SEC

Kentucky Basketball Preview: #6

Joel Welser — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 10:45:32 -0500

Overall Rank: #6

Conference Rank: #1 Southeastern Conference

2008-09: 22-14, 8-8

2008-09 postseason: NIT

Coach: John Calipari (First year at Kentucky, 445-140 overall)

No starting job is safe at Kentucky. Since Coach John Calipari took the team over, a great recruiting class has turned into easily the best in the nation. Coach Calipari has not only increased the level of talent on this team, but he has also brought with him the confidence to get the Wildcats back where they belong among college basketball’s elite.

Key Losses: G Kevin Galloway, G Jodie Meeks, G Michael Porter

Key Newcomers:

Many consider John Wall to be the best freshman in the nation. The 6-4 guard certainly fills a need on this team as the starting backcourt was relatively ineffective last year and most of them are gone anyway. Fellow point guard Eric Bledsoe will likely work his way into the starting rotation as well, but that is not all Kentucky has coming into Lexington. Jon Hood was the state’s Mr. Basketball last year, but he will have a hard time finding minutes and wing Darnell Dodson is one of the best junior college transfers out there. The frontcourt gets two of the best big men possible in DeMarcus Cousins and Daniel Orton. Cousins is a very polished player for a freshman and is surprisingly agile for a 6-11, 260 pound forward.

Backcourt:

With the influx of newcomers, the roleplayers, and even the former starters, will have to battle for minutes. Ramon Harris started 28 games last year, but he is pretty much on the floor for his defense and rebounding abilities. It is Darius Miller who has the potential to blossom into a prolific scorer. After spending his summer at the Under 19 World Championships, the 6-7 wing is ready to average more than 5.3 points and 3.1 rebounds…especially in Coach Calipari’s system. DeAndre Liggins had a relatively successful freshman campaign, averaging 4.2 points, 2.8 assists and 2.4 rebounds. His ability to do a little bit of everything makes him a very dangerous option.

Frontcourt:

Patrick Patterson is the star of the frontcourt and was second to the now departed Jodie Meeks averaging 17.9 points per game. Patterson is also a superb rebounder and shot blocker and the influx of talent around him will only make him more dangerous. Perry Stevenson started beside Patterson last year, but that job may be in jeopardy. Stevenson is an athletic big man who will not bang under the basket as effectively as Patterson. Although Stevenson ranked third on the team with 7.8 points per game, he is not a prolific scorer, but he is a solid rebounder and a very good defender. At 265 pounds, Josh Harrellson has the ability to eat up space in the paint, but he can also step outside and hit the mid-range jumper.

Who to Watch:

What this team lacks is a pure shooter. The best option on the team is Dodson, the junior college transfer. He may not make it into the starting lineup and will be used as a spark off the bench and that means it could be up to Bledsoe and Wall to start hoisting up the long balls. Bledsoe is more of a true point guard than Wall. Wall’s best attributes are his speed and ability to get to the basket and he is not really known for his shooting abilities. That is something that he has worked on, but this is a team that had nobody hit more than one three-pointer per game except Meeks.

Final Projection:

Finding minutes for all these talented players is one concern, but the bigger issue is the outside shooting. Miller is the best returning shooter and he only averaged 0.5 per contest and hit a mere 32.7 percent of his attempts. Patterson was so effective last year because the opposition had to worry about Meeks and his shooting. If nobody can hit the outside shot consistently, the opposition can pack it in and try to stop the slashing guards and the big guys under the basket.

Projected Post-season Tournament: NCAA

Projected Starting Five:

Eric Bledsoe, Freshman, Guard, DNP last season

Jon Wall, Freshman, Guard, DNP last season

Darius Miller, Sophomore, Guard, 5.3 points per game

Patrick Patterson, Junior, Forward, 17.9 points per game

DeMarcus Cousins, Freshman, Forward, DNP last season

Next Top 144 Teams
7		8		9		10

College Basketball Preview - 144 Teams in 144 Days - Alphabetical Ranks/Previews

Tennessee Basketball Preview: #9

Joel Welser — Thu, 05 Nov 2009 12:23:16 -0500

Overall Rank: #9

Conference Rank: #2 Southeastern Conference

2008-09: 21-13, 10-6

2008-09 postseason: NCAA

Coach: Bruce Pearl (98-37 at Tennessee, 415-121 overall)

Tennessee underachieved last year, but it was a young team that relied on some unproven talent who had some big shoes to fill. It took some time for the Volunteers to find their way and consistency was an issue. However, Coach Bruce Pearl’s team still won 21 games and made the NCAA Tournament and now they return every player of importance and the high expectations are warranted.

