SEC

Kentucky fans typically aren't ones for moral victories. After all, when your program has 2,023 victories, 13 Final Four appearances and seven national titles, you get accustomed to winning where it matters most...on the scoreboard.

But this year has been different. A new coach. A new system. New players. Even new uniforms. So it stands to reason that even though disappointment abounds in the Bluegrass State following the Cats' hard-fought loss to a gritty West Virginia squad in the Elite Eight, there's still plenty of reasons for the Cats to still hold their heads high.

Last year, every team in the SEC had plenty of time to watch the Sweet 16 from their couches, as not a single team advanced past the first weekend, confirming what everyone knew all along...the SEC just flat out wasn't good last year.

 

Arkansas

Florida

Kentucky

Mississippi

Mississippi St

Tennessee

Vanderbilt

Other (Alabama, Auburn, Georgia, LSU, South Carolina)

Every year, CBS concludes their coverage of the NCAA Tournament with “One Shining Moment”, the sappy video montage that shows the highlights, lowlights, emotions and passion that make March Madness so great. Monster dunks. Clutch three-pointers. Buzzer-beaters. Teary-eyed players and coaches. You name it- it's on there.

Some SEC News & Notes, as I am trapped inside with around 18 inches of snow on the ground here in Cincinnati. (Yes, I realize other areas of the country have much more than that, but this gives me an excuse to be lazy and stay in front of the television watching college basketball). So without further ado, here's what's happening around the league.

As the 2009 NBA Draft rolled around, there was one name conspicuously absent - Kentucky forward Patrick Patterson. This had to be a mistake, right? After all, Patterson was a McDonald's All-American in high school, had a terrific freshman year,  and then had upped his averages to 17 points and nine board per game as a sophomore. He received All-American nominations, and was a lock to be selected in the first round. He had no reason to come back to school. Besides, playing second, or third, or even fourth fiddle to Kentucky's heralded freshmen would only hurt his draft stock, right?

Valentine’s Day for many people involves an intimate dinner, flowers, perhaps some candy, maybe even a romantic horse-drawn carriage ride through the snow. But for college basketball fans – it means that teams have one month left to earn their dance cards. One more month of proving their worth against conference opponents, trying to build momentum as they enter March.

 

The Bracketology field is based on how the tourney looks "as of this moment." The field below is not based on who I think deserves to be in, but a prediction of what the committee would do as things stand. Beginning this week, I'll be posting Bracketology updates every Tuesday & Friday.  In late February, I release Bracketology updates daily as the season approaches crunch time.

Remember Greg Oden?

Of course you do. He was one the most hyped big men to enter college in the last 10 years, billed as a superstar long before he ever even made his college decision. He graced magazine covers as a sophomore in high school, and was compared to everyone from Patrick Ewing to David Robinson to Tim Duncan. In his one and only year in college, he averaged 15.9 points and 9.7 rebounds per game, and helped lead Ohio State to the national championship game before departing to the NBA, where he was the top overall pick.

CollegeHoops.net Player of the Week: Devan Downey, South Carolina