SB Nation - Vanderbilt Commodores

Periscope: Vanderbilt vs. Mercer

KingJamesIV — Mon, 21 Dec 2009 17:58:22 -0000

More photos » by Stanley Leary - AP

Most casual Commodore fans will be in for a bit of a shock to learn that Mercer should actually be a very good litmus test for the current progress that the Dores have made over the past week.

Though they struggle defensively, Mercer is a competent offensive team. James Florence, their 6'1" PG is currently 8th in the country in scoring at 23.1 ppg, with games of 33, 23, 40, 32 and 25 under his belt already this season. In their last game against Piedmont, E.J. Kusnyer dropped 26 points on 8-10 shooting from 3 point range. As a team, their turnover percentage is low and they are a good rebounding team.

Mercer appears to be capable against good teams: They lost by 2 to Providence, by only 11 to a borderline Top 25 team in Georgia Tech (even out-rebounding the Yellow Jackets). Their biggest victory of the season came against D-III Fisk 110-45 (which certainly is padding some of the efficiency statistics below). Unfortunately for Bears fans, Vanderbilt is not Fisk.

Vanderbilt needs to continue to make slow, steady progress over these next games. They don't have to start proving that they can overachieve tonight. They just need to continue to get better to the point where they aren't underachieving by SEC play. Including tonight, they have four more games to do so. Likewise, Jermaine Beal needs to continue to play like he did against Tennessee State: 7 assists, 0 turnovers, and solid PG defense. When he struggles, so does the team (see: Illinois, Western Kentucky)

Efficiency Breakdown

Traditional Stats - Mercer Bears

			FG			3PT			FT			Rebounds			Misc
	G	M	M	A	Pct	M	A	Pct	M	A	Pct	Off	Def	Tot	Ast	TO	Stl	Blk	PF	PPG
James Florence	9	31.3	7.8	17.0	45.8	2.4	6.9	35.5	5.1	7.0	73.0	1.0	2.1	3.1	5.1	3.0	2.0	0.1	3.0	23.1
E.J. Kusnyer	9	25.6	4.2	10.1	41.8	3.8	8.9	42.5	1.2	1.7	73.3	1.7	1.9	3.6	0.6	1.1	0.8	0.2	2.4	13.4
Daniel Emerson	9	30.0	4.4	9.8	45.5	0.4	1.2	36.4	2.7	4.3	61.5	4.0	7.6	11.6	1.1	2.4	0.8	0.3	1.8	12.0
Jeff Smith	9	30.9	3.1	8.6	36.4	1.1	3.7	30.3	1.9	2.4	77.3	1.0	2.4	3.4	2.6	2.3	0.6	0.1	1.8	9.2
Brian Mills	9	23.3	3.2	5.2	61.7	0.4	1.3	33.3	1.1	1.3	83.3	2.6	3.4	6.0	1.6	2.2	0.6	0.3	2.7	8.0
Brandon Moore	9	18.2	2.6	4.7	54.8	0.1	0.3	33.3	1.4	2.3	61.9	1.9	2.0	3.9	0.7	0.8	0.7	0.2	2.0	6.7
Michael Jenkins	5	8.4	1.2	3.8	31.6	0.0	0.0	0.0	1.0	1.4	71.4	1.2	1.4	2.6	0.0	0.4	0.0	0.0	0.8	3.4
Ridas Pulkauninkas	9	8.8	0.8	2.9	26.9	0.2	2.1	10.5	0.2	0.6	40.0	0.4	0.8	1.2	0.6	0.2	0.3	0.0	0.7	2.0
Chris Smith	7	3.6	0.7	1.7	41.7	0.1	0.3	50.0	0.4	0.7	60.0	0.4	1.4	1.9	0.3	0.0	0.1	0.3	0.0	2.0
Tevin Swann	6	6.3	0.5	1.3	37.5	0.0	0.0	0.0	0.5	0.7	75.0	0.0	0.8	0.8	1.2	0.3	0.5	0.0	0.8	1.5
Mark Hall	9	11.2	0.3	2.2	15.0	0.3	2.0	16.7	0.4	0.4	100.0	0.4	0.6	1.0	1.0	0.3	0.3	0.0	1.6	1.4
Jake Gollon	7	4.9	0.7	1.4	50.0	0.0	0.1	0.0	0.0	0.0	0.0	0.4	0.9	1.3	0.1	0.1	0.1	0.3	0.4	1.4
David O`Shaughnessey	4	5.8	0.5	2.8	18.2	0.3	2.3	11.1	0.0	0.0	0.0	0.0	0.5	0.5	0.5	0.5	0.5	0.0	0.3	1.3
Marquisse Jackson	4	5.0	0.5	1.3	40.0	0.0	0.5	0.0	0.3	0.5	50.0	0.3	0.5	0.8	0.0	0.0	0.0	0.0	0.3	1.3
Brendan Walker	7	4.1	0.0	0.4	0.0	0.0	0.0	0.0	0.4	0.6	75.0	0.3	0.3	0.6	0.6	0.3	0.4	0.0	0.1	0.4

