SEC Talk

Florida State was suppose to roll over Mississippi State, except they were cooperating very well. The Bulldogs put the defensive clamps on Florida’s State Al Thornton and he got into early foul trouble as the bulldogs ran away from Florida State. Not alot of people thought the Bulldogs really had a chance in the NIT , but so far they have been very dominate.

Mississipp State probably deserved to be in the NCAA and they are using the NIT as a stepping stone for next year. The Bulldogs have alot of talent and should make the NCAA tournament next year.

Glen Davis who returned for his junior year to LSU will be leaving for the NBA draft. Davis put up some respectable numbers this year. He didn’t do as well as he did his sophomore season as far as success with the team but this year was a learning experience. Davis didn’t have the success he was hoping for, but it doesn’t detract from the effort he gave.

Davis will be a good player in the NBA. I don’t know if he will have an instant impact. I think he will have to find where he fits in when he is drafted. Alot has to do with who picks him and that will determine his impact, He will be a good one and whoever gets him will get a player who will give it his all.

The lady Georgia Bulldogs got offensive minded as they rolled over Iowa State 76-56. Cori Chambers scored 18 points and Tasha Humphrey added 21 points and 7 rebounds to pwer the Bulldogs in the win. After struggliong in the first round the Lady Bulldogs caught fire and Iowa State really didn’t have a chance.

Next up for the Lady Bulldogs are the winner of the Purdue-Goergia Tech game which is played tonight. The Bulldogs will have a tough game with either has both of those teams are good.

The Kentucky Wildcats ran into a Buzzsaw in the Kansas Jayhawks and lost 88-76. Kansas was much quicker than Kentucky and more talented and thus easily won. Kentucky gave an effort but they would have to have been perfect to stop the Jayhawks who look like a number one seed that’s for sure. Randolph Morris played a very good game, but you need more than one player to play well against a team like Kansas.

I’m sure now all the Tubby Smith haters will start to come out asking for him to be fired. I don’t think they will fired Smith but you never know I’ve been wrong before.

Expereince means alot in the NCAA tournament and Flordia has alot of it and they needed it all as a pseky Purdue club would never go away all game long. The Gators used balanced scoring to beat Purdue by a score of 74-67. Al Horford and Corey Brewer each scored 17 points to lead the Gators.

Next up for the Gators are Butler. This Butler club will be another team looking to knock off the Gators and won’t go away easy. It’s never easy when your defending champions as everyone wants to knock you out of the tournament.

Jajuan Smith led a second half comeback and when it counted Chris Lofton hit the free throws to give Tennessee a 77-74 over Virginia and make there first Sweet 16 apperance since 2000. The Vols fought hard against a very pesky Virginia team that had some outstand guards. Tennessee now will move on a a Ohio State team that they lost to earlier in the year. It should be a very interesting game against Ohio State.

If you listen to all the basketball guru’s Kentucky was going to get beat yesterday. Kentucky was led by four players in double figures and stopped Villanova 67-58 to advance to face Kansas. Will this get people off Tubby Smith’s back not likely, and if they lose to Kansas you will hear more chants to get rid of Tubby.

Randolph Morris came up big yesterday as he led Kentucky scorers with 19 points and 11 rebounds. Morris is the key to kentucky and how well they do. If Morris gets into foul trouble than usually Kentucky will struggle. if they don’t than they usually play well. Jodie Meeks is another Wildcat who has been playing real well lately.

Blame the layoff or whatever you want but the florida Gators didn’t look real good in the first half as Jackson State hung with them. The second half was a total different story as the Gators ran away from Jackson State to post a easy 112-69 route. Florida used balance scoring in the rout and the gators right now look prime for another champioship.

Jackson State hasn’t seen anything like the buzzsaw they ran into tonight and really had no answers for the Gators in the second half. They just got beat by a much better team and one that wants another Natiional Championship.

Chris Lofton led the charge with 25 points as the Vols matched the highest output in a first round NCAA tournament game with 121 points against Long Beach State. Tennessee almost shot 60 percent from the floor and was almost as good from three point land. Now Long beach State probably would have been in the game if they would have been playing anybody else.

Long beach State was shooting very well, but the Vols just have to many offensive weapons to contend with and thus the 49ers couldn’t match point for point with Tennessee. If Tennessee keeps shooting like that they will be tough to beat.

Vanderbilt didn’t take very long to make a statement in the NCAA tournament as they routed George Washington 77-44. Shan Foster scored 18 points to lead the Commodores to the easy victory. The defensive effort is what people will be talking about for a long time as Vanderbilt held George Washington scoreless for very long stretches. Defense wins championships and the defensive effort was there for Vanderbilt.

Up next for Vanderbilt will be a very tough Washington State club which also won there first round game. Vanderbilt will have there hands full in the second round. Hopefully they can keep it going for a long run in the tournament.

Ole Miss got 18 points from Todd Abernethy and Ole Miss played some great defense and held Appalachian State scoreless for a nearly 6 minute stretch to pull away with the win. Ole Miss did help Applalachian State stay in the game for awhile with 16 turnovers in which was turned into 17 points for the Mountaineers.

The Rebels next will play number one seed Clemson who has struggled most of the year after a great start. You never know which Clemson team will show up up so it should be a very interesting game for Ole Miss.

The Georgia Bulldogs got a season high 30 points from Levi Stukes and held off a pesky Fresno State squad 88-78 in the NIT. Both schools combined to hit 31 out of 62 three pointers. Stukes was an amazing 8 of 9 from three point land. Fresno State hit a team record 18 three pointers in the loss.

Georgia will get the winner of the Austin Peay/Air Force game. If Air force wins they will have to play in Colorado Springs. If Austin Peay wins they will get another home game. Either way the Bulldogs are moving on for now. Hopefully they will continue there hot shooting.

Alabama was expecting a great season, but it has come to an abrupt end as the lost in overtime to UMass by a score of 89-87. Alabama was playing without there point guard Ronald Steele who was injured and didn’t suit up. The Crimson Tide let Chris Lowe hit a pull up jumper with 1.6 seconds left in overtime to give UMass the win. Alabama hit a three pointer at the buzzer to get it into the extra period but couldn’t generate much offense in the extra period.

You could see how much they missed there point guard Ronald Steele as they turned the ball over at crucial times and this really hurt them. They did give a great effort and never gave up, but in the end execution and turnovers killed them.

The top seeded Mississippi State Bulldogs had little trouble of disposing of Mississippi Vally State in the NIT Basketball Tournament. The Bulldogs got 21 points from Charles Rhoades on 8-12 shooting from the floor and 4 block shots. Jamont Gordon also tossed in 18 points to help the Bulldogs with the win.

Mississippi State will now play the winner of the Bradley/Providence game on saturday. The Bulldogs are one of the favorite’s of the NIT as they maybe should have been in the NCAA if you look at some of the teams they took over them.

Poor Tubby Smith he is in a no win situation when it comes to his job. The AD told AP that Tubby is his man, but never came out and said his job was safe. Then Tubby Smith and the Wildcats have a tough task ahead of them in the NCAA tournament. First they have to get past a very tough Villanova basketball team.

If that wasn’t bad enough if the Wildcats do win all they have to do is knock off Kansas who is playing extremely well right now. I think the writing is on the wall and Tubby Smith may be fired if he loses to Villanova. if he beats Villanova and gives Kansas a tough game he may keep his job. A blowout will get him fired to.