SEC: League teams absent from Coaches poll

SEC basketball is officially nowhere to be found in the ESPN/USA Today Coaches poll. Tennessee dropped from the rankings (but remained No. 24 in the AP poll) following an overtime home loss to Gonzaga — the Vols’ second loss to the Bulldogs this season — and a lackluster effort against Georgia.

The absence from the top 25 makes sense. Only three league schools rank inside the RPI top 65: Tennessee (26), Florida (38) and Arkansas (64). Tennessee has been struggling to get a defensive stop when it needs it and having its best player hobbled can’t help, though Tyler Smith’s heroic effort against Georgia was quite impressive.

Arkansas is knocking on the door of the Coaches’ Poll at No. 26 after downing its second top-10 team (Texas) in as many weeks, but losing inexplicably to Mississippi State in its SEC opener. The Hogs’ had established themselves as a contender in the SEC West, but 36 percent from the field and 14 percent from 3-point range won’t get it done.

Point guard Courtney Fortson clearly looks like one of the best freshmen in the league. He leads the SEC in assists per game, and when his motor is going, the Hogs are one of the league’s best. His absence (five points, four assists, four turnovers) against the Bulldogs in his first SEC action was noticeable. He also must cut down on his league-leading turnover total. His 4.1 per game could cost his team down the stretch.

Supporting Cats

Jodie Meeks and Patrick Patterson are the stars of Kentucky’s basketball team, but it was the supporting cast that made the Wildcats’ (RPI No. 66) home victory over Vanderbilt possible Saturday.

How the Cats would fare without huge contributions from Meeks and Patterson was a big question entering SEC play. And while neither player completely disappeared, the Commodores’ defensive focus was clearly on forcing other players to beat them.

“You pick your poison,” Vanderbilt coach Kevin Stallings said. “Those two guys might be two of the five best, maybe the best two players in the league.

“If one guy is averaging 24 and the other 19, and the next 6.9, I'm not very smart. But I get that equation.”

Meeks and Patterson combined for only 32 points in the Wildcats’ 70-60 victory, leaving the lion’s share of the work to others. Fellow starters Ramon Harris scored 12 points with Perry Stevenson and Michael Porter contributing 10 and eight, respectively.

Meeks and Patterson have averaged 43 points per game between them this season. Kentucky plays Tennessee and Georgia this week.

Rising Team: Florida

The Gators are the only team in the league with more than a three-game winning streak entering the first full week of SEC play. Since a two-point loss to Florida State in early December, Florida has destroyed most of its opponents. It needed a late rally to defeat NC State in the first game of the New Year, but Nick Calathes (see below) has been magnificent. We’ll definitely find out what this team is made of soon with three of its next four games on the road.

Falling Team: Tennessee

Tennessee lost its final two non-conference games, including an overtime loss to Gonzaga Wednesday, before entering league play and needed a late rally to overcome undoubtedly the SEC East’s worst team — Georgia — Saturday. Truly a sign of the Vols’ struggles, the Gonzaga loss ended Tennessee’s 37-game home winning streak and dealt Bruce Pearl his first non-conference loss at home. The Vols clearly have some defensive issues to work out before they can climb back up the top 25.

Player of the Week: Nick Calathes, F, Florida

Calathes, combined for 38 points, 17 boards, 16 assists and seven steals in the Gators’ victories against Longwood and Ole Miss. The swingman has been a key part of the Gators’ 14-2 record, averaging 17.1 points, 4.8 rebounds and 6.8 assists per game.

Freshman of the Week: Dee Bost, G, Mississippi State

Bost scored 18 points against Western Kentucky and 17 against Arkansas in a pair of Bulldog victories last week. Both of those point totals were better than his previous best of 16 in a loss to Texas Tech earlier this season. Bost shot better than 56 percent from the field on the week, including a 5-of-10 effort from 3-point range. He also added five rebounds, five assists and two steals in the Bulldogs’ big victory against the Razorbacks.

Stats of the Week:

1-of-14: Sharp-shooting Texas’ 3-point shooting against Arkansas’ defense.

36.1: Vanderbilt’s nation-leading opponents field goal percentage.

1: Rebounds for Kentucky’s Patrick Patterson against Vanderbilt, a career low.

7-14: Arkansas’ assist-to-turnover ratio in its SEC-opening loss to Mississippi State. Only two players — Courtney Fortson (4) and Stefan Welsh (3) — recorded a helper.

63.5: Utah’s shooting percentage in a dominating 91-61 victory against LSU.

They Said It:

“I felt like if I could walk on it, I could play.” — Tennessee forward Tyler Smith, who suffered a deep knee bruise against Gonzaga Wednesday, was on crutches through Friday then had 24 points, 11 rebounds and six assists against Georgia in the Vols’ 86-77 victory Saturday.

Key Upcoming Games:

Tuesday, January 13
Kentucky at Tennessee
The Vols need some quality wins for their tournament resume and beating Kentucky always helps. Kentucky averages over 80 points per game. Tennessee has lost all four games that it’s allowed 80 or more points this season.

Wednesday, January 14
Florida at Auburn
Billy Donovan goes for his 300th victory at Florida in this road game against the Tigers. Donovan would be the first Florida coach to reach that milestone.

Saturday, January 17
Arkansas at Florida
The Hogs’ second road game of the week comes against a Gators’ team that likely will be on a nine-game winning streak (provided it wins the game above). Arkansas is on the verge of a spot in the top 25, but it is untested away from home (1-1) and must prove it can win away from Bud Walton Arena.

South Carolina at Tennessee
The Gamecocks used 27 points from Zam Fredrick to down Auburn in their home opener. They’ll find a stiffer challenge in this one, especially if Tennessee’s Tyler Smith is closer to full strength. Is South Carolina a legit East contender?

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