Stallings mentioned last night on the Call-In Show that the team had a great day of practice yesterday. Usually that bodes well for Vandy. Hopefully Commodore fans will enjoy a nice blowout victory of epic proportions, though I'll settle for around a 12-15 point victory, providing the team plays with passion.

Game Previews

Previewing Vanderbilt vs. Mercer | VandySports.com (Rivals - Premium)

Vanderbilt – Mercer Preview | VandyMania.com (Scout - Premium)

Vanderbilt Welcomes Mercer To Memorial Gym | VANDERBILT OFFICIAL ATHLETIC SITE

Vanderbilt men vs. Mercer: Game at a glance | The Tennessean

Make sure to reserve about an hour for the Tennessean's preview. Classic example of density. Another impressive example of the Tennessean's exemplary record of outstanding Vanderbilt coverage.

As always, the open game thread will go live about an hour before tipoff. Don't forget to swing by Stat King to make your selection for the game. You could win yourself one of these:

Poll

Margin of Victory - Vanderbilt vs. Mercer

Vanderbilt by > 20

0 votes

Vanderbilt by 10-20

4 votes

Vanderbilt by < 10

0 votes

Mercer

0 votes

4 votes | Poll has closed

KNOW THY ENEMY: Missouri Tigers

BracketCat — Mon, 21 Dec 2009 04:00:17 -0000

More photos » by L.G. Patterson - AP

Like Justin Safford, Missouri's tournament hopes have taken a few shots. (AP Photo/L.G. Patterson)

Browse more photos »

OK, it's time to get these started again. Admittedly, I faltered a bit due to work, but things are back under control for now. These will proceed largely as before, but with a few exceptions:

Instead of reformatting the player bios like I did before, which was majorly time-consuming and part of the reason these fell by the wayside for so long, I'm merely going to link to the appropriate page. I will add player stats to the tables, however.
Originally, these were season previews. Obviously, much of the non-conference season already has been played, so now they're more like conference season previews. Also, what I've seen of these teams has changed my predictions for the conference's outcome, so I reserve the right to alter my predicted orders of finish from what they previously were.
Instead of twice a week, these are running every day from now until New Year's Eve. Call it the Big 12 Days of Christmas Basketball, if you like.

So, hit the jump for the rundown on the defending conference tournament champion, Missouri. And for more, head over to the Unholy Alliance Auxiliary Headquarters (pending Big Ten absorption): Rock M Nation.

The Story So Far

The Tigers are 7-3, with dominating home victories over Tennessee-Martin, Texas-Pan American, Chattanooga, Oregon, Fairleigh Dickinson and Arkansas-Pine Bluff.

They also collected a nice neutral-court win against Old Dominion, who just knocked off Georgetown.

But close losses to Richmond, at Vanderbilt and at Oral Roberts probably will come back to haunt the Tigers in much the same way as K-State's three-game, non-conference losing streak last December hindered the Wildcats.

