Crews reinstated, Auburn’s turn…

After a 30-day suspension, Duke Crews has been reinstated at Tennessee. This resoldifies the Vols’ role atop the SEC, but proves Pearl is not a strict enforcer of the rules. If a kid is caught with illegal drugs on campus, expulsion should be considered - much less missing at least part of the basketball season. Crews now avoids missing a single game despite his impossibly unintelligent decision-making.

Two major contributors for Auburn’s super-experienced club have received bad news…and one of them brought it on themselves. Josh Dollard, the Tigers’ leading scorer and rebounder from last season (12.5ppg, 7.0rpg) is taking a medical redshirt for this season and will retain two years of elligibility beginning next season. Quan Prowell, who averaged 12.0ppg and 5.3rpg is suspended for five games due to a violation of team rules - Prowell was suspended the first 11 games of last season.

The loss of Dollard will leave Auburn’s already undersized “front line” even thinner, with Korvotney Barber now the only returning man with any experience under the basket. Lebo will now be forced to put either 6′9″ Heramb (1.8ppg, 1.3rpg) or France-native 7′1″ freshman Boubacar Sylla under the basket and see how things work out.

The loss of Dollard knocks Auburn out of the race for the West, furthering the gap between Arkansas/Mississippi State and the rest of the pack with Alabama losing both Davidson and Steele. The War Eagles also can effectively kiss any hope for the NCAA’s goodbye without some ingenious coaching - something Lebo isn’t exactly known for - and will again be forced to strive for the NIT’s.

More bad news for Georgia…

As if Georgia, after suspending three players, needed more bad news - coach Dennis Felton has released Georgia’s leading returning scorer, Takais Brown, from the men’s basketball team due to a “violation of team policies”.

Brown was already suspended for nine games for undisclosed reasons, and will now miss his entire senior season.

The loss of Brown virtually eliminates Georgia from the NCAA’s and will all but keep the Bulldogs from any postseason. The Bulldogs should now resemble many Georgia teams of the past - lots of guards and little inside presence. Holding down the paint now will be Dave Bliss, a 6′10 255lb senior who averaged 4.0ppg and 3.2rpg last season, along with Rashaad Singleton, a 7′0″ 270lb junior who averaged 3.3ppg and 3.0rpg last season. With Albert Jackson suspended for six games and little talent or depth under the basket, Georgia will struggle mightily against teams with any big-men playmakers.

After such a promising season coming up, everything has fallen apart in front of coach Felton’s eyes. His rebuilding efforts will continue, but this is an obstacle that will be a devastating set-back towards the process.

2007-2008 Preseason Coach of the Year

And we move on…

2007-2008 SEC Preseason Coach of the Year

Billy Gillespie - Kentucky

Not often does a coach travel through the ranks from his first year at the helm of a Division 1-A program to the discussion of SEC Coach of the Year within a span of five years. Gillespie is simply that good.

Although Billy’s overall record is only 100-58, 24 of those losses came in his first year at the top spot at UTEP, where the team only won six games. That would be the end of any questions for the young, talented coach. The next year, the former Bill Self assistant took UTEP to a 24-8 record - tying the NCAA record for the biggest one-year turn-around of all-time. A Texas A&M program that had just suffered through a 0-16 conference “run” through the Big 12 noticed…and he was hired.

Gillespie took the Aggies to an 8-8 finish in conference play the next year, along with 21 wins overall. A&M again improved drastically the year after, going 10-6 in conference and achieving Billy’s second NCAA bid in three years. Last year, the head-coach won 27 games along with a Sweet Sixteen appearance.

Kentucky, “struggling” by their own statospheric expectations, began looking last season for a coach that could return the Wildcats to their former national prominence. Looks like they’ve found their man.

Coach Gillespie had a number of quality pieces of the puzzle to work with when he entered the Wildcat nation. He then began to recruit aggressively, and landed one of the highest-regarded freshman big-men in the nation: Patrick Patterson. With Patterson needed to fill the shoes of departing Randolph, the Wildcats are a bit guard-heavy, but not empty inside.

Kentucky, under Billy Gillespie’s direction, will compete for the overall SEC title this season - giving Tennessee, Mississippi State, and Arkansas all they can handle. And with Gillespie’s floor-coaching abilities, don’t count out a Final Four for this Kentucky team come March.

