NCAAB SEC
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Southeast Conference 2007-08 Preview: SEC Eastern Division
Tennessee
This might be the Year of the Orange, with 4 starters back to a team that led Ohio State by 20 in March before folding in the wake of a Sweet 16 appearance. Coach Bruce Pearl likes to run and the Volunteers (24-11) averaged 81 ppg behind a 3-guard lineup. That uptempo attack is why they went 17-9 over the total two years ago and 19-13 over the total last season. Their top two scorers return in SEC player of the year Chris Lofton (20 ppg) and JaJuan Smith (15 ppg, 4.5 rpg).
Lofton is a deadly three-point shooter, perfect for Pearl's offense, while Smith was ninth in the SEC in scoring. Pearl is a proponent of a running game and will play 9 guys and press all over the court. "We run a point-guard fast break, it's not a double-outlet system," says Pearl. "It's a structured, numbered break, with the ball getting outletted to the point guard 95 percent of the time." Rising sophomore point guard Ramar Smith is considered an NBA prospect and gets a chance to shine. He was their third-leading scorer with 10.7 ppg.
The frontcourt has excellent role players with their top three rebounders back in 6-9 junior Wayne Chism (9.1 ppg, 5.2 rpg), 6-7 Duke Crews (8.4 ppg, 5.1 rpg), and 6-9 senior Ryan Childress (5.6 ppg, 4.0 rpg). The favorites to start are Wayne Chism at center, 6-7 sophomore Tyler Smith at power forward, JaJuan Smith at wing, Chris Lofton at shooting guard and Ramar Smith at point guard. Tyler Smith, who some NBA services project as a late first-round pick, is very good. Perhaps more importantly, the 6-foot-7 Smith meshes well with the team and has proven to be humble and unselfish.
Junior Ryan Childress is pushing hard for a front line spot and has emerged as an intense worker. Childress closed last season strong with four 3-pointers in the Sweet 16 loss to Ohio State, and he followed up by having the most impressive performance of any of the Vols on the five-game European trip in August. Incoming sophomore transfer Tyler Smith and 6-8 sophomore J.P. Prince are mature beyond their years, having both gone through adversity before returning to their home state to play basketball.
Freshmen Cameron Tatum and 6-5 Brian Williams add depth to this loaded team. The 6-5 Williams features a multi-faceted game. The recent commitment of 6-foot-8 wing Renaldo Woolridge was cause for celebration in the coaches' office. UT addressed a concern for athleticism in the paint with the commitment of 6-10 Phillip Jurick of East Ridge High School. One concern is that the Vols, 10-6 in the SEC, ranked last in the SEC in scoring defense (75.1 points per game), last in field-goal percentage (.457) and last in rebounding defense (37 per game).
"No doubt," Pearl said, "defense is the area where we can show the greatest improvement and have the most impact." The Vols had a stunning 76-58 rout of Memphis as dog under their belt, but that was at home. Tennessee was a miserable 3-7 SU/ATS away from home. The Vols look loaded for this season, with depth and long-range ability. They will run right at opponents, particularly at home, where they were 16-1 SU, 11-4 ATS. "I really do like my team, my roster and our depth," added Pearl. Who wouldn't?
Florida
The Gators won the national title two years ago, then got even better last season in a 35-5 SU, 19-14 ATS campaign culminating in another national title. That puts Billy Donovan at 68-16 SU, 40-25 ATS the last two years. The only down side is that everyone jumped to the NBA, so it's a relatively new cast of Gators with all 5 starters gone.
This roster is all freshmen and sophomores, with the exception of lone holdover junior guard Walter Hodge. He'll be joined by freshman point-guard 5-10 Jai Lucas of Bellaire High School (Texas). One of the top point guards in the nation, the Houston native averaged 26.3 points and 7.5 assists per game for Bellaire this past season. He is the son of former NBA player and coach John Lucas and the younger brother of John Lucas, Jr, who helped Oklahoma State to the 2004 Final Four and was an All-American for the Cowboys.
