The week that was in SEC basketball
By Staff
EAST
Kentucky 10-0
Florida 8-1
Tennessee 7-1
South Carolina 6-2
Vanderbilt 6-3
Georgia 4-4
WEST
Mississippi 8-1
Mississippi State 7-2
LSU 6-2
Alabama 6-3
Auburn 5-4
Arkansas 4-5
A very slow week in the SEC as three teams did not see any action at all. Kentucky and Mississippi State represented the SEC well in the SEC/Big East Invitational while Florida and Georgia lost their matchups. Both Mississippi teams have been coming on strong and supplying some firepower to the West and Tennessee has only one set back and they should challenge UK all season. The big story for the rest of the year will be the race to 2000 wins between UK and North Carolina. Kentucky has pretty much assured themselves of being the first team to break the 2000 win plateau as they currently have 1998 wins to 1992 for UNC.
Speaking of Kentucky, John Wall won the SEC Freshman of the Week award for the fourth straight week as the Wildcats have won the award all five weeks thus far (Eric Bledsoe won it in week 1). Mississippi State’s Ravern John was named SEC Player of the week and averaged 21.5 points and 5.0 rebounds.
Another team that I am starting to think that can be a darkhorse and make some noise are the LSU Tigers. The key to their success has been Storm Warren. As a freshman, Warren was lost behind all the senior talent and averaged just 2.0 points and 1.8 boards in 7.5 minutes a game. This year, he has blossomed as a starter and is averaging 16.6 points, 11.4 boards, and almost 2 blocks a game,.
WHAT TO LOOK FOR THIS WEEK:
It’s a slow start to the week for the SEC games as only Tennessee is in action against Wyoming tonight, but the games pick up near the end of the week and for the weekend. The most interesting matchups will be the 7-2 Richmond Spiders going up against both South Carolina and the Florida Gators. Kentucky should also wrap up win 1999 at Rupp Saturday against Austin Peay. Here are the other notable matchups:
12/16 – Richmond (7-2) @ South Carolins (6-2) – 7 PM
12/16 – UTEP (5-0) @ Mississippi (8-1) – 8 PM
12/17 – Auburn (5-4) @ Florida State (7-2) – 7 PM
12/19 – Tennessee (7-1) @ USC (4-4) – 4:30 PM – FSN
12/19 – Richmond (7-2) @ Florida (8-1) – 6:30 PM – METRO PCS ORANGE BOWL CLASSIC @ SUNRISE, FL
12/19 – Kansas State (9-1) @ Alabama (6-3 – TBD
12/19 – Illinois (8-2) @ Georgia (4-4)
TEAM UPDATES (ratings are AP, ESPN/USA Today)
EAST
Kentucky (#3, #3) – John Wall scored 12 of Kentucky’s last 15 points in a classic battle versus #12 Connecticut at Madison Square Garden. Kentucky was down 6 at the half but rode Wall’s 25 and Patrick Patterson’s 16 points to get the win 64-61. This game was part of the SEC/Big Wast Invitational. Kentucky used a 18-0 blitz in the second half to break open a close game at Bloomington and Kentucky defeated the Indiana Hoosiers 90-73. Eric “The other Freshman” scored 23 points on 8-10 shooting and the always steady Patrick Patterson had 19 points and 11 boards. While Wall just had 11 points, he did have 8 assists and no turnovers and UK is 10-0 for the first time the 1992-93 season.
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