2007-2008 Preseason SEC Player of the Year

Apologies for the absence - times have been hectic. Now, on with the show…

2007-2008 SEC Preseason Player of the Year

Jamont Gordon (Miss. State - Point Guard - Junior - 16.0ppg, 7.1rpg, 5.3apg)

After an intense debate between Tennessee’s Lofton and Gordon, it was decided that Gordon was the more versatile and better all-around player.

Gordon, a power forward in high-school, committed to a Mississippi State team that was losing nearly every important contributor on the roster. A team that had seen four-straight NCAA tournaments, and some SEC overall and divisional titles thrown in the mix, but would be one of the youngest in the nation. With coach Rick Stansbury’s lack of a true point guard in the class, Gordon was hoisted into the position.

Predictably, the Tennessee-native and Top 30 pick out of high-school struggled with ball-handling. Despite a gaudy 13.8ppg, 6.8rpg, and 4.3apg, Gordon had an inate ability to turn the ball over at crucial points in big games. The result was a sub-.500 record on the year for the Bulldogs.

His sophomore season, however, would be a big one. After a non-conference performance very similar to his freshman campaign’s effort, Gordon transformed himself into a drive-and-dish point and Mississippi State excelled as a result. Gordon’s assist-to-turnover ratio was nearing 3-to-1 by late in the conference slate, and his numbers improved overall in every category: 16.0ppg, 7.1rpg, 5.3apg. Gordon also is nearing many records - including most assists dispersed - at Mississippi State with two years of eligibility left and recorded MSU’s second-ever triple-double versus then-17th-ranked Vanderbilt with 15 points, 12 rebounds, and 10 assists. Although it was too little too late for the Bulldogs concerning the NCAA’s, they were rewarded with a #1 overall seed in the NIT where they fell one point short to eventual champion West Virginia of facing Clemson in the title game.

Gordon is now surrounded by a more experienced, talented, and deep squad. His natural ability to charge the basket, take fouls and follow through is unquestioned. Gordon has a mind-boggling first step that paralyzes any player brave enough to match up against him 1-on-1. The 6′4″, 230lb. guard is also built like a horse, and plenty tough enough to out-muscle his way past any point he’s matched up with. He’s improved his shot from the field - see last year’s last-second shot to send the game to overtime versus Kentucky in the SEC Tournament - and can literally score however he wants to.

The question for this ridiculously talented junior now is, how can he make his team better? He learned last season, but will that continue this coming season with Gordon now complimented by many more role-players than he is used to? If Jamont can avoid injury, look for his points to improve slightly to near 18ppg, his assists to improve greatly near 7 or 8 a game, and his rebounds to hover around the same.

If the Bulldogs compete as they are set to do, look for Gordon to be solidly listed as an All-American come March.

2007-2008 Preseason All-SEC First Team

Now we move on to the A-listers…

All-SEC First Team

Chris Lofton (Tennessee - Shot Guard - Senior - 20.8ppg, 3.1rpg, 1.4spg) - Lofton is easily the best pure shooter in the nation, and a contender for National Player of the Year. The SEC Player of the Year and an All-American a year ago, there is no reason why Lofton shouldn’t continue to improve both his shot and all-around game during his last year as a Volunteer. Despite suffering a short-lived ankle sprain last season, Lofton shot an SEC-leading 41.9% from behind the arc and also added the drive-and-dish to his arsenal. The only negative concerning Lofton is the Vols’ reliance upon him. If the team can avoid becoming too uni-dimensional, Lofton could shoot Tennessee to a National Championship.

Jamont Gordon (Miss. State - Point Guard - Junior - 16.0ppg, 7.1rpg, 5.3apg) - Not many point guards in the nation average 7.1 rebounds per game. The question is, are the Bulldogs relying too heavily on Gordon to supply them or does it come natural? Regardless, Gordon is built like a power forward but has the passing and dribbling abilities of a point. Because of his size, athleticism, and talent, Gordon is a mis-match against both guards and forwards. If the Tennessee-native can continue to improve his assist-to-turnover ratio as he did late last season, Gordon could very well make a case for National Player of the Year.

Shan Foster (Vanderbilt - Power Forward - Senior - 15.6ppg, 4.6rpg, 2.2apg) - Foster is a stereotypical do-everything power guard. He shoots decently from behind the arc (34.6%), but his jumpers are almost impossible to defend with his hands-behind-the-head release. His rebounding numbers will need to improve to truly step up and be the go-to guy the Commodores will need him to be, but Foster has more than enough ability to do it.