Current Missouri RPI: 179

The Coach

Mike Anderson
Fourth Season
72-38 (25-23) at Missouri (as of today)
161-79 (67-43) overall

Bio

The Departures

Starters

DeMarre Carroll (28 minutes per game | 16.6 points per game | 7.2 rebounds per game)
Matt Lawrence (20.8 minutes per game | 9.2 points per game | 2.2 rebounds per game)
Leo Lyons (23.3 minutes per game | 14.6 points per game | 6.1 rebounds per game)

The Veterans

		#3 Miguel Paul Sophomore Guard 6-1 \| 172 Winter Haven, Fla. Bio 14 minutes per game \| 4.2 points per game \| 0.9 rebound per game

		#4 J.T. Tiller Senior Guard 6-3 \| 200 Marietta, Ga. Bio 23.3 minutes per game \| 9.6 points per game \| 2.3 rebounds per game

		#11 Zaire Taylor Senior Guard 6-4 \| 189 Staten Island, N.Y. Bio 27.8 minutes per game \| 9 points per game \| 3.1 rebounds per game

		#12 Marcus Denmon Sophomore Guard 6-3 \| 185 Kansas City, Mo. Bio 20.1 minutes per game \| 10.5 points per game \| 3.9 rebounds per game

		#15 Keith Ramsey Senior Forward 6-9 \| 217 Murfreesboro, Tenn. Bio 25.4 minutes per game \| 5.9 points per game \| 5.9 rebounds per game

		#21 Laurence Bowers Sophomore Forward 6-8 \| 205 Memphis, Tenn. Bio 19.8 minutes per game \| 10.2 points per game \| 5.6 rebounds per game

		#23 Justin Safford Junior Forward 6-8 \| 230 Bloomington, Ill. Bio 18.4 minutes per game \| 7.6 points per game \| 3.8 rebounds per game

		#24 Kim English Sophomore Guard 6-6 \| 200 Baltimore, Md. Bio 22.1 minutes per game \| 16.1 points per game \| 3.1 rebounds per game

		#25 Jarrett Sutton Junior Guard 6-3 \| 190 Kansas City, Mo. Bio 4 minutes per game \| 1.8 points per game \| 0.2 rebound per game

		#32 Steve Moore Sophomore Center 6-9 \| 264 Kansas City, Mo. Bio 11 minutes per game \| 1.6 points per game \| 1.4 rebounds per game

The Newcomers

		#10 Michael Dixon Jr. Freshman Guard 6-1 \| 175 Kansas City, Mo. Bio 18.1 minutes per game \| 8.2 points per game \| 1.6 rebounds per game

		#33 Tyler Stone Freshman Forward 6-7 \| 225 Memphis, Tenn. Bio 4.3 minutes per game \| 1.7 points per game \| 1.2 rebounds per game

		#35 John Underwood Freshman Forward 6-9 \| 208 Phoenix, Ariz. Bio 5.3 minutes per game \| 1.3 points per game \| 2.8 rebounds per game

My thanks to the Missouri sports information department for the photos.

The Analysis

Missouri is, of course, a tricky team to nail down because of the style they play. Mike Anderson likes to throw waves of guards at you off the bench in a constant, full-pressure style they call "The Fastest 40 Minutes," which is what they had to change the name to when it became apparent UAB owned the rights to "40 Minutes of Hell."

Thus, no Missouri player averages more than 30 minutes per game and so far, eight different players have started for the Tigers. So, rather than talk in terms of 1-5, I'll break down the guards and the forwards as two large groups.

The three most prominent and experienced players in the Missouri backcourt are returning starters J.T. Tiller, Zaire Taylor and Kim English. Not coincidentally, they're logging the most minutes.

Tiller has been bothered by injuries and missed three games, which I imagine has contributed to the Tigers' struggles this season. Taylor, who made the game-winning shot against KU last year, has seen his scoring average dip now that more guards are contributing. But English has continued his steady play from last season and even picked his game up a bit.

Miguel Paul and Marcus Denmon both played quite a bit last year as freshmen, so they're quick off the bench in the rotation and each has started several games. But the biggest surprise of the guard group is Michael Dixon Jr., who is having more of an impact than I anticipated.

Jarrett Sutton is a career backup and doesn't play very much.

If this group has a weakness, it's that there doesn't appear to be a true replacement from sharpshooter Matt Lawrence, meaning that I'm not sure they have a guy who can knock down a contested 3-pointer. when they most need it.

That said, Missouri's problems start and end in the frontcourt. The loss of DeMarre Carroll and Leo Lyons cannot be overstated. Together with Lawrence, the departed trio accounted for more than 50 percent of the Tigers' points and rebounds during Missouri's Elite Eight season. And to date, no one has stepped up to replace them.