Lucas is rated as the No. 6 point guard in the nation for the class of 2007 by Rivals.com. He averaged 23.0 points and 6.0 assists per game during his junior season. The frontcourt is young with 6-10, 250-lb sophomore Marreese Speights, 6-7 sophomore Dan Werner and talented 6-7 soph Jonathan Mitchell. They all watched the veteran Gators roll to the title, so it's their time now.
6-6 freshman PG Nick Calathes can help, along with his high school teammate 6-9 Chandler Parsons, a 5-Star recruit. 6-8 freshman Adam Allen is another top recruit. They like to run the court, going 20-13 over the total. Donovan likes his young kids, as he came close to jumping to the NBA Orlando Magic before having a change of heart. They are 3-2 SU/4-1 ATS as an underdog the last two seasons and went 21-0 at home. Florida is 52-8 SU, 36-23 ATS as a favorite! They won't repeat with so much youth, but they will be very good again.
Kentucky
It's a new era at (22-12) Kentucky as Billy Gillispie takes over, replacing Tubby Smith. In just three seasons at Texas A&M he was a three-time Big 12 Coach of the Year. In the 2006-07 season, Gillispie led the Aggies to a school record 27-7 record which included a school best No. 3 seed in the NCAAs, in which they advanced to the Sweet 16 for the first time since 1980.
He inherits a team with a lot of returning talent, particularly in the backcourt. Senior guards 6-5 Joe Crawford (14.0 ppg, 4.0 rpg, 2.4 apg) and Ramel Bradley (13.4 ppg, 3.8 apg) lead the way, along with 6-5 sophomore Jodie Meeks. Parade All-American Alex Legion comes aboard, too. Legion is rated the No. 12 shooting guard by Rivals.com. Legion originally signed with Michigan in the fall before receiving his release when the Wolverines fired head coach Tommy Amaker.
The athletic Legion is known as an accurate shooter. As a senior at Oak Hill, he averaged 19.6 points, 5.7 rebounds, 2.1 assists and 1.8 steals while shooting 53 percent from the field, 42 percent from 3-point range and 85 percent from the free throw line. He also made his last 40 free throw attempts while helping lead Oak Hill to a 40-1 record and the No. 1 spot in the final USA TODAY Super 25 boys' basketball rankings.
Who will rebound? The frontcourt is thin on experience. Kentucky 7-2 junior Jared Carter missed most of the 2006-07 season with a separated right shoulder, but is expected back at full strength. McDonald's All-American Patrick Patterson joins the team. Patterson is rated the No. 2 power forward and No. 15 prospect overall in the Class of 2007 by Rivals.com.
Patterson is strong low-post player who, as a senior at Huntington High, averaged 17.0 points, 12.0 rebounds and 4.0 blocks per game. Throughout his prep career, Patterson averaged at least 16.0 ppg a year to go along with 12.0 rpg. Patterson joins Parade All-American Alex Legion (Detroit, Mich.), A.J. Stewart (Jacksonville, Fla.) and Mike Williams (Solihull, England), who both signed last fall during the early signing period, as members of UK's 2007 signing class.
Kentucky was good enough to chase Florida for first in the SEC East much of the regular season. The Wildcats stepped up in competition in late November, and fell flat losing three games to No. 5 UCLA (73-68), No. 11 Memphis (80-63) and at No. 6 North Carolina (75-63). Kentucky went 3-9 SU/5-7 ATS as a dog, and almost as bad on the road (4-6). Gillispie inherits a talented team that will be one of the best in the SEC, though the frontcourt lacks experience.
Georgia
Bulldogs coach Dennis Felton has a strong offensive team (75 ppg) that went 19-14 SU (9-17 ATS). They lose only two senior starters, however 6-8 250-lb senior Takais Brown (14.2 ppg, 5.6 rpg) was kicked off the team, a big blow. Brown, Georgia's leading scorer last season who already was suspended for the first nine games this season, was dismissed from the team. Coach Dennis Felton said Brown was kicked off the team for a violation of team policies but can remain at Georgia as a student.