Key Losses: none

Key Newcomers:

Point guard was a problem last year and junior college Melvin Goins will compete for a starting job right away. Even if he does not win that job, the 5-11 speedster will at least give the team a capable backup. Josh Bone, a transfer from Southern Illinois and Skylar McBee will help bolster the depth on the perimeter. Yet, outside of Goins, it is power forward Kenny Hall who has the skills to make an impact right away. Hall is a true low post scorer and while the Vols have a superb frontcourt, they could use a big body who will stay in the paint.

Backcourt:

Bobby Maze did an admirable job running the point. His assist to turnover ratio was two-to-one and he averaged 8.2 points per game. But his minutes will likely go down with the addition of Goins. Josh Tabb spent some time playing the point, but now he will be able to play off the ball and provide the team with some solid defense off the bench. Cameron Tatum was the team’s sixth man a year ago and is a good, albeit streaky, three-point shooter. Scotty Hopson and J.P. Prince are the likely starters on the wing. Hopson had huge expectations heading into his freshman campaign and he did pretty good with his 9.2 points per game. If his outside shot starts falling more consistently, he will turn into the dominating scorer that everybody thought he would be from day one. Prince is not much of a shooter, but he does everything else. He was the backcourt’s top scorer last year and also averaged 4.2 rebounds, 3.1 assists and 1.5 steals.

Frontcourt:

Wayne Chism is the big man who will spend most of his time under the basket, although he does have the ability to stretch out the defense with his three-point shooting ability. Even though Chism spends quite a bit of time on the perimeter, he is a great rebounder and a decent shot blocker. Brian Williams is an underappreciated rebounder who grabbed 5.6 rebounds per game despite only averaging 16.4 minutes. Add the emerging sophomore Emmanuel Negedu, if he can stay healthy, and Hall to the rotation and Coach Pearl has more than enough bodies to go ten deep without much of a drop off in talent.

Who to Watch:

It seems like every year we wonder if Tyler Smith is coming back or going to the NBA. Once again, Smith is back in college and the do-it-all forward is poised for a huge senior season. Last year he easily led the team with 17.4 points per game. He got to the free-throw line an incredible 6.5 times per contest, but he is not just a slasher or post player…Smith can hit the long ball, although he would be better off sticking to his mid-range game and attacking the basket. No matter how he does it, Smith will score in bunches and help the team out on the glass and create open looks for his teammates.

Final Projection:

Last year’s relatively disappointing season has somewhat stymied the expectations of the 2009-2010 Tennessee team, and that should not be the case with so many players returning. This is a team that has the talent, depth and experience to win the Southeastern Conference and make a deep, deep run in the NCAA Tournament.

Projected Post-season Tournament: NCAA

Projected Starting Five:

Bobby Maze, Senior, Guard, 8.2 points per game

Scotty Hopson, Sophomore, Guard, 9.2 points per game

J.P. Prince, Senior, Guard, 9.9 points per game

Tyler Smith, Senior, Forward, 17.4 points per game

Wayne Chism, Senior, Forward, 13.7 points per game

Next Top 144 Teams
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College Basketball Preview - 144 Teams in 144 Days - Alphabetical Ranks/Previews

SEC Basketball: Fantasy Preview

Shawn Siegel — Wed, 04 Nov 2009 12:10:21 -0500

This is the 5th of six fantasy stats projections for BCS conference starters. One of my favorite series of the year, and a helpful guide when drafting for fantasy college basketball leagues. For an idea of whether I know what I'm talking about, check out last year's SEC Stats Projection (SEC happened to be by far my worst predictions overall). As always, some teams were nailed better then others.. Tennessee was decent, Vanderbilt was particularly bad.

