SEC Talk

Must have been one special night last night in Knoxville or it was a full moon. The Tennessee Vols routed the Florida Gators who now have lost 3 out of 4. Tennessee easily won 86-76. Tennessee and Chris Lofton looked like the team to beat in the SEC while the Gators well looked horrible. So many things scared me about the game last night. Maybe it was Pat Summitt in a cheerleading uniform doing a cheer that made the Gators do a double take. Or it could have been the thought of a full moon.

Whatever it was Florida better get things together fast or the defending champs could be in a spot they aren’t use to out of the NCAA tournament fairly quickly.

Unlike College Football and the BCS College Basketball has got there act together. You will here many people complain that college basketball season is a waste that only thing people care about is the tournament. Well to get to the tournament you have to play the season. Teams aren’t afraid to play against the big boys of College Basketball because a win will only help them and even a loss doesn’t hurt like it does it football.

In my eyes college basketball has it right, now if we could only get college football corrected we would have a great thing. I guess I’m getting greedy I can’t have everything can I.

First you have LSU without Glen Davis upset Florida 66-56. Florida sure has come a long way down the last few weeks since looking dominating early in the season. I guess the SEC schedule will due that for you. Kentucky continued there freefall as Vanderbilt beat them Sunday by a score of 67-65. This was a bitter pill for Wildcat fans to swallow as they lead for almost the whole game. Vanderbilt didn’t get a lead until there was only 25.5 seconds left.

Kentucky could be in some trouble as right now I see them as bubble team and not getting into the tournament. This week will be huge for them as they need some wins. A win against Flordia this sunday at florida sure would help. If they struggle this week I don’t see them getting in without winning the SEC tournament.

How important is one player to a College Basketball team? Looks like Chris Lofton is a vital part of the Vols future success. Lofton tossed in 31 points Saturday afternoon to give the Vols a 83-72 win over the Arkansas Razorbacks. Probably the most important part of this win it was the first Road win in the SEC for Tennessee. That is real big as now they know they can win on the road. You have to know that you can win anywhere or there is no use of playing.

If the Arkansas wants to head to the Big Dance it looks like they will have to win the SEC Tournament or miss the NCAA Tournament for the fifth time in the last six years. At one time the Razorbacks were one of the better SEC teams. In recent years they have struggled.

Someone forgot to tell Arkansas that it was playing Tennessee the No.2 team in Women’s College Basketball as they gave the Vols all they wanted and then some. Arkansas behind a rowdy crowd took Tennessee to overtime but fell 75-68. Tennessee battled all night long and if it wasn’t for All-World sophomore Candace Parker they might have went home without a win.

Parker tossed in 29 points to pace the Vols. Tennessee had a chance to ice the game in regulation but Shannon Bobbitt missed the front end of a one and one and Arkansas was able to hit a three pointer to send it into overtime.

Jamont Gordon got his first career triple double with 15 points,12 rebounds and 10 assists as Mississippi State upset Vanderbilt by a score of 83-70. The Bulldogs needed this win as it also snapped a 13 game losing streak against ranked opponents. Vandebilt had just got back into the Top 25 with there win over Florida last week.

The Bulldogs played well early and built a lead that the Commodores couldn’t recover from. The SEC is becoming who wants to be King For The Day anymore. Team after team has fallen right after they get a big win. I wonder who will be next. It looks like the only team head and shoulders above the rest us Florida and they don’t seem lately like they want either.

The NFL combine is a time when college players are put through many drills and tested and tested again. Is It all worth it to a college player? That’s a very good question. Sometimes a player can really see his stock soar in the combine on a great performance. While others can see his stock drop alot. The bottom line though is if you can play football the combine really is to just showcase what you can already do.

Many players go to the combine who aren’t first round draft picks trying to impress the scouts and move up on the draft board. Why move up? Simple it means alot more money the higher up you get drafted. It’s the first time you can show what you can do against some of your peers and open up people’s eyes to what your all about. During the combines one or two guys will open someone’s eyes so in that respect it’s a good thing. My opinion though it’s really a waste of time because most of the scouts have see more than enough film of each player to make a judgement on that players talent.

The Kentucky Wildcats ended there three game losing streaking with a 70-63 win over LSU. LSU did play with out Glen Davis who has been nursing a muscle strain. Randolph Morris had 20 points and Jodie Meeks came off the bench to score a career high 18 points. Both teams need wins down the stretch if they hope to make an NCAA bid.

Kentucky really doesn’t have any quality wins against top teams, while LSU will need to make a run in the SEC tournament if they want to go. LSU was everyone’s favorite last year and now maybe on the outside looking in. Right now it’s possible that the SEC could get at least eight teams depending what happens down the stretch and in the SEC Tournament.

