SEC: Bulldogs remain consistent in the West

Quick question: Since the start of the 2001-02 season, which SEC West team has won the most league games? Alabama, which has been to the NCAA Tournament five times, including the Elite Eight in 2004? No. LSU, which reached the 2006 Final Four and has sent the likes of Ronald Dupree, Brandon Bass, Tyrus Thomas and Glen Davis to the NBA over that span? No. Arkansas, the team that plays in one of the best venues in college basketball? Nope. The answer is the Mississippi State Bulldogs.

That’s right: Rick Stansbury’s club has recorded a 66–44 record over the last six-plus seasons, better than the 60–50 mark carved out by Alabama or the 58–52 record attained by the LSU Tigers. Mississippi State has achieved this status due to its consistency; the Bulldogs have only dipped under .500 once during this stretch (5–11 in 2006) while every other team in the division has suffered through at least three losing seasons. In addition, State has won three of the last seven outright SEC West titles (including this season) and shared the title another season.

It might be a stretch to call at team with a .600 winning percentage a dynasty, but it’s clear that Mississippi State has been the top program in the SEC West in recent years. 

Player of the Week: Shan Foster, Vanderbilt

Charles Rhodes had a productive week (22.5 ppg, 8.5 rpg) and played a key role in Mississippi State’s two wins, but it’s hard not to give the honors to Foster. The senior swingman averaged 27.0 points as the Commodores knocked off then-No. 1 Tennessee and lost at Arkansas. For the week, Foster converted 17-of-25 from the field (.680), including an astounding 12-of-17 (.706) from 3-point range. He scored 32 points in the win over Tennessee and 22 against Arkansas on a day when he became the all-time leading scorer at Vanderbilt.

Freshman of the Week: Anthony Randolph, LSU

The lanky forward from Texas is making a late push for SEC Freshman of the Year honors. Last week, Randolph averaged 19.5 points and 7.5 rebounds to help the Tigers to a road win at South Carolina and a come-from-behind victory over Georgia in Baton Rouge. He has scored in double figures in all but one SEC game and has recorded six double-doubles in league play.

Stats of the Week

• Tennessee attempted a season-low 54 field goals and had season lows of three made 3-pointers and 12 attempted 3-pointers in its 63–60 win over Kentucky.

• Patrick Beverley broke out of a mini-slump by hitting 5-of-7 from three en route to a 17-point outing in Arkansas’ 78–73 win against Vanderbilt. Beverley had been 1-of-9 from three in his two previous games and had scored in single-digits in three straight games.

• Alabama’s Mykal Riley has scored at least 19 points in five of the Tide’s past eight games and has hit at least four threes in three of the past four games.

• Florida freshman guard Nick Calathes has scored in double figures in all but one SEC game.

• Vanderbilt guards Jermaine Beal and Alex Gordon combined to hit 1-of-16 from the field in the 78–73 loss at Arkansas.

• South Carolina freshman Mike Holmes has averaged 12.0 points and 9.0 rebounds over the last five games. In a starting role against Auburn, he scored 18 points (on 8-of-10 shooting) and grabbed seven rebounds in the Gamecocks’ 69–63 road win.

• Ole Miss faced first-half deficits of 22–4 and 31–14 at Kentucky yet rallied in the second half and actually had the ball down two points in the final seconds. UK held on for the 58–54 win.

• LSU guard Marcus Thornton poured in 36 points in the Tigers’ comeback win over Georgia Sunday. It was the most scored by an SEC player in a league game this season.

• Vanderbilt did not lose a game in the month of February. The Commodores went 7–0.

• Mississippi State ranks first in the SEC in field goal percentage defense, allowing opponents to shoot only .362 from the floor. The No. 2 team, Kentucky, is 43 percentage points behind at .405, and the No. 12 team, Arkansas, is 147 percentage points back at .509.

• Tennessee forward Tyler Smith is averaging 3.93 assists in SEC play. That’s better than nine of the 12 starting point guards in the league.

SEC Power Poll

1. Tennessee
2. Mississippi State
3. Vanderbilt
4. Arkansas
5. Florida
6. Kentucky
7. Ole Miss
8. LSU
9. South Carolina
10. Auburn
11. Alabama
12. Georgia

They said it:

“I can’t comment on officiating. I can’t even comment on commenting on officiating.” — Georgia coach Dennis Felton, after his point guard, Sundiata Gaines, was ejected in the Bulldogs’ loss at LSU.

“Bud Walton (Arena) is electric, but (on the road) we don't need mommy cutting corners off our bread and cutting our chicken nuggets for us. We need to be men and play that way.” — Arkansas coach John Pelphrey, lamenting his team’s struggles away from home.

“I thought it was in. There was no question in my mind.” — Kentucky guard Joe Crawford, on his potential game-tying 3-point attempt against Tennessee.

On tap

Tuesday
Arkansas at Ole Miss — The Hogs are in pretty good shape, but another road win — yes, they have won two league games on the road already — would be nice. Ole Miss cannot afford to lose any more games before it gets to Atlanta.

Wednesday
Mississippi State at Vanderbilt — It’s a battle between two of the leading candidates for SEC Player of the Year honors — Vanderbilt’s Shan Foster and State’s Jamont Gordon.

Kentucky at South Carolina — Kentucky played well in its first game without Patrick Patterson, but winning at South Carolina will not be easy. The Gamecocks are better than their 5–9 record indicates.

Tennessee at Florida — The Gators desperately need a quality win. The Vols, with some help from Vanderbilt, could wrap up the outright SEC title.

Sunday
Florida at Kentucky — These two bubble teams could be in must-win mode.

Del.icio.us | Digg it | Athlon Sports RSS Feeds