Conference Notes
· SEC Player of the Week – Alabama guard Jaden Shackelford, a 6-foot-3, 200-pound sophomore from Hesperia, Calif., had 26 points four rebounds, two assists and a block in the Crimson Tide’s win over ETSU. Shackelford shot 53.3 percent (8-of-15) from the field, including 61.5 percent (8-of-13) from 3-point range.
· SEC Freshman of the Week – LSU guard Cam Thomas, a 6-foot-4, 210-pound freshman from Chesapeake, Va., scored 29 points to go with three rebounds, two assists and a block in a win over Nicholls St. He converted 47.6 percent (10-of-21) of this field goals in the game, It was his fourth game with 20 or more points and the third time he made 10 field goals.
· This week marks the start of the 89th season of Southeastern Conference men’s basketball action.
· Five teams are receiving mention in the December 28 Associated Press Top 25 highlighted by Tennessee (7th) and Missouri (12th). Arkansas, Florida and Georgia are receiving votes.
· Mississippi State head coach Ben Howland registered his 500th career win on Nov. 30 against Texas State.
· Tennessee was the favorite to win the 2021 SEC championship in a preseason poll of media from around the league and nation. Kentucky was picked to finish second and is followed by LSU, Florida and Alabama. Florida’s Keyontae Johnson was selected by the media as the preseason player of the year.
· Seventy-seven players from SEC schools were on 2020-21 NBA Opening Day rosters. All 14 SEC schools were represented and at least one SEC player is on 28 of 30 NBA rosters.
· For the second year in a row, 12 SEC players were picked in the 2020 NBA Draft, including six who were chosen in the first round.
· Georgia’s Anthony Edwards became the fifth SEC player to be picked first overall in the NBA Draft in the last 11 years.
· The 2020 NBA Draft marked the fourth time (1988, 2015 and 2018) that the SEC had four lottery picks in a single NBA Draft.
· Nine former SEC players from six different schools were on the rosters of the Los Angeles Lakers and Miami Heat in the 2020 NBA Finals. That was more than double the total of any other conference.
· Five of the 10 players named to the 2020 NBA All-Defensive teams were from SEC schools.
· The SEC’s 15 NCAA Tournament selections since 2018 are second-most in the nation.
· Eleven SEC coaches have taken their teams to the Sweet 16, nine have advanced to the Elite Eight and six have gone on to the Final Four.
Watch Lists
· Bob Cousy Point Guard of the Year Award – Javonte Smart (LS)
· Jerry West Award Shooting Guard of the Year – John Petty Jr. (UA); Scottie Lewis (UF); Terrence Clarke (UK)
· Julius Erving Small Forward of the Year Award – Keyontae Johnson (UF); Brandon Boston Jr. (UK); Yves Pons (UT)
· Karl Malone Power Forward of the Year Award – Isaiah Jackson (UK); Trendon Watford (LS); John Fulkerson (UT); Kevin Marfo (AM)
· Kareem Abdul-Jabbar Center of the Year Award – Olivier Sarr (UK)
· Naismith Trophy – B.J. Boston (UK); Terrence Clarke (UK); Keyontae Johnson (UF); Yves Pons (UT); Javonte Smart (LS); Trendon Watford (LS)
· NABC Player of the Year – B.J. Boston (UK); Keyontae Johnson (UF); Trendon Watford (LS)
· John A. Wooden Award – Brandon Boston Jr. (UK); John Fulkerson (UT); Keyontae Johnson (UF); Yves Pons (UT); Olivier Sarr (UK); Javonte Smart (LS); Trendon Watford (LS)
Upcoming Games (All times Eastern):
Monday, December 21
at Texas A&M 70, Wofford 52
at #8 Tennessee 102, Saint Joseph’s 66
at Mississippi St. 87, Mississippi Valley St. 48
Tuesday, December 22
at Auburn 67, Appalachian St. 53
at Arkansas 85, Abilene Christian 72
at Ole Miss 90, UT Martin 43
at #14 Missouri 54, Bradley 53
at Georgia 76, Northeastern 58
at Davidson 85, Vanderbilt 65
at Alabama 85, ETSU 69
VCU at LSU canceled
James Madison at Florida canceled
Wednesday, December 23
at #8 Tennessee 80, USC Upstate 60
South Carolina St. at South Carolina canceled
Saturday, December 26
at Louisville 62, Kentucky 59
at LSU 86, Nicholls St. 80
Sunday, December 27
at Vanderbilt 87, Alcorn St. 59
Tuesday, December 29
*Texas A&M at LSU SEC Network 7:00 pm
*Ole Miss at Alabama SEC Network 9:00 pm
*South Carolina at Kentucky postponed
*Arkansas at Auburn ESPN2 7:00 pm
*Mississippi State at Georgia SEC Network 7:00 pm
*Florida at Vanderbilt ESPN2 9:00 pm
*#7 Tennessee at #12 Missouri SEC Network 9:00 pm
*#12 Missouri at Arkansas CBS 12:00 pm
*LSU at Florida CBS 2:00 pm
Florida A&M at South Carolina SEC Network 3:30 pm
*Alabama at #7 Tennessee ESPN2 6:00 pm
*Kentucky at Mississippi State SEC Network 6:00 pm
Wichita St. at Ole Miss ESPNU 6:00 pm
*Auburn at Texas A&M SEC Network 8:30 pm
*Florida at Alabama ESPN2/U 7:00 pm
*Vanderbilt at Kentucky SEC Network 7:00 pm
*Missouri at Mississippi State SEC Network 9:00 pm
*Arkansas at Tennessee ESPN2/U 7:00 pm
*Georgia at LSU SEC Network 7:00 pm
*Auburn at Ole Miss SEC Network 9:00 pm
*Texas A&M at South Carolina ESPN2/U 9:00 pm
Game Times, Dates and availability are subject to change.