SEC Basketball Update (3/7/24)

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·   SEC Co-Players of the Week – South Carolina guard Meechie Johnson and Tennessee guard Dalton Knecht were named Co-Players of the Week. Johnson, a 6-foot-2, 184-pound junior from Cleveland, Ohio, averaged 23.5 points, 4.5 rebounds, 3.0 assists and 1.5 steals in wins at Texas A&M and against No. 24 Florida. He was 17-of-29 from the floor in the two victories, good for 58.6 percent. He had 25 points, four rebounds, three assists and two steals in a comeback win over No. 24/24 Florida. Knecht, a 6-foot-6, 213-pound fifth-year player from Thornton, Colo., averaged 26.0 points, 3.5 rebounds and 1.5 steals in wins over No. 11 Auburn and at No. 14 Alabama. He shot 48.6 percent from the field, 40.0 percent from deep and 75.0 percent at the line. Knecht dropped a career-high-tying 39 points against No. 11 Auburn, including 25 of them on 9-of-10 shooting over the final 12:01. He outscored the Tigers during the last 12 minutes—to help the Volunteers turn an eight-point deficit into an eight-point win.

·   SEC Freshman of the Week – Kentucky guard Reed Sheppard, a 6-foot-3, 187-pound freshman from London, Ky., averaged 21.0 points, 6.5 assists, 3.0 rebounds, 1.0 steals and 1.0 blocks in wins at Mississippi State and against Arkansas. He poured in a career-high 32 points against Mississippi State and added five boards, seven assists, two blocks and two steals. Twenty-three of his points came after halftime, including 11 in the final 93 seconds.

·   Six SEC teams are ranked in the February 26 Associated Press poll: 4th Tennessee, 11th Auburn, 14th Alabama, 16th Kentucky, 18th South Carolina, 24th Florida.

·   Ten of the SEC’s 14 teams have been ranked in the Associated Press poll at one point this season.

·   The SEC’s three Top 10 NET teams are the most in the nation, five Top 30 are the second-most, and eight Top 50 teams are second-most in the nation (as of March 7).

·   Five SEC teams (1. Alabama, 8. Kentucky, 14. Auburn, 15. Florida, 20. Tennessee) rank in the Top 20 of KenPom’s offensive efficiency rankings.

·   Three SEC teams (3. Tennessee, 5. Auburn, 18. Mississippi State) rank in the Top 20 of KenPom’s defensive efficiency rankings.

·   Three SEC teams rank in the Top 5 nationally in attendance: 1. Kentucky (358,702/19,928 avg), 2. Arkansas (343,905/19,106 avg), 5. Tennessee (292,411/19,494 avg).

·   Kentucky’s John Calipari (812) and Tennessee’s Rick Barnes (803) are the only two active coaches in Division I with 800 or more wins.

·   SEC teams have reached the 100-point mark 15 times in league play this season. That is more than any season in the last 25 years. The previous high was in 2020-21 when it was done five times. Fifteen of the last 25 seasons saw one or fewer teams reach the century mark in SEC games.

·   ESPN’s College Gameday visited SEC arenas three times this season. The first stop was Bud Walton Arena (Kentucky at Arkansas on Jan. 17), followed by Neville Arena (Kentucky at Auburn on Feb. 17) and then Coleman Coliseum (Tennessee at Alabma on March 2).

·   The SEC won the final three games of the first ACC/SEC Challenge to take a 7-7 tie with the ACC. The ACC/SEC Challenge marks the third interconference challenge the SEC has been a part of. The SEC also had events against the Big East (2007-08 to 2012-13) and Big 12 (2013-14 to 2022-23).

·   Eight former SEC players were named to the 2024 NBA All-Star roster: Bam Adebayo (MIA/UK), Devin Booker (PHX/UK), Anthony Davis (LAL/UK) Anthony Edwards (MIN/UG), Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (OKC/UK), Tyrese Maxey (PHI/UK), Julius Randle (NYK/UK), and Karl-Athony Towns (MIN/UK).

·   60 SEC players have been selected in the last six NBA Drafts. That leads all conferences: 50 ACC, 41 Big Ten, 37 Pac-12, 29 Big 12 and 19 Big East.

·   Three SEC teams won holiday tournament titles this season: Auburn (Legends Classic), Mississippi State (Basketball Hall of Fame Tip-Off), South Carolina (Arizona Tip-Off).

·   Former Missouri forward Kobe Brown has been honored as a recipient of the NCAA Today’s Top 10 award and was honored at the NCAA Convention in January. The award recognizes former student-athletes for their exceptional athletic and academic achievements, as well as their contributions to their campuses and communities. The SEC led the nation with four honorees, also including Callie Dickinson of Georgia swimming & diving, Ashley Rogers of Tennessee softball and Trinity Thomas of Florida gymnastics.