Keep in mind stats are highly dependent on minutes, and freshmen are obviously the hardest to predict. I try to note places below where other starters not listed may emerge or where competition for major minutes exist. Stats are listed by ppg, rpg, and then apg.

SEC

ALABAMA

G Mikhail Torrance - 12, 3, 4
G Senario Hillman - 15, 3, 3
F Tony Mitchell - 10, 6, 2
F JaMychal Green - 14, 8, 1
C Justin Knox - 7, 6, 1

Notes: Hillman improved substantially last season, and could lead the team in scoring this year. Mitchell is a freshman who will contribute immediately. Demetrius Johnson will add productive minutes behind Knox.

ARKANSAS

G Courtney Fortson - 14, 5, 7
G Stefan Welsh - 10, 3, 3
G Rotnei Clarke - 15, 3, 1
F Michael Sanchez - 6, 6, 1
F Michael Washington - 15, 11, 1

Notes: Washington was a pleasant surprise last year, almost doubling my projected 8 ppg. Clarke has the ability to light it up from deep and Arkansas would be better off he took more shots away from Fortson.

AUBURN

G DeWayne Reed - 15, 3, 4
G Tay Waller - 11, 3, 2
G Frankie Sullivan - 11, 3, 2

F Lucas Hargrove - 9, 7, 2

F Kenny Gabriel - 6, 4, 1

Notes: As usual, Auburn is a guard-heavy team. Reed took a big step up last year and expect Sullivan to be this year's most improved player after averaging 7.6 ppg last year. Gabriel, a freshman, will battle other newcomers like Rob Chubb for minutes up front.

FLORIDA
G Erving Walker - 9, 3, 2
G Kenny Boynton - 14, 4, 3
F Chandler Parsons - 11, 6, 2
F Dan Werner - 8, 6, 2
F Alex Tyus - 14, 8, 1

Notes: I expected a bigger year from Parsons last year, who has more talent then he's shown. Boynton is a big-time scorer who will be one of the league's most productive newcomers. Vernon Macklin, a Georgetown transfer, will also see important minutes and could add 5 ppg and 5 rpg a game.

GEORGIA
G Dustin Ware - 8, 3, 4

G Travis Leslie - 11, 4, 1
G DeMario Mayfield - 7, 3, 1

F Albert Jackson - 6, 6, 1
F Howard (Trey) Thompkins - 17, 9, 1

Notes: Thompkins is the lone SEC-quality player on the roster and should have opportunity to fill up the stat-sheet. Mayfield is a freshman, and probably the best of weak options on the wing. Leslie has potential to be a minor surprise.

KENTUCKY

G Eric Bledsoe - 9, 4, 4

G John Wall - 16, 5, 6
F Darius Miller - 10, 5, 3
F DeMarcus Cousins - 11, 7, 1
F Patrick Patterson - 19, 10, 2

Notes: Miller's #'s were disappointing as a freshman, but he should thrive with so many weapons around him. Wall, Bledsoe, and Cousins are all freshman. Last year, Perry Stevenson saw 28 mpg, but his time will be severely reduced due to all the newcomers.

LSU

G Bo Spencer - 13, 3, 4
G Chris Bass - 6, 3, 3
G Aaron Dotson - 8, 3, 2
F Tasmin Mitchell - 19, 9, 2
C Storm Warren - 8, 6, 1

Notes: Mitchell and Spencer are the only players on the roster with any real experience. Dotson is a freshman who might be the 3rd most talented player on the team, but will take time to develop. Senior Alex Farrer may get minutes over Bass, but don't expect much production from him.

MISSISSIPPI STATE

G Dee Bost - 14, 5, 5
G Barry Stewart - 13, 4, 2
G Phil Turner - 10, 6, 2

F Ravern Johnson - 11, 4, 1
C Jarvis Varnado - 15, 10, 1

Notes: Besides the #'s listed, Varnado also blocks a ton of shots and shoots a high % from the floor. Renardo Sidney is awaiting his NCAA fate, but would be expected to see 25+ mpg if eligibile. Kodi Augustus is a highly efficient reserve forward who would probably score double-digits ppg if he was on a team like LSU.

