Player of the Week
Oscar Tshiebwe, Center, Kentucky]
In his final game of the week last week, he dropped 37 points while grabbing 24 rebounds. Oscar accomplished this in 38 minutes against Georgia. Oscar followed this insane performance up with 17 rebounds against Texas A&M, as well as finishing with 15 points and 13 rebounds on 7/10 shooting and a victory over Vanderbilt. A really solid three game stretch for Oscar. One very interesting storyline from this year’s NBA draft class is whether a player like Tshiebwe can overcome a glaring deficiency in so much of his game to carve out an NBA career with his elite rebounding ability.
Freshman of the Week
Noah Clowney– Forward, Alabama
Clowney had two solid games this past week. He recorded a huge double- double against Missouri, scoring 17 points and grabbing 14 rebounds in 29 minutes. He shot 6/11 from the field and hit 5/7 of his free throws in an all-around efficient showing. While he struggled (3/10) shooting in the next game, he still scored 13 points, grabbed 8 rebounds, and hit 7/8 of his free throws in a 3-point victory.
Who’s Hot
Kobe Brown, Guard, Missouri
The senior guard has been on a roll in his last three games. He has scored at least 17 points in 6 of his last 8 games. Kobe has been very efficient in the field, shooting 63% over his last two games and over 55% for the season.
Kentucky
Winning 4 games in a row, before their loss to the Jayhwaks, including a 7-point victory over a red-hot Tennessee team, will definitely land you on the Who’s Hot list. During this streak, they have also beat Texas A&M by 9 handing them their first loss in the SEC. This means that Kentucky is the only team in the SEC to beat both Texas A&M and Tennessee.
Who’s Not
Mississippi State- Currently 1-7 in conference, the Bulldogs are absolutely free falling after a 11-1 start. They have lost five straight games, including the last two by one possession. They are shooting 40% from the field and only averaging 54 points per game. This is a team that is really struggling to put the ball through the hoop. Hopefully they find it soon, as they are running out of time to put it all together.
LSU- LSU has really struggled in conference, being tied for the bottom with a record of 1-7. They have had some really embarrassing performances over the past few weeks, namely losing by 40 to Alabama, 18 to Auburn, 21 to Tennessee, and worst of all, only scored 40 points in a 20-point loss to Arkansas. They have loss 6 of their 7 in-conference games by double digits, solidifying their spot on the Who’s Not list.
Top Five Upcoming Games
1. Arkansas vs Kentucky- February 7th. Both teams find themselves in the middle of the pack. This matchup could really play a big part in the standings come finals. A win would really help Kentucky stay around the top at 6-3 in conference, while Arkansas is sitting at 3-5, so this is a must win for them.
2. Auburn vs Tennessee- On February 4th, these two ranked teams square off in Tennessee. The Vols have a huge home court advantage in a game winning would be very beneficial. Currently, the in-conference standings are very close, so every game matters.
3. Alabama vs Auburn- Alabama has been perfect to start off their in-conference play. Leading Tennessee by one game currently, the Crimson Tide are looking to dominate their instate rival. Auburn is looking to stay close, as they are currently two games behind. In a really tight race, this game could potentially play a huge role in the final outcome, as half of the conference is within 3 games of first place. On February 11th these two teams will collide.
4 Texas A&M vs Arkansas- Tuesday January 31st. Texas A&M has a scrappy team, currently tied for second in the SEC at 7-1. They head into Fayetteville to face an Arkansas team coming off a 3 point, 67-64 loss to Baylor. Arkansas will look to right the ship at just 3-5 in conference play.
5. Tennessee vs Florida- The Gators will look to pull the upset over the Nation’s number two team Tennessee. The Vols are coming off a four game win streak including their big win over Big 12 match up Texas on Monday. Florida seems to have turned things around after some early season struggles and are 5-3 and fifth in the SEC.