Hopes were high for sophomore Laurence Bowers, but he only has started three games. He is averaging more than 10 points per game, but seems to disappear when they need him most. More disconcerting is that he only averages five rebounds per. In fact, Missouri as a whole has been out-rebounded by all but one opponent. The Tigers don't really try to dominate the boards, and I think it's really going to cost them in Big 12 play.

Keith Ramsey and Justin Safford draw the most starts in the paint, but each is collecting even fewer statistics than Bowers. Sophomore center Steve Moore, and freshmen forwards Tyler Stone and John Underwood, are giving the Tigers even less. This is a serious weakness area that will be exposed against teams such as Kansas and Texas.

Projected Big 12 Starting Lineup


J.T. Tiller	Zaire Taylor	Kim English	Keith Ramsey	Justin Safford
1	2	3	4	5

Projected Top Big 12 Reserves


Miguel Paul	Michael Dixon Jr.	Marcus Denmon	Laurence Bowers	Steve Moore
1	2	3	4	5

The Final Verdict

I've already stated Missouri's problems above, so I won't rehash them here.

Suffice it to say that the Tigers already have several ugly losses on their resume. At home, they've been nearly unbeatable for the past year and a half, but I think their deficiencies will catch up to them.

Sure, they're probably the third- or fourth-best team in the North, but when every South team looks to have a chance to make the tournament, that equates to a basement finish. Missouri reminds me of K-State last season: One more recruiting class and a few post players away from being an NCAA team. In the meantime, I smell NIT.

Big 12 preseason prediction: 7th

My predicted finish: T-9th (with Iowa State)

Best-case scenario: 7th

Against K-State?: Loss in Manhattan, toss-up in Columbia

Previously on KNOW THY ENEMY...

Postgame: Vanderbilt 84, Tennessee State 71

KingJamesIV — Sun, 20 Dec 2009 21:30:04 -0000

Always glad to get the win.

Festus Ezeli and Darshawn McClellan got the start over A.J. Ogilvy (missed practice time due to plantar fasciitis) and Andre Walker (missed practice time due to illness).

Earlier in the week, Stallings had mentioned that Festus often dominates in practice but had yet to bring that form to live competition. I'm not sure if this game really counts for Festus, considering he had about 8 inches over TSU's tallest player, but he played with fire (particularly in the opening minutes of each half, which in my eyes really set the tone for the team). He was the Commodore Radio Player of the Game, with 10 points, 5 rebounds and 1 block in 19 minutes. What doesn't show up on the stat sheet is that the early block he had in the first two minutes and a half minutes of the game was so intimidating that his presence inside really deterred the Tigers guards from taking the ball into the lane when they were able to break down their Commodore defender. Hopefully this is a sign that the light bulb is beginning to go off for Festus. There are few players in college who can match him physically.

Similarly, there are few players in college who can match Jeffery Taylor. Another solid game for him, with 20 points on 10 for 11 shooting to go along with 5 rebounds, 2 assists and a steal. 9 of Jeff's 10 made baskets were around the rim. He had a nice step-back 18 footer (such a smooth jumper). I hate to beat a dead horse, but Jeff's shooting percentage needs to drop quite a bit (due to taking more jump shots whenever the defense gives him a cushion). Once he realizes how great a shooter he truly is, he will be devastating and a lottery pick.

A.J. clearly had missed some practice time, but I thought he played well offensively early when the team was really looking for him. Lance Goulbourne played with great effort today and despite missing some practice time this week due to a slight concussion sustained against WKU his minutes remained above his season average of about 10mpg.

It was nice to see John Jenkins come out firing in the first half. His only missed three in the first half was in the closing seconds where he initially caught the ball with room to shoot but hesitated, pumped, then shot off-balance (fortunately A.J. was there to tip the ball in before the buzzer).

Jermaine Beal returned to form. He had 7 assists, 1 steal, 0 turnovers and despite not shooting that well today from outside, he wasn't forcing bad 3 pointers early in the shot clock. This is exactly what we need from Jermaine.