So the offense falls on 6-4 junior guard Mike Mercer (13.6 ppg, 4.4 rpg, 3.3 apg) and senior guard Sundiata Gaines (10.5 ppg, 5.7 rpg, 4.8 apg). and Georgia returns its top assists man and top two scorers. This is an athletic team that can score. However, notice that Georgia was just 1-12 SU, 2-11 ATS as a dog!
A pair of juniors add role playing depth with guard Billy Humphrey (7.5 ppg) and 6-7 Terrance Woodbury. Freshman guard Troy Brewer comes aboard. The 6-5 Brewer was at Montrose Christian School in Rockville. The Mustangs, annually one of the nation's top high school programs, concluded the 2007 season with a 21-3 record and a No. 21 national ranking by USA Today.
In his first season as a starter in '07, Brewer averaged 15.1 points and 5.3 rebounds per game. He played in 2006 behind All-American Kevin Durant, who became the national Player of the Year as a freshman at Texas this past year. Brewer joins 6-8 Chris Barnes, a 6-7 swing player
Jeremy Jacob, 6-9 Jeremy Price, and guard Zac Swansey. Georgia was 15-4 at home, but just 3-9 SU/ATS on the road last season and 6-28 SU its last 34 road games. Road games and SEC play will be tough, but they are moving in the right direction. Georgia is 18-4 SU/14-8 ATS its last 22 as a favorite!
Vanderbilt
The Commodores are off a 22-12 SU, 17-13 ATS season, which followed a pair of 17 and 20-win seasons, reaching the Sweet 16 four years ago. Vanderbilt Head Coach Kevin Stallings likes the team he has for this year, especially on offense: The Commodores can shoot. They averaged 76.6 ppg (17-13 over the total). Vandy finished second in the SEC East in assists behind Florida and third in scoring (76.6 ppg)
They lose 6-7 Derrick Byars (17 ppg) to the NBA, but return 6-6 senior Shan Foster (15.6 ppg, 4.6 rpg) an outstanding 3-point shooter. Also 6-9 senior Ross Neltner (9.2 ppg, 5.7 rpg), their top rebounder, returns, while 6-9 senior Alan Metcalfe is a big body and role player. The backcourt sports a pair who saw plenty of time last season in senior G Alex Gordon and 6-3 sophomore Jermaine Beal, so there are plenty of veterans. Senior PG Alex Gordon started 32 games and is a fine playmaker.
The guy to watch is 6-10 newcomer Andrew Oglivy, a polished offensive player from Australia, who is drawing comparisons to former Aussie Andruw Bogut. Charles Hinkle, a 6-5, 210-pound swingman from Los Alamitos, Calif., will attend Vanderbilt. Hinkle averaged 16.3 points, 5.9 rebounds and 2.1 assists during the 2006-07 season at Hebron Academy, a preparatory school in Maine. A year earlier, Hinkle helped lead Los Alamitos High School to the school's first sectional championship, averaging 10 points and five rebounds.
The Commodores also signed forward Darshawn McClellan of Fresno, Calif, center A.J. Ogilvy of Australia, guard Keegan Bell of Hazel Green, Ala, and forward Andre Walker of Flossmoor, Ill., during the fall period to make up Vanderbilt's 2007-08 recruiting class. They had impressive upset wins over Tennessee (82-81), Alabama (94-73), and at Kentucky (72-67) as a +11 dog.
Vandy was also the top free throw shooting team in the SEC East, though second worst in team rebounds in the SEC East and they went just 3-for-18 from 3-point range at Florida. Still, the Commodores went 8-8 SU, 11-5 ATS as a dog! Another winning season is likely.
South Carolina
Dave Odom's teams play tough defense, but they didn't have a lot of offense last season, averaging 63 points per game. They went 14-11 under the total and struggled in a 14-16 SU season (though 15-11 ATS). One problem is that their top three scorers graduated, including their top rebounder in 6-10 Brandon Wallace. It's rebuilding time for the Gamecocks.