THe Tennessee Lady Vols had a tough test last night as LSU brought it to them, but it wasn’t enough to derail Tennessee and another SEC Conference Title. The Vols stopped the Tigers by a score of 56-51. It was Tennessee’s eighth straight victory and there 14th Southeastern Conference regular season Title.

All-American Candace Parker had 27 points and 13 rebounds and they needed every bit of her production as LSU held Tennessee to just 31.3 percent shooting. The Tigers played very good defense all night long but in the end Parker was just to much and Tennesee found ways to make baskets. That’s why there are rated the third best team in the country. The bottom line is they get the job done when it matters.

How many times did you ever think a win could cost a school money especially if you beat the number one team in the nation. Well, Vanderbilt will find out today if SEC Commissioner Mike Slive will fine the University for the fans storming the court after there big win Saturday. Under a three-year rule if you storm the court on a second offense it’s a 25,000 dollar fine. Vanderbilt already was accessed a 5,000 dollar fine in 2005 for the same thing.

Now I can understand the excitement of the fans and security can be an issue with that many fans on the court at one time. Should the University be fined for the celebration. I say no and here is the reason why. People paid there money to watch the game and beating a number one team doesn’t happen to often. Security is a problem at any game and controling that many fans really is just impossible when they want on the court. I think the SEC Commissioner needs to look deeper into the problem instead of handing fines out all the time.

The Vanderbilt Commodores may not be a household name to everyone in men’s college basketball, but Florida seen enough to know they are for real. The Commodores dominated Florida 83-70 to end there nations best 17 game winning streak and there hopes of going undefeated in the SEC. Vanderbilt know is 5-2 against Top 25 teams this year.

Derrick Byars and Shan Foster each scored 24 points to lead Vandy to the win. The Gators fell behind and really had no answers for Vandy who improved to 18-8 and 8-4 in the SEC. Students poured onto the court after the win and Vandy fans will remember this for a long time.

1. Florida (31) 23-2
2. Ohio State 22-3
3. Wisconsin 24-2
4. North Carolina 22-3
5. Pittsburgh 22-3
6. Texas A&M 21-3
7. UCLA 21-3
8. Kansas 21-4
9. Memphis 21-3
10. Nevada 22-2
11. Washington State 21-4
12. Butler 23-3
13. Marquette 21-5
14. Air Force 21-4
15. Southern Illinois 21-5
16. Georgetown 18-5
17. Oregon 20-5
18. Kentucky 18-6
19. Indiana 17-6
20. Oklahoma State 19-5
21. Boston College 18-6
22. West Virginia 19-5
23. USC 18-7
24. Arizona 17-7
25. Virginia Tech 17-7

If you look at the latest USA/Espn Top 25 you will notice that only two teams from the SEC grace the list. Kentucky at 18 and Florida at No. 1. Does this mean that the SEC is down, no not really what it tells you is the SEC teams are all pretty equal except florida which is heads above everyone else. There are alot of SEC teams that are real close, than there are teams that are struggling just like any conference. I think when the tournament gets here you will see SEC teams do well like they always do.

The Florida Gators basketball team continued there roll through the SEC with a win at home against Alabama. It wasn’t as easy as the score may indicate though. Joakim Noah and Al Horford along with Corey Brewer may get all the press with the Gators but it’s Taurean Green who runs the show and he showed why last night. Green tossed in 20 points inthe second half to lead the Gators back from a 18 point deficit to beat Alabama 76-67.

In fact Alabama was leading 22-4 early and at half was up by 42-31. You have give the Gators credit for fighting back and coming up with the win. I also must give Alabama alot of credit for going into Florida and playing as well as they did. It’s tough place to play and they played well.

Chris Lofton whp has recently come back to the starting lineup has made an immediate impact even though he isn’t 100 percent just yet. Last night Lofton scored 23 points while Duke crews tossed in 18 to upset the Kentucky Wildcats 89-85. Tennessee had plenty incentive to win the game as one of there best players ever got his number retired. Bernard King wore no. 53 and was a outstanding college and pro player.

Kentucky had it’s chances at the end but turnovers and bad decisions caught up with the Wildcats. Kentucky has a tough stretch on the road right now but they need to keep playing hard. It was Chris Lofton’s night and he showed why he’s a top notch player in the SEC.

Candance Parker was named SEC player of the week and I’m sure she will add alot more of these to her trophy case. Parker averaged a double-double of 26 points and 10 rebounds last week. This young talented player will only get better as she still has two more years of playing left.

Parker wants a National Championship and if one person can lead Tenessee there it will be Parker. She’s quick has basketball smarts and playing for the legend Pat Summitt doesn’t hurt her either. She will learn alot under her. Parker is a star already and she keeps rising.