Brad Tinsley had a very up and down game today. He had 5 assists to go along with 6 turnovers. While Jeff had 5 turnovers as well, Jeff's don't stick with you quite as much as Brad's do. For some reason, he's making some risky decisions that haven't been paying off for the team. Brad is too good of a passer and too important a component for this team not to get this corrected soon.

Relevant Links: Game Page /// TSN Recap /// Box Score /// Official Vanderbilt Recap

During the postgame, Stallings spoke about how he was very happy with the way the team played in the first half. They hustled, played within themselves, and consequently built close to a 20 point lead heading into the half. They started the second half in the same way, but quickly devolved into the turnover machine offensively and the MataDores (pun) defensively that has cost them some winnable games. Stallings description of the second half? "Disgusting." I'd have to agree.

There's a short turnaround for the team, as they have today to prepare for the Mercer game tomorrow.

Plus/Minus

Plus/Minus Adjusted Per 40

Game Stories

Vanderbilt breezes by TSU, 84-71 | VandySports.com (Rivals - Premium)

Bobby's TSU Thoughts | Vanderbilt Sports Line

Recap: Vanderbilt Commodores 84, Tennessee State Tigers 71 | Dore Posts

Vanderbilt has shooter's touch against TSU | The Tennessean

Column: Vanderbilt needs floor leader | The Tennessean

David Climer: Vanderbilt has plenty of talent, but so far lacks someone to step up and take charge of the team.

Taylor's precision powers Vanderbilt past Tennessee State | Nashville City Paper

Commodores run past TSU, 84-71 | VANDERBILT OFFICIAL ATHLETIC SITE

I highly recommend listening to Joe Fisher's post game interview with Coach Stallings at the link above.

Don't forget, the Commodore Call-In Show with Coach Stallings begins tonight at 1830 CST. Join us in an open thread starting 15 minutes before the show starts.

Periscope: Vanderbilt vs. Tennessee State

KingJamesIV — Sat, 19 Dec 2009 09:11:56 -0000

I'm going to skip past the normal gameday preview formalities. Barring some epic failure on Vandy's part, or some divine miracle on TSU's behalf, the Commodores definitely control their own destiny in this one.

All I wanted to see in the Western Kentucky game was heart. Suffice it to say, my wishes were not fulfilled. Today the Commodores have a chance to atone for that error.

As many Commodore fans know, Coach Stallings is a firm believer that the quality of the teams practices leading up to a game is a very good barometer for how the team will play in that contest. According to various sources, the last week of practice has been intense. As such, I'd like to see the team take a good step forward on defense. Once the team can consistently bring the quality of defense that Stallings expects from them (and they should expect from themselves), the general theory is that the offense will look a lot less constipated.

If the team plays with solid defense with intensity and high effort, Commodore fans should be thrilled. There is still plenty of time to begin to iron out the rest of the issues before conference play begins.

Finally, I wanted to add the plus/minus numbers from the Western Kentucky game.

Plus/Minus Adjusted Per 40 Minutes

Having attended the game, I didn't really get the feeling that Jermaine Beal, A.J. Ogilvy or Lance Goulbourne had played well enough to lead the team. At the time, I did feel that Lance had played well...but he continues to limit himself with chippy or avoidable fouls. Certainly I didn't realize he had played as well as he had. Jeffery Taylor's numbers are more reflective of the other four players with him on the court than they were of his play. Frankly, it's remarkable that he even had a positive number considering he played virtually the entire game (while recovering from illness).

The Open Game Thread will be live around one hour before tipoff (14:00 cst). Please make sure to register your prediction with Stat-King. Go Dores.

Game Stories:

Vanderbilt meets Tennessee State Saturday - VANDERBILT OFFICIAL ATHLETIC SITE

Local duo brings TSU much-needed stability | The Tennessean

Vanderbilt – Tennessee State Preview | VandyMania.com (Scout - Premium)

Previewing Vanderbilt vs. Tennessee State | VandySports.com (Rivals - Premium)

Poll

Which will we see?

Commodores (With Defensive Intensity)

1 votes

Impos-dores (Lazy, Porous Defense)

1 votes

2 votes | Poll has closed

UK Basketball: A Statistical Look at the SEC

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

More photos » by Ed Reinke - AP

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

Browse more photos »

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!