6-7 sophomore Dominique Archie, who averaged 8.8 points and 5 rebounds as a freshman, was the second leading rebounder. Two other sophomores can help out in 6-7 Evaldas Baniulis and 6-11, 250-pound Mitchell Carter. The backcourt has 6-6 senior Dwayne Day (7 ppg) and sophomore Brandis Raley-Ross (5.9 ppg), plus transfers Devan Downey (Cincy) and Zam Frederick (Georgia Tech). The two are expected to step right into the starting backcourt.
Odom was able to grab 2007 South Carolina Mr. Basketball Mike Holmes. Holmes averaged 25 ppg and 13 rpg his senior year and 17 ppg, 12 rpg, and 4 bpg as a junior playing for Coach Laverne Knox. He was ranked in the top 150 prospects nationally by Rivals.com and led Lee Central to back-to-back state titles his junior and senior years. He scored 20 points in the victory over Southside in the South Carolina State Championship game his senior year where he earned MVP honors. A three-time All-Conference player, he attended the Nike All-American Camp.
"My goal off the court is to graduate and get my degree. My goal on the court is to be the best player I can be," said Holmes. "I have been waiting for this opportunity for the longest time." The Gamecocks were 10-7 SU at home, but 4-8 SU on the road (though 10-2 ATS). With so many new pieces, a winning mark will be a long shot this year.
Southeast Conference: SEC Western Division
Alabama
After a 20-12 season, Alabama might be ready to bust out for even more wins with 3 starters back and all of the bench. The Tide has one talented frontcourt with 6-8, 268-pound sophomore Richard Hendrix (14.6 ppg, 8.7 rpg) and 6-foot-6 youngsters Alonzo Gee (12.6 ppg, 5.3 rpg) and Mykal Riley (12.6 pp, 4.6 rpg). You can see why 'Bama led the SEC West in rebounds. Hendrix has been starting since his freshman season when Chuck Davis went down with an injury. He has been a force under the boards ever since and was a former prep standout and McDonald's All-American
A big blow, though, is senior point guard Ronald Steele, who will sit out the season. He's coming back from April surgeries on both his knees and led the team with 4 assists per game and 8.6 points. Steele, who was a 2007 preseason AP All-American and a 2006 AP All-American Honorable Mention, has decided to redshirt for the 2007-08 season for medical reasons.
6-6 senior Mykal Riley (12.6 ppg, 4.6 rpg) is a good scorer and defensive player. He led 'Bama with 42 steals and took the most three-pointers on the team, hitting 37%. There is good depth and experience with junior guard Brandon Hollinger, soph G Justin Tubbs, 6-4 soph Mikhail Torrance and 6-7 sophomore Demetrius Jemison. One concern is that they haven't been a strong road team in recent years, and that was the case again last season starting 2-8 SU/4-6 ATS away from home (3-7 two years ago). That was evident when they gave up 99 points in a loss at Notre Dame.
It's worth pointing out that Alabama was 14-2 at home last season. They pulled an upset of Marquette in their first tourney game of 2006, before losing 62-59 to eventual title game representative UCLA. They have very good balance and a dominant, athletic frontcourt to give anyone trouble, but their consistent weak play away needs to be upgraded. Their defense has also been strong, going 17-12 "under" the total three years ago, 16-11 "under" two years ago and 14-13 under last season. This team will be very good again.
Mississippi State
A young Bulldogs team finished 21-14 and 20-10 ATS as coach Rick Stansbury did a fine job. And the coach got great news for this season. Two-time all-SEC forward Charles Rhodes withdrew his name from the NBA Draft in order to return to Mississippi State for his senior season of competition.
Rhodes earned Coaches All-SEC Second Team honors for the second straight season a year ago after averaging 13.7 points and 6.2 rebounds per game to rank 17th and 12th in the SEC, respectively. The 6-foot-8, 240-pound rising senior also stood fourth in the league in field-goal percentage (.554) and sixth in blocked shots (1.88 bpg) in helping lead coach Rick Stansbury's Bulldogs to a share of the SEC's 2006-07 Western Division title.