OLE MISS

G Chris Warren - 17, 3, 5
G Terrico White - 17, 5, 3
G Eniel Polynice - 10, 5, 5
F Reginald Buckner - 8, 6, 1
F Murphy Holloway - 9, 8, 1

Notes: Ole Miss has 3 other contributing front-line players in Zach Graham, Terrance Henry, and DeAngelo Riley. Graham averaged 26 mpg last year. White averaged 13.7 ppg as a freshman and will only get better.

SOUTH CAROLINA

G Devan Downey - 21, 4, 5
G Brandis Raley-Ross - 10, 3, 2
F Dominique Archie - 13, 7, 1
F Sam Muldrow - 7, 6, 0
F Mike Holmes - 10, 9, 0

Notes: The Gamecocks return 4 of 5 starters, and Raley-Ross (the new starter) played 25 mpg last year as well, so we know what to expect from these guys. Evaldas Baniulis averaged 6 ppg as a sharp-shooter off the bench and could score 10 ppg if given enough minutes.

TENNESSEE

G Bobby Maze - 10, 3, 3
G Scotty Hopson - 13, 4, 2
G JP Prince - 12, 5, 5
F Tyler Smith - 15, 8, 3
F Wayne Chism - 15, 9, 1

Notes: All of these guys are holdovers from last year. Hopson, who had a rather blah freshman year (9.2 ppg on 42.8% shooting), has the best chance to take a noticeable step up. Brian Williams is a servicable reserve forward who should contribute 7 ppg and 6 rpg.

VANDERBILT

G Jermaine Beal - 11, 3, 4
G Brad Tinsley - 10, 3, 3
F Andre Walker - 8, 6, 1
F Jeffrey Taylor - 15, 7, 2
F AJ Ogilvy - 18, 9, 2

Notes: A deep squad, Vanderbilt has 3 other players worth noting. John Jenkins is a heralded freshman who will see 20+ mpg in the backcourt. Lance Goulbourne is a wing with talent, and Festus Ezeli will see 15+ mpg when Vandy wants to play big.

Projected SEC Leaders

Top PPG
1) Devan Downey (21)
2) Tasmin Mitchell (19)
3) Patrick Patterson (19)

Top RPG
1) Mike Washinton (11)
2) Jarvis Varnado (10)

3) Patrick Patterson (10)

Top APG
1) Courtney Fortson (7)
2) John Wall (6)

3) Bost/Downey/Polynice/Prince/Warren (5)

Fantasy Stats Preview Archive

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SEC Basketball: 5-Year Ranking

Shawn Siegel — Wed, 04 Nov 2009 10:03:46 -0500

SEC 5-YEAR STANDINGS

CHN's annual 5-year ranking answers a simple question is in a simple manner: Who has been the best team in the SEC over the last five years?

Teams get points for league wins, making the postseason (NIT or NCAA) and winning games in the Big Dance. NIT wins are meaningless here, as are non-conference wins. Also, league tournaments wins are not taken into account. (An original trial-scoring system included points for conference tourney wins. But the flukish nature of these tourney's did more harm than hurt: ie, 2008 Georgia, 2006 Syracuse, and 2004 Maryland ended up getting too much credit despite the reality that they were mediocre to sub-par teams.)

100 total points is set up to be the equivalent of batting .300 in baseball.. anything above and beyond is all-world stuff. 50 points is mediocre and you only start to get bad below 40 points.

Pos.	Was	Team	2005	2006	2007	2008	2009	Wins	Gms.	Points

1	1	Florida	12	10	13	8	9	52	80	65	Win %
			2nd Round	Champs	Champs	NIT	NIT			30	Post Pts.
										95

2	2	Kentucky	14	9	9	12	8	52	80	65	Win %
			Elite 8	2nd Round	2nd Round	1st Round	NIT			19	Post Pts.
										84

3	3	Tennessee	6	12	10	14	10	52	80	65	Win %
			X	2nd Round	Sweet 16	Sweet 16	1st Round			17	Post Pts.
										82

4	6	LSU	12	14	5	6	13	50	80	63	Win %
			1st Round	Final Four	X	X	2nd Round			16	Post Pts.
										79