Look for the Illini to get back in the Top 25 on Monday

Joe Kutsunis — Mon, 14 Dec 2009 03:06:47 -0000

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The Illini rolled their over matched opponent today by a very large spread, taking the Illini to 8-2. More importantly the Illini have won 4 straight, including a solid win against ranked Vandy at home and great comeback against a ranked Clemson at LittleJohn. Overall I am feeling pretty good about the Illini clawing their way back into the top 25 tomorrow, because of the teams that lost recently

#19 Cincny loses to unranked Xavier

#24/Un Vanderbilt loses to the Illini, and to Western Kentucky

#23/#20 Wisconsin loses to Greenbay (But bounces back against Marquette

#17/#16 Washington loses to a ranked Georgetown.

All of these guys have at least 2 loses now, and throw in a loss for UNLV today and you just might see the Illini gain enough votes to get back in, at the very least don't be surprised if it happens.

Tonight's Picks

SFBE.NF — Fri, 11 Dec 2009 15:18:11 -0000

We be ballin! Syracuse really proved they're worthy of the acclaim as they remain undefeated (against D-1 teams). Miami-OH made it close late against Cincy and MSU embarrassed Oakland. The Golden Grizzlies are off to an awful start. Here is Friday's lackluster trio:

Middle Tennessee St. (+22) over #9 Tennessee: Bruce Pearl's high powered offense will not have a 20+ point victory against MTSU, their inferior in-state rival. I'll take the Blue Raiders (with the spread) for three reasons: (1) the Volunteers beat ETSU by only a dozen just a week ago; (2) they played Tennessee tight last year on the road; and (3) now they're at home.
Iowa State (-13) over Iowa: The once promising Cyclone team have stumbled recently, dropping three consecutive games in a row, but they arent bad enough to give the Hawkeyes a chance tonight. Two of their losses came down to a 3 pointer or less - so let's hope they come out focused and on point in this rivalry game. Sophomore Hawkeye Anthony Tucker may drop some points, but Iowa State's balanced attack will pull through in the clutch.
Vanderbilt (-10) over W. Kentucky: Both of these teams are well matched and distribute scoring opportunities well, but look for Vandy's A.J. Ogilvy to be the difference maker. This junior from Australia rebounds on both ends of the court, blocks lots of shots and has a great touch around the rim. The Hilltoppers have been erratic this season, so center Cliff Dixon will have to neutralize the Commodores star.

Yesterday: 3-0
Overall: 15-8

Periscope: Sun Belt Classic - #24 Vanderbilt vs W. Kentucky

KingJamesIV — Fri, 11 Dec 2009 14:18:47 -0000

More photos » by Mark Humphrey - AP

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There is little doubt that Vanderbilt will be the more talented team on the court. As you will see below, Vandy easily holds the advantage in all the tempo-free statistics. Vandy will also be the most efficient team offensively and defensively that the Hilltoppers have faced all season. Will it matter?

As Vandy fans are all too aware this season, talent will only take you so far. I haven't seen Western Kentucky play yet this season, but I would be willing to guarantee that they will play with the grit, determination, and intensity that it takes to win. Will Vandy come close to matching them in those categories tonight?

The Commodore Faithful are living and dying with every shot, every pass, every rebound and every steal. Our lone wish at this juncture in the season is that the players begin to as well. We know they are capable of it--we've seen the flashes of brilliance. It's about time for their light to shine. I want them to play like this game is their last.

Here is the breakdown of all these numbers (all taken from Ken Pomeroy):

Statistical Breakdown:

The only key to the game should be that they play for each other. That's all that's missing.

Gameday Links

VU and WKU to meet at Sun Belt Classic - VANDERBILT OFFICIAL ATHLETIC SITE

Vanderbilt and Western Kentucky will face off in the nightcap of the 2009 Sun Belt Classic at the Nashville Arena this Friday night at 8:30 p.m. The game will follow the Tennessee-Middle Tennessee State game, which begins at 6 p.m. The game will be televised on CSS, and the action can also be heard live on the Vanderbilt-ISP Radio Network and vucommodores.com, with Joe Fisher and Tim Thompson courtside calling all of the action.