Throw in 6'-4" junior guard Jamont Gordon and the Bulldogs have their top two scorers and rebounders back. Gordon was a force with 16 points, 7.1 rebounds and 5.3 assists per game. As a freshman has averaged 13.8 points, 6.8 rebounds and 4.3 assists per game and was one of the most sought after prep players. The backcourt also has Junior Barry Stewart and soph guard Joseph Iupe also return in the backcourt, so the skies the limit for this group.
Bulldog basketball sophomores Reginald Delk, Richard Delk and Bernard Rimmer decided to transfer, so they lose some depth. But Mississippi State still has forward 6-foot-7 Travis Gabbidon, and standout guards Barry Stewart and Phil Turner. Former Louisville forward 6-9 Brian Johnson started school at Mississippi State and is eligible to play for the Bulldogs for the 2007-08 season after sitting out last year. Mississippi State was 17-3 SU, 13-2 ATS in home games last season, and 3-9 SU in away games (6-6 ATS). Stansbury is very good at getting his teams to play defense, too, so this could be a very good club again.
Arkansas
After trying to lure Dana Altman to be head coach, the Razorbacks settled on John Pelphrey, a former assistant under Billy Donovan and Eddie Sutton. He had guided South Alabama to the biggest turnaround in the nation two years ago and a conference championship last year. Pelphrey spent the past five years as the head coach at South Alabama. After going 14-14 in 2003, 12-16 in 2004 and 10-18 in 2005, his 2006 squad had the best turnaround in the nation, finishing 24-7. His teams played very strong defense.
He takes over a 21-14 Arkansas squad that returns all 5 starters! Top scorer junior guard Patrick Beverley is back. Beverley was named the Southeastern Conference's Newcomer of the Year and the Freshman of the Year last season after leading the team in scoring (13.9), steals (1.74), three-point percentage (.386), free-throw percentage (.812) and minutes played (1,203). Senior PG Gary Ervin (9.9 ppg) shows flashes of brilliance, followed by a turnover, so he needs to work on consistency.
Up front, 6-6 senior Sonny Weems (11.8 ppg, 4.8 rpg) and 6-8 senior Charles Thomas (10.7 ppg, 5.7 rpg) score and work the glass, while 7-foot senior center Steve Hill is a good role player, boxing out and playing defense. These guys helped the Razorbacks go 21-14, reach the finals of the SEC Tournament and earn an NCAA Tournament bid for the second straight season.
They have other role players in junior G Stefan Welsh and senior Sean McCurdy. The frontcourt has 6-10 junior Michael Washington and 6'-9" junior Cyprus McGowan, a potentially strong rebounder. Arkansas was a strong 9-3 ATS as a dog, but just 2-8 on the road. The last four seasons this team is a combined 9-30 SU on the road (16-22 ATS). The Hogs look good on paper, but have to mesh with the new coaching staff.
Auburn
The Tigers (17-15 SU, 16-11 ATS) can be summed up easily last season: 15-5 at home, 2-7 on the road! Auburn was young, but returns all 5 starters to an up and coming program. Coach Jeff Lebo welcomed back 11 lettermen. "It is nice to have veterans," said Lebo. "It is nice to have this many guys who have a semblance of how hard we are going to practice."
The frontcourt has 6-7 junior Josh Dollard, who led the team in scoring with 12.5 points and rebounding with 7.0 per contest. He's joined by 6-7 junior Korvotney Barber (11.3 ppg, 6.6 rpg), so their top two rebounders return, along with 6-8 Quan Prowell (12 ppg, 5.3 rpg). Barber is a former McDonald's All-American. The backcourt has three key players back, led by 6-5 senior guard Rasheem Barrett (11.0 ppg, 3.9 rpg). Barrett has been the team's Outstanding Defensive Player.
They also have senior guard Quantez Robertson and soph Dewayne Reed. Junior Frank Tolbert stepped into the starting lineup after being the team's Sixth Man Award for two straight years as he averaged 11.8 points, 4.8 rebounds. The offense improved greatly last season, averaging 73 ppg (17-10 over the total). Auburn is heading in the right direction and another winning season is likely behind this veteran frontcourt.
