SEC Notebook
Brent Beaird, Columnist
Who are the best teams in the SEC close to the midpoint of the season?
Alabama’s defense keeps them in every game. The Tide leads the league allowing only 57.9 points per game, and is No. 11 in the nation. Only seven of the Tide’s foes have even reached the 60-point mark this season and four have failed to score 50 points. The question for the Tide remains... who can consistently score for them? Alabama has only shot 50% or better in seven games.
Arkansas remains undefeated at home this season (16-0). The Hogs
may not make the NCAA Tournament, but coach Mike Anderson has them
on the right track for a team that has a shorter roster.
Florida is one of the best offensive teams in the nation. The
Gators have hit 10-plus three pointers in 15 games this season,
marking the third time in coach Billy Donovan’s tenure that
the Gators have had that many games with double-digit three
pointers. The big question for the Gators is the health of Patric
Young who is battling tendinitis in his ankle.
Kentucky is deserving of its No. 1 ranking. The Cats, only a notch below Alabama in scoring defense, have held their opponents below 40% shooting in 14 games. Yet, the Wildcats have struggled with big, physical front lines such as in their loss to Tennessee and win over Alabama.
Ole Miss has a chance at the NCAA Tournament due to players such as Terrance Henry who had 21 points in the Florida loss and 15 points in the South Carolina win, that have stepped up. Henry, No. 21 in the league in scoring (12.1 ppg), is averaging 18.0 ppg over the last four contests.
Mississippi State has won 11 straight games at home this season. Arnett Moultrie recorded his SEC 13th double-double in the loss to Florida. State is 8-0 on the year when Moultrie scores 20-plus points. Three times this season, Moultrie has had 25-plus points and 10-plus rebounds. The last State player to achieve that feat was Charles Rhodes in 2008. Dee Bost has now dished out an assist in 96-straight games. Bost also ranks 12th in SEC history with 552 assists.
Vanderbilt is No. 1 in SEC play in five different categories-
scoring defense (57.0), scoring margin (+13.0), field goal
percentage defense (.365), 3-point field goal percentage (.473),
and threes made (10.2). Four of Vandy’s starters are shooting
around 50% from the floor for the season – John Jenkins
(48.4%), Jeffery Taylor (53.6%), Brad Tinsley (50.0%) and Lance
Goulbourne (49.3%).
REQUIRED READING
The Gators lead the nation in one important stat.
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The Nolan Richardson special is coming.
WHAT I KNEW
Florida junior forward Erik Murphy is a vital component to the
Gators' team success and is one of the reasons the Gators are off
to a fast start. Murphy is shooting a team-high 48.5% from beyond
the arc while averaging double figures (10.6 points) and leading
the Gators in blocked shots (1.3 per game). He helps spread
the floor for Florida's offense and is one of the
primary reasons his teammates get so many open looks and
driving lanes each game.
WHAT I SHOULD HAVE KNOWN
Alabama would be in trouble without Andrew Steele. The Tide might have lost to Arkansas without Steele (6.1 and 3.3). He scored 11 points
ODDS AND ENDS
HOLLOWAY KEY: Ole Miss sophomore forward Murphy Holloway has made a huge difference this season after returning to Oxford. In May 2010, Holloway returned home to his to South Carolina to take care of family issues. Ten months after he left, Holloway decided he wanted to return. The NCAA allowed it, and the Rebels are 13-5 with Holloway this season, 1-2 without him. Murphy Holloway, who ranks third among SEC players in rebounding, has seven double-doubles this season.
STAY HOME: Vol senior guard Cameron Tatum has really struggled on the road. In the Vols' last six road games at Charleston, Memphis, Mississippi State, Georgia,
STAY HOME II: Mississippi State’s Ricardo Sidney is averaging 9.8 points and 4.9 rebounds per game. There have been recent reports about him either transferring or declaring for the NBA. Sidney needs to stay in Starkville. He has a combined eight points and 10 rebounds in his last two games. If Sidney transferred, he'd have to sit out a year before using his final season of eligibility. He already had to sit out his freshman season and part of his sophomore year due to an NCAA amateurism investigation and the resulting suspension.
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