Toppers Take on #24 Vanderbilt at Site of Last Year's Biggest Win - Western Kentucky University Official Athletics Site

Friday's game is the first match-up between the two programs since 2001, and just the fifth in the last 43 years. While WKU is seeking to snap a 10-game losing streak to Vanderbilt (dating back to 1946), three of the last four meetings have been decided by five points or less.

VSL Gets You Ready: Vanderbilt Plays Western Kentucky in the Sun Belt Classic | Vanderbilt Sports Line

Certainly, Vanderbilt needs to play better defense and do a better job on the boards, but I think a better showing on offense would make a lot of fans (myself included) feel a lot better.

Vanderbilt-Western Kentucky Preview | VandyMania.com (Scout - Premium)

Preview: Vanderbilt - Western Kentucky | Dore Posts

Stallings rips team for lacking defensive effort at Vanderbilt | Tennessean.com

When asked if those situations were a matter of guys not recovering on their man after helping off, Stallings offered this answer: "It was a matter of some guys just not trying hard enough, unfortunately," he said. "There is no recovery for ... there is no help-side for lack of effort. "We just had a serious lack of effort in some spots. Not in every spot. We had some guys tried really hard. We just had some guys who didn't." That's sounding the alarm for the Western Kentucky game at 8:30 p.m. Friday at Sommet Center, the second half of a doubleheader in the Sun Belt Classic. Tennessee and MTSU play at 6. WKU, a Sweet 16 team in 2008 and a second-round tournament team last spring, is off to a bit of a sluggish start despite a 4-3 record. But it's a group Stallings holds in high regard. "Athletic. Good. Really good rebounding team," he said of WKU. "Well-coached. Play hard. Good defensively. The makings of a team that got into the tournament last year and made noise and won games and beat high-ranked opponents. They are a talented team."

VU guard won't take injury news sitting down | Nashville City Paper

It’s a bit of a challenge for John Jenkins to run and jump right now. Even so, don’t expect him to sit."It’s bothering me pretty bad, but I knew I had to fight for my team the other night," Jenkins said. "I couldn’t show any weakness or pain so I went out there and played pretty hard on it. It’s pretty sore, but I’m going to keep fighting through it." "He practiced (Wednesday) and practiced well," coach Kevin Stallings said Thursday afternoon. "I think he’s still less than 100 percent, but he’s actually showing some grit and toughness. "I don’t know that I want to call it inspiring, but it’s been pleasing for sure."

Vols, Commodores plan 3-point assault | The Tennessean

Senior guard A.J. Slaughter leads a Western Kentucky team that has struggled from the field (.413), the 3-point line (.290) and the foul line (.633) in the early going. But the Hilltoppers have a way of getting things in order by March. The last two seasons they have more NCAA Tournament wins (three) than Tennessee and Vanderbilt combined.

Previewing Vanderbilt vs. Western Kentucky | VandySports.com (Rivals - Premium)

As always, post your predictions below and make sure to head over to Stat-King to vote on who you think will be the best performing Commodore against the Hilltoppers. Also, stop by our open game thread which opens an hour before tipoff.

Poll

Will Vandy play with toughness and intensity tonight versus Western Kentucky?

Yes

1 votes

No

6 votes

7 votes | Poll has closed

Round Ball Round Up // 12.10.09

Year2 — Thu, 10 Dec 2009 19:09:20 -0000

More photos » by Ed Reinke - AP

Kentucky's John Wall.

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LAST NIGHT

It was another nail biting finish for No. 4 Kentucky as the Wildcats downed No. 12 UConn 64-61. The player of the game once again was John Wall, whose 25 points accounted for a hair short of 40% of his team's output. DeMarcus Cousins had a double-double with 10 and 10, while Patrick Patterson had 16 for UK. The game at the end turned into a duel between Wall and UConn's Kemba Walker, but Wall prevailed while scoring 12 of his team's last 15 points down the stretch. A Sea of Blue has the usual detailed postgame rundown.

It was not as nice a night for Georgia as the Bulldogs fell to St. John's 66-56. Trey Thompkins poured in 19 points to go along with his seven rebounds for UGA, while Travis Leslie contributed 14 points. Subpar shooting did in the Bulldogs as they shot 36% from the field and 66.7% from the line, while the Red Storm shot 49% on field goals and 81.8% from the charity stripe. Georgia did a good job at hanging in there in the first half, winding up down just three at the half.

