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SEC Basketball Notebook
SEC Basketball Notebook
By Randy Rosetta
WagerWeb.com Contributing Writer
It’s hard to knock a team that has won 18 of its last 19 games and is winning games this season by an average of 37.1 points a game.
But it’s time to see exactly how good reigning national champion Florida can be, starting with another litmus test tonight.
The fourth-ranked Gators don’t venture beyond the state boundaries all month, including a trip to Tallahassee tonight to face Florida State. The Seminoles are just the second team Florida has faced from a power conference, and the first foray outside a soft non-conference schedule resulted in an 82-80 overtime loss to Kansas.
Florida is an 8.5-point favorite on WagerWeb.com, but should get a test from Florida State.
There’s obviously no question about the Gators’ talent with all five starters and several reserves back from the team that won the 2006 national crown. Al Horford has emerged as Florida’s most consistent – if not the most dynamic – player. He is leading the Gators in scoring (13.4), rebounding (8), blocked shots (19) and field goals made (46), attempted (70) and shooting percentage (65.7).
Horford has logged three double-doubles, while fellow big man Joakim Noah has a pair. Noah’s rebound numbers have dwindled over the last six games, when he is snatching just 5.4 caroms a contest.
Florida will see a familiar face on the floor today. FSU guard Toney Douglas spent his freshman season at Auburn and when he met the Gators, he erupted for 32 points. Douglas is averaging 15 points and 3.2 assists a game for the Seminoles this season.
GEORGIA: The Bulldogs notched an impressive non-conference win Saturday, 87-86 at Wake Forest, and have won four games in a row. Sophomore guard Mike Mercer led the way with 18 points, matching his season average, as Georgia rallied from a halftime deficit and then weathered a late charge from the Demon Deacons. Mercer has scored at least 12 points in every game this season and has combined with fellow sophomore Billy Humphrey (12.2 points a game), senior Levi Stukes (9.2 ppg) and Sundiata Gaines (8.8 ppg, 5.7 assists per game) to give Georgia one of the deepest and productive backcourts in the SEC. The Dawgs lead the league with 20.4 assists and 12.8 steals per game.
LSU: The 10th-ranked Tigers bounced back from their first loss of the year with two very different games. LSU steamrolled McNeese State by 34 points and then had to stage a comeback from double digits to beat Tulane 74-67 on Saturday. Sophomore point guard Garrett Temple has emerged as a go-to offensive threat with 17 and 18 points in the last two games – each time establishing a career high. The Tigers’ schedule hits a rugged stretch this week with games against No. 9 Texas A&M in Baton Rouge and a showdown with Texas in Houston.
VANDERBILT: After a rocky 1-3 start, the Commodores turned things around with a 98-93 triumph against Toledo Saturday and now get a chance to get on a roll this week with three games in five days, all in Nashville. Junior transfer Ross Neltner has been a bright spot for Vanderbilt over the last three games with 50 points (18,12 and 20), anchored by 20-of-27 shooting from the floor.
ALABAMA: The Crimson Tide stayed perfect by rolling past Tennessee State 78-60 Saturday and breathed a collective sigh of relief with the return of preseason All-American point guard Ronald Steele. After missing two games with a tender knee, Steele played 35 minutes against the Tigers, hit 4-of-8 3-pointers and dished off 5 assists. The Alabama inside game has been dominant so far, with senior Jermareo Davidson leading the Tide with 15.3 points and 10.7 rebounds a game. Sophomores Alonzo Gee (14.9/4.9) and Richard Hendrix (12.9/8.1) have also been solid. Bama gets its first strong test of the season Thursday when it travels to South Bend to square off with Notre Dame.
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