5	4	Miss. St	9	5	8	12	9	43	80	54	Win %
			2nd Round	X	NIT	2nd Round	1st Round			11	Post Pts.
										65

6	5	Vanderbilt	8	7	10	10	8	43	80	54	Win %
			NIT	NIT	Sweet 16	1st Round	X			10	Post Pts.
										64

7	7	Alabama	12	10	7	4	7	40	80	50	Win %
			1st Round	2nd Round	NIT	X	X			7	Post Pts.
										57

8	8	Arkansas	6	10	7	9	2	34	80	43	Win %
			X	1st Round	1st Round	2nd Round	X			8	Post Pts.
										51

9	9	So. Carolina	7	6	4	5	10	32	80	40	Win %
			NIT	NIT	X	X	NIT			3	Post Pts.
										43

10	10	Ole Miss	4	4	8	7	7	30	80	38	Win %
			X	X	NIT	NIT	X			2	Post Pts.
										40

11	12	Auburn	5	4	4	7	10	30	80	38	Win %
			X	X	X	X	NIT			1	Post Pts.
										39

12	11	Georgia	2	5	8	4	3	22	80	28	Win %
			X	NIT	X	1st Round	X			3	Post Pts.
										31

-Ties are broken by favoring conference winning %

SEC Thoughts

- LSU, despite inconsistency, has won 50 leagues games, surprisingly only 2 behind Florida & Tennessee.

- Vanderbilt was a rare 8-win SEC team that didn't even get an invite to the NIT.

- Not one SEC team has advanced beyond the Sweet Sixteen in the last two years, allowing the likes of Florida/Tennessee/UK to remain at the top despite disappointing years.

Postseason Points

NIT = 1

NCAA 1st Round = 2

NCAA 2nd Round = 4

Sweet = 6

Elite 8 = 8

Final Four = 10

Final = 11

Champs = 12

Other 5-Year Rankings

ACC

Big 12

Big East

Big Ten

Pac-10

.. All

Preseason All-SEC: Coaches

Press Release — Mon, 02 Nov 2009 16:21:50 -0500

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. -- The Southeastern Conference unveiled its sixth annual men’s basketball coaches preseason All-SEC first and second teams Monday, tipping off another great season of SEC men’s basketball.

Twenty-seven different players received votes for the teams and Kentucky, Ole Miss, South Carolina and Tennessee led all schools with two selections each. Six of the eight first team selections were unanimous picks. South Carolina’s Devan Downey, LSU’s Tasmin Mitchell, Kentucky’s Patrick Patterson, Tennessee’s Tyler Smith, Mississippi State’s Jarvis Varnado and Ole Miss’ Terrico White were each unanimous picks.

The coaches preseason All-SEC first and second teams consist of a minimum of eight players on each squad, voted on by the SEC Head Men’s Basketball Coaches. No ties were broken and no predicted order of finish was made.

FIRST TEAM ALL-SEC       Pos         Ht           Wt          Cl            Hometown

Devan Downey, South Carolina#               G             5-9          175         Sr.           Chester, S.C.

Tasmin Mitchell, LSU#    F              6-7          235         Sr.           Denham Springs, La.

A.J. Ogilvy, Vanderbilt    C             6-11       250         Jr.           Sydney, Australia

Patrick Patterson, Kentucky#     F              6-9          235         Jr.           Huntington, W.Va.

Tyler Smith, Tennessee#              G/F        6-7          215         Sr.           Pulaski, Tenn.

Jarvis Varnado, Mississippi State#            F              6-9          230         Sr.           Brownsville, Tenn.

Michael Washington, Arkansas F              6-9          239         Sr.           McGehee, Ark.

Terrico White, Ole Miss#              G             6-5          211         So.          Memphis, Tenn.

SECOND TEAM ALL-SEC Pos         Ht           Wt          Cl            Hometown

Dominique Archie, South Carolina            F              6-7          200         Sr.           Augusta, Ga.

Wayne Chism, Tennessee            F/C         6-9          246         Sr.           Jackson, Tenn.