These two games were the first two in the 2009 SEC/Big East Invitational, and they made a doubleheader in Madison Square Garden. Tonight will see the other two games of this year's event, as Mississippi State takes on DePaul and Florida battles Syracuse in Tampa.

TUESDAY

A sluggish effort against a spirited Illini squad spelled doom for Vanderbilt to the tune of 79-68. Four Commodores scored at least 11 points, but A.J. Ogilvy didn't have his best night in scoring just eight points and having three turnovers to go with his three boards. The Vandy defense wasn't exactly suffocating, as Illinois shot a hair under 60% on the game including a blistering 53.3% from downtown. The Illini jumped out to a 9-0 lead to start the game, and Vandy could never overcome it. Anchor of Gold is understandably upset with the outcome.

12/8 Game Links

SFBE.NF — Wed, 09 Dec 2009 16:31:54 -0000

More photos » by Darrell Hoemann - AP

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		#3 Miguel Paul Sophomore Guard 6-1 \| 172 Winter Haven, Fla. Bio 14 minutes per game \| 4.2 points per game \| 0.9 rebound per game

		#4 J.T. Tiller Senior Guard 6-3 \| 200 Marietta, Ga. Bio 23.3 minutes per game \| 9.6 points per game \| 2.3 rebounds per game

		#11 Zaire Taylor Senior Guard 6-4 \| 189 Staten Island, N.Y. Bio 27.8 minutes per game \| 9 points per game \| 3.1 rebounds per game

		#12 Marcus Denmon Sophomore Guard 6-3 \| 185 Kansas City, Mo. Bio 20.1 minutes per game \| 10.5 points per game \| 3.9 rebounds per game

		#15 Keith Ramsey Senior Forward 6-9 \| 217 Murfreesboro, Tenn. Bio 25.4 minutes per game \| 5.9 points per game \| 5.9 rebounds per game

		#21 Laurence Bowers Sophomore Forward 6-8 \| 205 Memphis, Tenn. Bio 19.8 minutes per game \| 10.2 points per game \| 5.6 rebounds per game

		#23 Justin Safford Junior Forward 6-8 \| 230 Bloomington, Ill. Bio 18.4 minutes per game \| 7.6 points per game \| 3.8 rebounds per game

		#24 Kim English Sophomore Guard 6-6 \| 200 Baltimore, Md. Bio 22.1 minutes per game \| 16.1 points per game \| 3.1 rebounds per game

		#25 Jarrett Sutton Junior Guard 6-3 \| 190 Kansas City, Mo. Bio 4 minutes per game \| 1.8 points per game \| 0.2 rebound per game

		#32 Steve Moore Sophomore Center 6-9 \| 264 Kansas City, Mo. Bio 11 minutes per game \| 1.6 points per game \| 1.4 rebounds per game

SB Nation - Vanderbilt Commodores

Periscope: Vanderbilt vs. Mercer

Margin of Victory - Vanderbilt vs. Mercer

Vanderbilt by > 20

Vanderbilt by 10-20

Vanderbilt by < 10

Mercer

KNOW THY ENEMY: Missouri Tigers

The Story So Far

The Coach

The Departures

The Veterans

The Newcomers

The Analysis

Projected Big 12 Starting Lineup

Projected Top Big 12 Reserves

The Final Verdict

Previously on KNOW THY ENEMY...

Postgame: Vanderbilt 84, Tennessee State 71

Periscope: Vanderbilt vs. Tennessee State

Which will we see?

Commodores (With Defensive Intensity)

Impos-dores (Lazy, Porous Defense)

UK Basketball: A Statistical Look at the SEC

Look for the Illini to get back in the Top 25 on Monday

Tonight's Picks

Periscope: Sun Belt Classic - #24 Vanderbilt vs W. Kentucky

Will Vandy play with toughness and intensity tonight versus Western Kentucky?

Yes

No

Round Ball Round Up // 12.10.09

12/8 Game Links

Illinois holds court against Vandy; might be most likable team in college basketball

The Chris Mack era is off to a rough start

Dayton survives second-half flurry from George Mason

Secondary School? Iowa downed by Northern Iowa

Texas Tech moves to 9-0, downs TCU