SEC) 7.3 rebounds (9th in the SEC), 2.6 offensive rebounds, 1.9 assists per game, and 1.5 steals per game (8th in the SEC). He makes 54.5% of his field goal attempts (5th in the SEC), 56.3% of his threes (9-16), and 72.8% of his free throws (9th in the SEC).

In SEC play Mitchell is averages 19.4 points, 8.3 rebounds (3.0 off. reb), 2.0 assists, and 1.7 steals per game. He makes a very solid 56.4% of is field goal tries, 66.7% of his threes (6-9), and 72.2% of his free throw attempts. The '05 McDonald's All-America scored 41 points against Mississippi State on February 11. He's scored over 20 points eight times on the year. Mitchell has recorded 16 career double-doubles, and he has scored in double figures in 17 consecutive games. Mitchell did not play against UK last year; he missed all but three games due to a knee injury.

Garrett Temple: 6'6" 190 lb senior guard -- On the season, LSU's defensive dynamo, averages 7.4 points, 4.6 rebounds, 4.2 assists (5th in the SEC), and 1.9 steals per game (4th in SEC). He makes 38.2% of his shots, 32.9% of his threes (24-73), and 85.1% of his free throws. Temple sports 117 assists to only 58 turnovers, a 2.02 assist/turnover ratio, good for second in the SEC.

In conference play, Temple averages 8.5 points, 5.3 rebounds, 4.4 assists (2.2 turnovers), and 1.2 steals per game. He shoots 37.9% from the field, 33.3% from beyond the arc, and 91.2% from the free throw line (31-34). Over his last three games, Temple is averaging 16.5 points per game. He's made 12-21 field goals and 6-10 threes in that span. He's dished out 6+ assists in nine games this year. Temple has 461 career assists, and 103 career blocks. Last year versus UK, Temple played 38 minutes, scoring eight points on 2-6 shooting (2-5 three-pointers). He also recorded five rebounds, three steals, and two assists.

Bo Spencer: 6'1" 185 lb sophomore guard -- For the year Spencer averages 11.6 points, 2.9 rebounds, and 2.7 assists per game. He shoots 44.2% from the floor, 41.1% from the three-point line (44-107), and 84.4% from the free throw line.

In SEC play Spencer is averaging 10.6 points, 2.9 assists, and 2.8 rebounds per game. He's making 41.8% of his shots, 37.5% of his threes (18-48), and 81.0% of his free throws. Spencer recently missed two games due to an ankle injury. Since going 5-6 from beyond the arc versus Arkansas on January 31, Spencer has made only 4-17 trey attempts (23.5%).

Chris Johnson: 6'11" 210 lb senior center -- On the season the big man averages 8.4 points, 7.6 rebounds (7th in the SEC), 2.3 offensive rebounds, 2.9 blocks (2nd in the SEC), and 1.3 assists per game, in 26.0 minutes per contest. He shoots 45.8% from the field, and 75.4% from the free throw line.

In SEC play Johnson averages 8.7 points, 8.2 rebounds (2.7 off. reb), 3.8 blocks, and 1.7 assists per game (he averages 28.4 minutes per game in league play). He makes 51.5 % of his shots, and 91.7% from the free throw line (11-12). Johnson recorded seven blocks versus Arkansas on January 31. He's recorded six blocks in two games -- versus Ole Miss on February 14, and versus Arkansas on February 18. Versus Tennessee he grabbed 14 rebounds (seven offensive). He's recorded four double-doubles, and he's nabbed double-digit rebounds in eight games. He's made 19 of his last 35 shots (54.3%) over a span of four games. Johnson has 161 career blocks. Last year versus Kentucky, Johnson played 32 minutes, scored four points, grabbed four rebounds and had one block.

Terry Martin: 6'6" 210 lb senior guard -- On the year Martin averages 4.7 points, 2.3 rebounds, and one assist per game. He shoots 34.8% from the field, 32.1% from behind the arc (17-53), and 66.7% from the charity stripe. He averages 15.8 minutes per game.

In conference play Martin averages 4.6 points, 2.5 rebounds, and 1.1 assists per game. He makes 32.3% of his shots, 22.2% of his threes (6-27), and 66.7% of his free throws. Last year versus UK, Martin played 21 minutes, and scored 12 points on 5-10 shooting (2-4 threes). He also dished out one assist.