L.S.U.
John Brady lost 6-9 Tyrus Thomas to the NBA two years ago after his freshman season, and now they lose Big Daddy 6-8, 310-lb Glen Davis (17.7 ppg, 10.4 rpg) to the NBA after his junior season. Oh, what a team they might have had this season if players hung around 4 years like the old days.
Alas, it's rebuilding time after a 17-15 SU, 11-19 ATS campaign. The frontcourt isn't as big, but still has 6'-7" junior Tasmin Mitchell (14.5 ppg, 5.9 rpg). Mitchell, a former McDonald's All-American swingman, stepped in and averaged 11 points and over 5 rebounds per game as a freshman two years ago.
The backcourt has been a weak spot but should be better with the return of seniors 6-6 Terry Martin (10.5 ppg) and 6-4 junior Garrett Temple (8.6 ppg). LSU adds freshman guard Bo Spencer from Glen Oaks, CA. Spencer, a 6-1, 175-pound playmaker averaged 22 points, six rebounds, five assists and three steals for the Panthers last season. He spent his first two high school seasons at Southern Lab. At the recent Louisiana High School Coaches Association all-star game in Houma, Spencer was voted the Most Valuable Player with 25 points. "Bo Spencer is going to answer some of the questions we have at point guard," said LSU Coach John Brady.
Marcus Thornton, a 6-4, 195-pound guard from Baton Rouge arrives, along with 6-10 Garrett Green, 6-9 forward Quintin Thornton of Odessa College (Texas), 6-10 Anthony Randolph from Woodrow Wilson High School in Dallas, Texas, and 6-7 D. J. Wright of Sault St. Marie in Ontario, Canada. They can play defense, too, and LSU has gone 22-10 and 17-13 UNDER the total the last two years.
Mississippi
The Rebels (21-13 SU, 20-11 ATS) were big money-makers a year ago, with a veteran team. Ending a four-year postseason drought, Ole Miss returned with a win and a second-round berth in the NIT. An opening-round host, the South Region No. 4 seed Ole Miss knocked off No. 5 Appalachian State 73-59 before having its season end at Clemson. Ole Miss was back in postseason play for the 13th time in the program's history and the first time since earning an NCAA Tournament bid in 2002.
However, some key seniors are gone, including Ole Miss seniors Clarence Sanders and Todd Abernethy, All-SEC guards. Second-year coach Andy Kennedy has done a fine job. The good news is he has an ace up front with 6'-8", 290-lb senior center Dwayne Curtis. He played at Auburn four years ago. He started 22 games and averaged 12.2 points, 8.3 rebounds and 1.0 steals in 27.2 minutes. He shot 53.8 percent from the field while shooting 75.4 percent from the free throw line.
The frontcourt has good depth and bulk with 6-8, 245-pound senior Jermey Parnell (4 rpg) and Kenny Williams (7 ppg, 5.7 rpg). The backcourt is young with sophomore Eniel Polynice. He earned the starting nod in eight games against SEC teams, including six straight at one point. In the SEC Tournament second round, Polynice turned in his best game since non-conference season, tallying 11 points, 3 rebounds, 2 assists and 2 steals in the win over LSU.
They will look for more out of 6-4 sophomore Rodney Jones, who only played 6.4 minutes per game. Jones was a McDonald's All-America nominee and the Louisiana 4A Player of the Year, averaging 27 points and 10 rebounds. 6-9 freshman Malcolm White comes aboard. White is rated a four-star player by Rivals and the No. 19 power forward in the 2008 class. Other newcomers include Zach Graham, Chris Warren, Kevin Cantinol, Trevor Gaskins, Wesley Jones and Terrence Watson. In addition, guard David Huertas sat out last season after transferring from Florida in July 2006. Despite hitting 20 wins, this team was only 2-11 SU, 7-6 ATS on the road.
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