JaMychal Green, Alabama           F              6-9          220         So.          Montgomery, Ala.

DeWayne Reed, Auburn               G             6-1          175         Sr.           Houston, Texas

Trey Thompkins, Georgia             F              6-10       247         So.          Lithonia, Ga.

Alex Tyus, Florida             F              6-8          220         Jr.           St. Louis, Mo.

John Wall, Kentucky       G             6-4          195         Fr.           Raleigh, N.C.

Chris Warren, Ole Miss G             5-10       165         Jr.           Orlando, Fla.

#-Unanimous Selection

Ties are not broken

Poll: Best Conference in 2009-10?

Shawn Siegel — Mon, 02 Nov 2009 12:07:04 -0500

Poll: Who Will Win the SEC?

Shawn Siegel — Wed, 28 Oct 2009 11:54:27 -0400

Mississippi State Basketball Preview: #23

Joel Welser — Fri, 23 Oct 2009 14:13:19 -0400

Overall Rank: #23

Conference Rank: #3 Southeastern Conference

2008-09: 23-13, 9-7

2008-09 postseason: NCAA

Coach: Gregg Marshall (Rick Stansbury 231-128 at Mississippi State, 231-128 overall)

Mississippi State has been relatively consistent, but this year the Bulldogs have much, much bigger goals. With just about everybody returning, Coach Rick Stansbury hopes to turn his NCAA Tournament team of a year ago into a team that can win the SEC and make a deep tournament run in March.

Key Losses: F Brian Johnson

Key Newcomers:

Renardo Sidney and the Bulldogs have some issues to overcome before he will be suiting up for MSU, but if Sidney does play, he will step right into the starting lineup and probably play for one year before he bolts for the NBA. The 6-10, 260 pound power forward is a superb athlete who can turn this team into a legitimate contender to knock off Kentucky and Tennessee atop of the Southeastern Conference pecking order. Wendell Lewis and John Riek will add more depth up front. Riek, if he can overcome injury issues, is the most intriguing option. The 7-1 center is a project, but he could end up being really good by the end of the season. Shaun Smith, a 6-6 wing, rounds out this solid class.

Backcourt:

Smith might have some trouble finding minutes with Barry Stewart and Phil Turner on the wings. Stewart averaged 12.4 points per game and will now need to become even more of a leader on the floor. Stewart is a prolific outside shooter, but he will also use his 6-3 frame to finish around the basket and that is what makes him such a dangerous scorer. Turner is a good shooter too, but it is his ability to hit the glass that makes him so valuable to this team. He ranked second on the team with 5.5 rebounds per game last year. At 6-7, Ravern Johnson usually manned the four spot on this undersized team. He is an accurate and prolific three-point shooter who needs to be more physical under the basket if this team wants to avoid being outrebounded on a consistent basis.

Frontcourt:

Ideally, Mississippi State would move Johnson to the wing, but that means they need to find a consistent power forward. If it is not Sidney, it will have to be Kodi Augustus, Romero Osby or Elgin Bailey. Those three all averaged less than 14 minutes per game last year, but Augustus averaged a steady 6.2 points and 3.4 rebounds last year and Bailey has potential if he can overcome a foot injury that sidelined him late last season. But no matter who starts at the four spot, Jarvis Varnardo is the star of the frontcourt and this team. Varnado was known as simply a shot blocker a couple of years ago, but on top of his incredible 4.7 blocks per game last year, he added team highs with 12.9 points and 8.8 rebounds.

Who to Watch:

The big question heading into the 2008-2009 campaign was at the point. Dee Bost put those concerns to rest pretty early. As a freshman he averaged 10.9 points and 4.3 assists and started every single game for MSU. The numbers are very impressive, but what is even more impressive was his consistency day in and day out. Unlike many freshman point guards, Bost was steady and very rarely had a bad day. Expect those days to be even better as a sophomore.

Final Projection:

There is nothing this team lacks. They have a proven point guard, one of the best shot blockers to ever play the game and enough weapons on the wing to put up a bunch of points in a hurry. The only issue is on the glass and that is why the Sidney question is so important. But even if Sidney does not play, this team can get some quality minutes from Augustus, Osby and Bailey and not be forced to play small in situations where it does not make sense to play small. Either way, the Bulldogs will be back in the NCAA Tournament and looking for a win or two this time around.