·   35 NCAA Tournament selections over the last four tournaments.

·   92 players from SEC schools were on 2023-24 NBA Opening Day rosters. Twelve of 14 SEC schools are represented and at least one SEC player is on 29 of the 30 NBA rosters.

·   The SEC led all conferences with 10 players selected in the 2023 NBA Draft. Six first round selections also led the nation.

·   13 SEC players on 2023-24 NBA Opening Day rosters have made an NBA All-Star Game.

·   The first two college players selected in the 2023 NBA Draft – Alabama’s Brandon Miller (2nd overall) and Arkansas’ Anthony Black (6th overall) – were from the SEC.

·   A record-tying 10 SEC teams received postseason bids in 2023. The SEC’s eight NCAA Tournament selections tied its previous best set in 2018. Additionally, two SEC teams competed in the National Invitation Tournament.

·   14 of 14 SEC teams have made at least one NCAA Tournament appearance in the last eight tournaments.

·   Nine different SEC teams have advanced to the Sweet 16 in the last six NCAA Tournaments. All 14 SEC members have advanced to the Sweet 16 since 1996.

·   Four SEC coaches have been named national coach of the year: Rick Barnes, Chris Beard, John Calipari and Bruce Pearl.

·   The SEC ranked second nationally with 2,756,659 fans attending games during the 2022-23 season. An average of 11,344 fans attended games at SEC schools in 2023, an increase of 787 from 2022.

·   Three of the top four attendance leaders in 2022-23 were from the SEC. Kentucky led the nation with a total attendance of 357,721, Arkansas ranked third with 323,875) and Tennessee was fourth with 300,496 fans.

SCHEDULE/RESULTS (All Times Eastern):

Tuesday, February 27

#16 Kentucky 91, at Mississippi St. 89

at LSU 67, Georgia 66

Vanderbilt 85, at Arkansas 82

Wednesday, February 28

at #24 Florida 83, Missouri 74

at #4 Tennessee 92, #11 Auburn 84

#18 South Carolina 70, at Texas A&M 68

#14 Alabama 103, at Ole Miss 88

Saturday, March 2

at #18 South Carolina 82, #24 Florida 76

at #16 Kentucky 111, Arkansas 102

at Vanderbilt 75, LSU 61

at #11 Auburn 78, Mississippi St. 63

Texas A&M 70, at Georgia 56

#4 Tennessee 81, at #14 Alabama 74

Ole Miss 84, at Missouri 78

Tuesday, March 5

at Georgia 69, Ole Miss 66

at Florida 105, #16 Alabama 87

#13 Auburn 101, at Missouri 74

Wednesday, March 6

#4 Tennessee 66, at #17 South Carolina 59

at Arkansas 94, LSU 83

at Texas A&M 75, Mississippi St. 69

at #15 Kentucky 93, Vanderbilt 77

Saturday, March 9

Arkansas at #16 Alabama                                                      ESPN                                12:00p

Texas A&M at Ole Miss                                                             CBS                                   2:00p

#17 South Carolina at Mississippi St.                               SEC Network                2:30p

#15 Kentucky at #4 Tennessee                                             CBS                                   4:00p

Florida at Vanderbilt                                                                 SEC Network                4:30p

Georgia at #13 Auburn                                                             SEC Network                6:30p

Missouri at LSU                                                                            SEC Network                8:30p

2024 SEC Basketball Tournament

Wednesday, March 8

SEC Tournament Game 1                                                       SEC Network                7:00 pm

SEC Tournament Game 2                                                       SEC Network                9:00 pm

Thursday, March 9

SEC Tournament Game 3                                                       SEC Network                1:00 pm

SEC Tournament Game 4                                                       SEC Network                3:00 pm

SEC Tournament Game 5                                                       SEC Network                7:00 pm

SEC Tournament Game 6                                                       SEC Network                9:00 pm

Friday, March 10

SEC Tournament Game 7                                                       ESPN                                1:00 pm

SEC Tournament Game 8                                                       ESPN                                3:00 pm

SEC Tournament Game 9                                                       SEC Network                7:00 pm

SEC Tournament Game 10                                                     SEC Network                9:00 pm

Saturday, March 11

SEC Tournament Game 11                                                     ESPN                                1:00 pm

SEC Tournament Game 12                                                     ESPN                                3:00 pm

Sunday, March 12

Championship Game (Game 13)                                        ESPN                                1:00 pm