Richard Hendrix (Alabama - Power Forward - Junior - 14.6ppg, 8.7rpg, 1.2bpg) - The fact that Hendrix is only a junior is nothing short of scary. One of the most overlooked big men in the country, Hendrix averaged 14.6ppg last season despite playing behind fellow Tide standout Jermareo Davidson. Hendrix will be forced to make up for a lack of experienced inside depth this season, and thus his numbers should explode. If Hendrix can maintain his SEC-best 60.2% field goal percentage and avoid injury, he should be recognized by season’s end as one of the best under-the-basket players in the nation.

Patrick Beverly (Arkansas - Shot Guard - Sophomore - 13.9ppg, 4.5rpg, 3.1apg) - The lone underclassman to make first team, Beverly earned it - and a reputation as an unstoppable shooter - by shooting 38.6% from behind the arc to average nearly 14ppg to lead all SEC freshmen in scoring . One of the best pure shooters in his class, and last season’s SEC Freshman of the Year, Beverly must now focus on improving his already-impressive ball-handling abilities and become more accurate on his shot. Also wise would be to leave the rebounds to Arkansas’ stable of great big men and instead get down-court for the quick transition basket…something I’m sure Pelphrey has mentioned to him. Beverly is a fierce competitor and looks to be one of the conference’s best shooters both this coming season and two to come.

But which wins the coveted SEC:GBD 2007-2008 SEC Player of the Year? Stay tuned…

2007-2008 Preseason All-SEC Second Team

As we count them down, second team is our next stop…

All-SEC Second Team

Quantez Robertson (Auburn - Point Guard - Junior - 8.2ppg, 3.9rpg, 5.0apg, 1.7spg) - An outstanding pure point, Robertson has a remarkable eye for the floor and finding the open man. Robertson finished third in the conference in assist-to-turnover ratio at 2.26, and broke Auburn’s record for assists given in a career by his sophomore season. Not a great shooter - only 30.6% from the floor last season - but Quantez is the life and soul of the Tigers’ basketball team.

Charles Rhodes (Miss. State - Power Forward - Senior - 13.7ppg, 6.2rpg, 1.8bpg) - Rhodes is an impressive big man who can dominate down low when he wants to. “When he wants to” being the operative words there. Rhodes has the potential and talent to be one of the best all-around players in the conference, but suffers greatly from a large head and a small work ethic. If Rhodes can step up his rebounding numbers and give everything he’s got, there won’t be many who can stop him.

Joe Crawford (Kentucky - Shot Guard - Senior - 14.0ppg, 4.0rpg, 2.4apg) - One of only two seniors on the Wildcat roster this season, Crawford has battled a knee injury during the offseason which slowed his conditioning and practicing. If Crawford can rebound from the knee troubles, he looks to build on last season’s conference-game surge and continue to be relied on heavily to provide points from both behind the arc and in the lane.

Takais Brown (Georgia - Forward - Senior - 14.2ppg, 5.6rpg) - A junior college transfer a year ago, Brown led the Bulldogs in scoring with a 56.6% mark from the field, third in the SEC. Brown gives Georgia a physical threat inside, of which they have been short for a good while, but could work on his effort. Brown’s potential is very high, and is a great tool for Felton to use against the more physical teams in the conference.

Barry Stewart (Miss. State - Guard - Sophomore - 9.8ppg, 3.2rpg) - Stewart ranked third in the SEC from behind the line with a 39.1% mark, and hit 41.0% in conference play….as a freshman. He also broke Mississippi State’s all-time freshman record for most three-pointers made, at 68. Stewart also handled and distributed the ball excellently, recording a 1.59 - and 2.00 in conference - assist-to-turnover ratio. Known as “ice-cold Barry”, Stewart could be one of the best pure shooters in the league as he matures and gains confidence.

And coming up….All-SEC First Team.

2007-2008 Preseason All-SEC Third Team

Here they are, in all their glory - listed in reverse order for optimal excitement, beginning with All-SEC Third Team…

All-SEC Third Team

Tasmin Mitchell (LSU - Forward - Junior - 14.5ppg, 5.9rpg, 1.0spg) - The only remaining star player from a team that reached the Final Four two years ago only to miss the postseason last year. Relied on too heavily for outside contributions, Mitchell is shooting only 25.9% from three. Regardless, Mitchell is an outstanding all-around player who contains excellent versatility and will be relied on heavily by the Tigers this season and will receive ample opportunity to fluff his stats sheets.