LSU Team Statistics -- Overall (SEC rank in parenthesis)

LSU Opponent

Points Per Game -- 77.0 (4) 65.1 (3)

Field Goal% -- 46.0 (3) 39.8 (3)

3-Point% -- 37.9 (2) 32.1 (5)

Free Throw% -- 72.3 (3) 69.4 (10)

Rebound Margin -- +6.6 (1)

Off. Reb. Per Game -- 13.6 (3) 11.4 (6)

Off. Rebound% -- 38.5 (1) 30.4 (2)

Def. Reb. Per Game -- 26.2 (3) 21.7 (3)

Def. Rebound% -- 69.6 (2) 61.5 (1)

Assists Per Game -- 15.9 (4) 8.7 (1)

Steals Per Game -- 8.0 (4) 6.3 (4)

Turnovers Per Game -- 12.4 (11) 13.6 (3)

Blocks Per Game -- 6.2 (3) 2.8 (1)

LSU Team Statistics -- Conference Games Only (SEC rank in parenthesis)

LSU Opponents

Points Per Game -- 78.8 (1) 67.9 (2)

Field Goal% -- 46.7 (2) 39.5 (2)

3-Point% -- 36.3 (5) 30.2 (1)

Free Throw% -- 74.1 (2) 67.5 (4)

Rebound Margin -- +5.1 (1)

Off. Reb. Per Game -- 12.8 (4) 12.1 (6)

Off. Rebound% -- 36.2 (3) 30.0 (2)

Def. Reb. Per Game -- 28.2 (1) 22.6 (4)

Def. Rebound% -- 70.0 (2) 63.8 (3)

Assists Per Game -- 16.2 (1) 9.7 (2)

Steals Per Game -- 7.3 (6) 6.3 (2)

Turnovers Per Game -- 13.0 (8) 12.5 (2)

Blocks Per Game -- 6.5 (4) 3.1 (1)

Tiger Tidbits

LSU has won nine straight games, and 12 straight SEC games ... It's their longest SEC win streak since winning 17 in a row in 1981 ... Versus Florida Tuesday night, Thornton and Temple combined for 53 points on 15-25 shooting (9-15 threes) ... In their last two games (Florida and Auburn) LSU has allowed 37.5% three-point shooting (15-40) ... Auburn is the only SEC team to shoot over 45.0% versus LSU ... LSU has recorded 12 steals twice in league play, versus South Carolina and Alabama ... Since scoring 59 points in their SEC opener versus Alabama, LSU has scored at least 70 points in every game ... The Tigers have scored at least 79 points in nine SEC games ... LSU has shot over 40.0% from beyond the arc five times in SEC play ... LSU grabbed 20 offensive rebounds versus Arkansas (Arkansas had only 22 defensive rebounds) ... In defeating Ole Miss, LSU blocked 11 Rebel shots, they blocked 16 shots versus Alcorn State ... Versus Troy in November, LSU dished out 28 assists to only six turnovers ... LSU has recorded only five turnovers in two games -- versus SE Louisiana, and Mississippi ... Both Tasmin Mitchell and Marcus Thornton have scored over 1,000 points in their careers ... LSU, with the win over Florida Tuesday, clinched their fourth West Division title since 2000.

The Trent Johnson File

New Tiger head coach Trent Johnson played his college ball at Boise State where he finished in the top 10 in career scoring and rebounding. He played in the 1976 NCAA Tournament after Boise won the Big Sky Conference.

Johnson's first college coaching job was as an assistant at Utah in 1986. His first head coaching job was from '99-'04 at Nevada where he posted a 79-74 record, and took the Wolfpack to the Sweet 16. He followed up that success with a four year stint at Stanford, where he posted an 80-47 mark.

Johnson has done a right nice job in his first year in Baton Rouge. And although many picked the Tigers to win the West, he and South Carolina's Darren Horn have to be running neck-in-neck for SEC Coach of the Year honors.

CliffsNotes Analysis

Patrick Patterson had some success last year versus LSU big man Chris Johnson. Patterson was 7-10 from the field, good for 14 points. After Wednesday nights block-fest, courtesy of South Carolina, he MUST remember to double paint-plant his defender, and utilize the ball fake.

Billy Gillispie stated after the South Carolina game that he was sick and tired of Patterson having no help in the paint -- That's being "called out" fellas. With LSU's affinity for rebounding, UK MUST hit the boards smarter and harder than they have recently, or another loss is in the offing.

UK once again faces two ball-hawking guards in Thornton and Temple. Michael Porter and DeAndre Liggins MUST do a better job of taking care of the rock if UK has any hopes of pulling out a win -- No more words are needed.

Jodie Meeks will be tailed from tip to horn by defenders as big or bigger then him, and nearly as quick. Some creativity MUST be utilized in helping Meeks get some open looks -- Some fast-break opportunities would be nice.

Kentucky MUST come out ready to play, unlike Wednesday night. They'll have a home crowd, and motivation aplenty ... this is the time to deliver.

This game is the definition of "MUST win."

Thanks for reading, and Go 'Cats!