Player of the Week
Brandon Miller, Alabama
Miller had another fantastic week on the court. Recording a double-double against Mississippi State (19 points and 11 rebounds). He followed this up with 17 points in a blowout win over Ole Miss. Miller is exactly what the NBA is looking for with a great skill set to accompany his excellent size and athleticism. He shows some point forward skills and at times resembles a young Paul George. Look for Miller to keep improving, as the freshman is currently leading the conference in scoring, and finds a lot of ways to help Alabama get wins.
Who’s Hot
Oscar Tshiebwe, Center, Kentucky
Oscar Put up video game numbers this week, recording three monster double-doubles. Against Missouri, he scored 23 points while grabbing 19 rebounds. He followed this up with 24 points and 14 rebounds in a victory over Louisville. He was just as sensational against LSU, recording 19 points and 16 rebounds. Oscar is very efficient, and gets to the line a ton for a big man, while grabbing every single rebound.
Player: Kobe Brown], Guard, Missouri
The Senior Guard has scored 30 points in two of his last three games. Helping the Tigers win both of those games. Brown has been streaky this season as a scorer, but is averaging over 15 points per game.
Jacob Toppin Forward, Kentucky
Toppin had two really solid performances this week helping Kentucky bounce back after losing two of the previous three games. Against Louisville, he scored 24 points while grabbing seven rebounds. He followed this up with 21 points against LSU in a three-point victory. Toppin was huge this week helping Kentucky settle down.
Georgia Bulldogs
The Bulldogs have come out hot to start the season. SEC play opened for them with a tough matchup at home against Auburn. They beat them by 12. Led by their upperclassmen back court, the Bulldogs dominated. Georgia is playing great basketball currently riding a five-game winning streak with two more winnable games on the horizon.
Who’s Not
TJ Caldwell – Guard, Ole Miss
Caldwell has really struggled offensively the past three games. He has missed his last ten shots dating back to last week, and has only recorded three points over that span. Look for Caldwell to figure it out though, as he gets solid minutes every night.
Florida Gators
The Gators find themselves at 0-2 to open SEC play with two crushing losses to Texas A&M and Auburn. They lost both games by three points, and find themselves at the bottom of the standings currently.
Mississippi State Bulldogs
Mississippi State has gotten destroyed in SEC play so far. Losing both games by double digits. Alabama came into town and beat them by 11. This loss was followed up by a 34-point whooping at Tennessee. It is shaping up to be a rough season for the Bulldogs, as the SEC is loaded with solid teams.
Top Five Rebounders
1. Oscar Tshiebwe – Center, Kentucky – Oscar has been the best rebounder in the country for years. This guy grabs rebounds in his sleep. His numbers from this week are above, and he for sure did not disappoint.
2. Noah Clowney – Forward, Alabama – The freshman has been one of the best rebounders in the country for most of the season. He has a season high of 15 rebounds, and has grabbed more than 10 in five games so far. At 6’10”, Clowney has good size and instincts around the rim.
3. Johni Broome – Forward, Auburn – The transfer from Morehead State has been a very solid contributor for the Tigers so far. Currently second in the SEC in rebounding, Broome has multiple games with 11 or more rebounds this season. Broome has three double doubles this year and only three games with under eight rebounds on the season.
4. Brandon Miller – Forward, Alabama – Miller has had a great all around showing so far this season. Currently leading the conference in scoring. He also finds himself in the top five in rebounding as well, averaging over 8.5 per game. Miller has three double-doubles on the season, with 14 rebounds being his single game high.
5. Tolu Smith – Forward, Mississippi State – Smith is fifth in the conference in rebounding at 8 per game. The 6’11” senior has had three double digit rebound games this season. Including back-to-back 16 rebound games.