Wayne Chism (Tennessee - Center - Sophomore - 9.1ppg, 5.2rpg, 0.6bpg) - An athletic, but short, purely-inside man who greatly increased his production at the end of last season. Although Chism will likely be overshadowed by Iowa transfer Tyler Smith in the post, Chism should easily average over 10ppg this season, giving a guard-heavy Volunteer team a legitimate inside presence.

Charles Thomas (Arkansas - Power Forward - Senior - 10.7ppg, 5.7rpg, 1.2apg) - Another forward relied on too heavily to score from behind the arc. Thomas averaged only 17.9% from that range last season, athough Thomas led the Hogs in both offensive rebounding and free throw attempts last season meaning he can more than handle his own inside the paint. Thomas needs to work on his offensive game, but has tremendous rebounding potential - best seen in his 18-rebound effort versus Mississippi State in the SEC Tournament last season…more rebounds by a single Razorback in a single game in over 10 years.

Ramel Bradley (Kentucky - Point Guard - Senior - 13.4ppg, 3.7rpg, 3.8apg) - A combo guard slotted in the point guard position, Bradley loves to score from the field (42.0%), from three (36.7%) or the stripe (81.5%). That last mark ranked second in the conference. With that said, Bradley has the problem many floor generals do - giving the ball away…his assist-to-turnover ratio notched in at a meager 1.42 as he caused 91 turnovers on the season. If Bradley could work on his ball-handling, he has the potential to be one of the most effective points in the SEC.

Ben Hansbrough (Miss. State - Guard - Sophomore - 7.3ppg, 2.8rpg, 3.2apg) - Brother of National Player of the Year candidate Tyler Hansbrough of North Carolina, Ben shares his love for the game and drive to win with his older sibling. Hansbrough ranked second in the SEC from behind the arc as a freshman (41.2%) and sixth from the stripe (78.4%). Backing up Gordon at the point occasionally, Hansbrough also ranked eighth in the conference in the assist-to-turnover ratio category, with a 1.72:1 mark. If Hansbrough can continue shooting with the same accuracy and learn to drive and dish a little better, he could do big things as a starter for the Bulldogs.

Well, there you have it. Look for Second-Team All-SEC very soon.

Huge loss for Georgia…

Due to academic problems (aka: skipping class), two absolutely vital Georgia players have received massive suspensions.

Mike Mercer, the Bulldogs’ star guard - who suffered an ACL tear last season - will be suspended 15 games AFTER he receives his medical release. This could mean the Bulldogs losing Mercer for the remainder of the season - or close to it - and thus badly effect their chances at an NCAA bid and competing in the East. If Mercer is gone much more than 15 games, Felton will be back in the cellar of the SEC and experiencing an ever-heating coaching seat.

Takais Brown led the Bulldogs in scoring last season (14.2 ppg), and shot a team-leading 56.6%. Brown is suspended for nine games, beginning with the first exhibition game (although that hasn’t been confirmed) and will make games like Wake Forest, Gonzaga, and Georgia Tech that much more difficult before the conference slate. And for the record, this will force Brown to miss nearly half of his senior season of basketball.

Needless to mention the amount of practice these two will be missing, and the chance to improve team chemistry lost.

This will prove a nearly insurmountable obstacle for Felton this season…could be a long one for the Dogs.

Can Tennessee overcome chemistry problems?

That’s the overriding question in SEC basketball at this point…will Tennessee be able to survive despite the divorce of coach Pearl, arrest and (at least) temporary loss of Crews, and a host of other problems facing the Volunteers?

These struggles shouldn’t affect SEC play too much, however, only the Volunteers’ seeding come March if they struggle early in the season.

In other news…

One of the top recruits in the country for the 2008 freshman year, Scotty Hopson, took the weekend to make an official visit to his school of choice - Mississippi State. Hopson ranked the trip a “ten out of ten,” and took the opportunity to meet future teammates Dee Bost and Romero Osby, along with the rest of the current Bulldog team. Osby, ranked the #6 recruit in the nation by Rivals, stated he intends on signing with Mississippi State in November and will not be taking official visits to any other schools. This should certainly lay to rest the rumors surrounding his possible defection to Kentucky.