Projected Post-season Tournament: NCAA

Projected Starting Five:

Dee Bost, Sophomore, Guard, 10.9 points per game

Barry Stewart, Senior, Guard, 12.4 points per game

Phil Turner, Junior, Guard, 8.5 points per game

Ravern Johnson, Junior, Guard, 12.1 points per game

Jarvis Varnado, Senior, Forward, 12.9 points per game

Next Top 144 Teams
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College Basketball Preview - 144 Teams in 144 Days - Alphabetical Ranks/Previews

South Carolina Basketball Preview: #30

Joel Welser — Mon, 19 Oct 2009 10:46:32 -0400

Overall Rank: #30

Conference Rank: #4 Southeastern Conference

2008-09: 21-10, 10-6

2008-09 postseason: NIT

Coach: Darrin Horn (21-10 at South Carolina, 132-58 overall)

Usually a 10-6 record in the Southeastern Conference is good enough for an NCAA Tournament bid, but that was not the case for South Carolina last season. Instead the team had to settle for the NIT. With an improved SEC, and what appears to be an improved Gamecocks squad, Coach Darrin Horn is looking towards an NCAA appearance during his second year leading the program.

Key Losses: G Branden Conrad, G Zam Fredrick

Key Newcomers:

And because of Coach Horn, the Gamecocks have a solid recruiting class that will provide some much, much needed depth. The backcourt gets most of the talent with the addition of point guard Ramon Galloway, shooting guard Stephen Spinella and wing Lakeem Jackson. Galloway is a talented ball handler who can also play the shooting guard spot, Spinella will bring some size to the two guard position and can provide a quick scoring punch with his outside shooting ability and Jackson is a strong and versatile wing who could be starting from day one. The frontcourt only gets one player, but Johndre Jefferson, a junior college transfer, can hit the glass and block shots.

Backcourt:

Devan Downey is the unquestioned leader of this team. While Zam Fredrick will certainly be missed, Downey is the reason South Carolina was so close to an NCAA berth. After averaging an impressive 19.8 points and 4.5 assists as a junior, Downey is ready to carry this team as far as he can. However, Downey will need some help from his fellow guards and the only other returning option is Brandis Raley-Ross. The 6-2 senior was a superb sixth man last year and will likely step into a starting spot, if he can hold off the newcomers, and he needs to remain productive no matter how many minutes he plays.

Frontcourt:

The frontcourt is full of options. Mike Holmes, Sam Muldrow and Austin Steed are all juniors who Coach Horn hopes can fill most of the minutes under the basket. Holmes, despite being only 6-7, is the bruiser of the bunch. He will mix it up with anybody under the basket. But he is not simply a player who will grab a ton of rebounds and play solid defense, he also averaged 10.8 points per game last year. Muldrow missed nearly half of last season, but the 6-9 Florence, South Carolina product is a proven rebounder and the team’s best shot blocker. Steed was a pretty productive reserve who was stuck down the depth chart a ways, but could be a surprisingly productive player if given the opportunity. Add senior Evaldas Baniulis and his tremendous outside shooting ability to the mix and the Gamecocks have plenty of talented forwards.

Who to Watch:

However, the most talented forward of them all is small forward Dominque Archie. The 6-7 senior is an amazing athlete who can play on the wing or under the basket. It will be interesting to see where Archie fits into coach Horn’s team this year. During the 2008-2009 campaign he spent most of his time on the wing due to a lack of guards. If the newcomers can fill that void on the wing, Archie will move to the four spot and that will give South Carolina the extremely quick team that they want.

Final Projection:

No matter where Archie plays, he should improve on his 10.9 points, 6.4 rebounds and 1.2 blocks average of a season ago. With Downey and Archie leading the way, this will be a high powered offense that should rank in the top 25 in the nation in scoring. And all those points will lead to enough wins to reach the NCAA Tournament as long as the freshmen on the perimeter and Raley-Ross can replace Fredrick.