Although this is relatively old news, Jejuan Brown withdrew from Vanderbilt a few days ago. He averaged 3.1 points and a rebound last season - this seems to only open up a scholarship for Stallings.

Michael Porter - a relatively unused Wildcat, received a concussion after diving for a loose ball. He’s expected to be out about a week.

I will soon release my choices for the preseason honors of the SEC. Should be the next post or two…

Official Multi-Blogger 2007-2008 Preseason Poll

The poll has been voted upon, tallied, argued, etc. and here is the final result.

1. Memphis (3)
2. UCLA (1)
3. North Carolina (1)
4. Kansas (1)
5. Georgetown
6. Tennessee (1)
7. Louisville
8. Michigan St.
9. Washington St.
10. Marquette
11. Oregon
12. Indiana
13. Texas
14. Duke
15. Kentucky
16. Gonzaga
17. Arkansas
18. Stanford
19. Texas A&M
20. Arizona
21. Butler
22. Davidson
23. Mississippi St.
24. VA Commonwealth
25. USC

For a link to see each blogger’s vote, along with links to their individual blogs, click here. Special thanks to Gabby from March to Madness for organizing and facilitating this process.

I led a special vote replacing Ohio State and Clemson with Butler and Mississippi State, which successfully garnered the three votes needed to pass.

On a side note, SEC:GBD will bypass 5,000 hits today (now standing at 4,994) and I wanted to send out a special thankyou to everyone who regularly checks the site. This season looks to be a good one, and I look forward to covering every second of it.

Official Preseason Top 25+10

I have cast my ballot for the blogpoll preseason Top 25, and this is mine plus ten.

1. Tennessee
2. UCLA
3. Memphis
4. Kansas
5. North Carolina
6. Michigan State
7. Georgetown
8. Louisville
9. Marquette
10. Duke
11. Pittsburgh
12. Oregon
13. Texas
14. N.C. State
15. Connecticut
16. Clemson
17. Mississippi State
18. Butler
19. Arkansas
20. Washington State
21. Stanford
22. Davidson
23. Southern Illinois
24. Kentucky
25. Georgia Tech
——————–
26. Texas A&M
27. Notre Dame
28. Gonzaga
29. Oklahoma State
30. Ohio State
31. Arizona
32. Kansas State
33. Villanova
34. Indiana
35. USC

This may not maintain its accuracy depending on further injuries and arrests. I was hesitant to knock Memphis down in the face of recent arrests, and even more so to bump Tennessee up to the top spot considering Crews’ recent problems.

I’ve added Butler (whom I failed to include formerly) and dropped Alabama (because of the loss of Steele).

I’ll be posting my Week One ranking when it gets here, and will be posting SEC position rankings, etc very soon.

Exciting news, expanded…

The following blogs have joined the blogpoll…

• College Hoops Heaven
• A Sea of Blue (link to come)
• Rush the Court

Should be a compilation of some of the greatest bloggers on the subject of basketball - a formidable force rivaling the AP Poll. Okay…maybe not.

Stay tuned, more to come.

Exciting news…

SEC:GBD has teamed up with…

• NCAA Hoops Today
• March to Madness
• March Madness All Season

…to create a weekly multi-blog Top 25. The preseason list is already being compiled, and will be released as soon as possible.

I will reveal my ballot and the official product every week. Even more to look forward to!

Reason why I haven’t updated the Top 25+10…

News continues to surface from expected major players on the national scene surrounding injuries, arrests, and other bad news.

First and foremost, the pair of Memphis players arrested for inciting a riot have failed to show up for court today. Yes, I’m serious. Making the mistake once is unexcusable, but missing your court date? Don’t look for these two to have much more of a future with the Tigers.

Much-heralded freshman OJ Mayo has broken USC’s sophomore point guard Daniel Hackett’s jaw. Not in a fight, however - a pickup game. Hackett’s jaw was fractured multiple times, and he will miss the first few games of the season. One wonders whether or not Hackett will be 100% - or even play - for the Anaheim Tournament featuring Southern Illinois and Mississippi State.

These among many are reasons why I have failed to reproduce a Top 25+10. Look for it in a few weeks. Relatively soon I will be revealing my choices for the SEC preseason awards.