Projected Post-season Tournament: NCAA

Projected Starting Five:

Devan Downey, Senior, Guard, 19.8 points per game

Brandis Raley-Ross, Senior, Guard, 7.0 points per game

Dominique Archie, Senior, Forward, 10.9 points per game

Mike Holmes, Junior, Center, 10.8 points per game

Sam Muldrow, Junior, Center, 5.6 points per game

Next Top 144 Teams
31		32		33		34

College Basketball Preview - 144 Teams in 144 Days - Alphabetical Ranks/Previews

Ole Miss Basketball Preview: #32

Joel Welser — Mon, 19 Oct 2009 10:40:24 -0400

Overall Rank: #32

Conference Rank: #5 Southeastern Conference

2008-09: 16-15, 7-9

2008-09 postseason: none

Coach: Andy Kennedy (61-39 at Mississippi, 82-52 overall)

The fact that Mississippi managed to win seven games in the SEC is quite impressive considering the injury problems that they endured last season. Coach Andy Kennedy has this program moving in the right direction and he deserves a ton of credit for winning 16 games in 2008-2009 with a very young team that was often forced into action unexpectadly.

Key Losses: G David Huertas, F Malcolm White

Key Newcomers:

With the return of a handful of injured players who missed a lot of time last season, the newcomers will not be asked to do too much. However, 6-8 forward Reginald Buckner is a highly regarded recruit who can score, rebound, block shots and even pass the ball very effectively. DeAngelo Riley, a junior college transfer, has the experience to contribute as well and the battle for playing time in the frontcourt will be fierce. The only addition to the backcourt is redshirt freshman Michael Halford. He is a good shooter, but he may have to bide his time before he is able to provide a spark off the bench.

Backcourt:

Eniel Polynice and Trevor Gaskins only played in two games before missing the rest of the season with injuries and Chris Warren played in 11 games. It is Warren who is the superstar of this team and when he went down, the Rebels followed. In those 11 games Warren averaged an impressive 19.6 points and 4.0 assists per game. Now fully healthy, Warren will lead this team to the NCAA Tournament. Two years ago Polynice started 31 games and averaged 10.7 points, 5.3 rebounds, 4.1 assists and 1.6 steals. The do-it-all wing will be a welcome addition to the starting lineup and will help take the pressure off of Warren. Gaskins only averaged 5.9 points per game when he was playing two years ago, but he is a capable player who will make an impact off the bench.

Frontcourt:

Most of the talent is on the perimeter and Coach Kennedy could certainly play small in many situations, but there are a few quality frontcourt players who will battle for playing time. At 6-7 and 225 pounds, Murphy Holloway is a little small to play the five spot, but he can spend some time there. Holloway had a great freshman campaign averaging 8.4 points and a team high 6.6 rebounds. Terrance Henry also showed promise as a freshman and he is the type of player who has size and can step outside and hit the mid-range jumper with consistency. If the Rebels want to play big, it is DeAundre Cranston who will be on the floor. He started ten games last season and proved to be a strong rebounder and a decent defender.

Who to Watch:

With Polynice gone, Terrico White and Zach Graham really stepped up their game. White, who earned SEC Freshman of the Year honors last season, is poised for another big year. He ranked third on the team with 13.7 points per game and has the size and the outside shot to emerge as one of the most dynamic scorers in the conference. Graham will not hit the outside shot as consistently as White, but he can score above the rim and is a decent rebounder.

Final Projection:

This is still a young team and Cranston is the only senior on the roster. The big question is whether or not this group can put their best five players on the floor at the same time. If they do, it will be a very undersized frontcourt, but a bunch of guards who are at least 6-5. In certain situations it will work and Ole Miss will be running up and down the floor and scoring points in a hurry, but there will be times when Cranston and Henry will be needed to stop a dominating opposing big man.

Projected Post-season Tournament: NCAA

Projected Starting Five:

Chris Warren, Junior, Guard, 19.6 points per game

Terrico White, Sophomore, Guard, 13.7 points per game

Eniel Polynice, Junior, Guard, 4.0 points per game

Murphy Holloway, Sophomore, Forward, 8.4 points per game

DeAundre Cranston, Senior, Forward, 3.1 points per game

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