With the SEC schedule starting today, I thought it was time to breakdown UK's upcoming opponents (along with a look at UK). I begin with the SEC East (in alphabetical order):
SEC EAST
Florida Gators: Record - 13-2 -- 2008 SEC Record - 8-8 (4th)
UFA wins -- Toledo 80-58, Bradley 81-58, Southern Utah 64-50, Washington 86-84, Missouri-Kansas City 86-65, Florida A&M 73-58, Florida Gulf Coast 94-60, Central Florida 89-61, Georgia Southern 88-81, Winthrop 74-45, Stetson 78-57, NC State 68-66, Longwood 95-69.
UFA losses -- Syracuse 89-83, @ Florida State 57-55.
Combined record of teams that have beaten Florida: 28-3.
Key Personnel
- Nick Calathes: 6'6", 194 lb sophomore point guard -- Calathes averages 17.0 points per game, 6.7 assists per game (3.1 turnovers per game), 4.4 rebounds per game. He shoots 51.9% from the field (38.8% from 3-point line). He also averages 2.1 steals per game.
- Alex Tyus: 6'8", 220 lb sophomore forward -- Tyus averages 12.9 ppg, 6.3 rpg. He is shooting 65.1% from the field.
- Dan Werner: 6'8", 230 lb junior forward -- Werner averages 10.2 ppg, 4.8 rpg, and 2.3 apg. He makes 50.0% of his field goal attempts, and 34.5% of his 3-point shots.
- Walter Hodge: 6'0", 170 lb senior guard -- Hodge averages 7.7 ppg, and 2.3 apg. He's made 42.4% of his 3-points shots (59 of his 86 total shots have been from behind the arc).
Gator Bits
Florida averages 79.6 points per game, and gives up 63.9 ppg ... Florida opponents shoot 42.5% from the field ... Florida opponents are shooting 35.3% from the 3-point line ... 35.0% of the Gator shots have been from beyond the 3-point arc ... Five Gators have taken over 52 3-point shots ... The Gators average 9.5 steals per game ... The Gators are only +3.2 in rebounds per game ... They average 18.1 assists per game, and only 12.7 turnovers per game ... Gator opponents average 13.3 apg, and 16.9 turnovers pg ... No Gator averages over 1.0 block per game ... Since their loss to Florida State, UFA has won seven games in a row.
Georgia Bulldogs: Record - 9-6 2008 SEC Record - 4-12 (6th)
UGA wins -- South Carolina Upstate 72-48, Eastern Michigan 61-60, Presbyterian - 55-47, Santa Clara 54-48, Mississippi Valley State 98-57, Virginia Tech 67-66, Wofford 74-73 ot, NC A&T 98-68, Kennesaw State 72-53.
UGA losses -- Loyola-Chicago 74-53, @ Western Kentucky 67-63, Illinois 76-42, Texas A&M - Corpus Christi 80-79 ot, (H) Missouri 83-76, @ Georgia Tech 67-62.
Combined record of teams that have beaten Georgia: 59-31
Key Personnel
- Trey Thompkins: 6'9", 247 lb freshman forward -- Thompkins, from Norcross, GA, averages 14.4 ppg, 6.6 rpg, and shoots 51.6% from the 3-point line.
- Terrance Woodbury: 6'7", 221 lb senior G/F -- Woodbury averages 13.8 ppg, and 3.9 rpg.
- Corey Butler: 6'3", 195 lb senior guard -- Butler averages 7.5 ppg, 4.6 rpg, and 2.5 apg. He makes 45.1% of his 3-point shots
- Zac Swansey: 6'1", 179 lb sophomore guard -- Swansey averages 6.4 ppg, 4.4 apg, and he shoots 34.8% from beyond the 3-point line.
Dawg Treats
Georgia averages only 68.4 ppg, and their opponents average 64.4 ppg ... Georgia's opponents are shooting only 29.7% from the 3-point line, and 39.9% overall ... The Dawgs make only 62.0% of their free throw attempts ... Georgia is -2 in total rebounds on the year ... UGA and their opponents average 16.9 turnovers per game ... Georgia averages 14.3 turnovers per game ... UGA's opponents average 9.0 steals per game against the Dawgs ... The Dawgs are 4-4 in the last eight games.
Kentucky Wildcats: Record 11-4 2008 SEC Record - 12-4 (2nd)
UK wins -- Delaware State 71-42, Longwood 91-57, Kansas State 74-72, West Virginia 54-43, Lamar 103-61, Mississippi Valley State 88-65, Indiana 72-54, Appalachian State 93-69, Tennessee State 102-58, Florida Atlantic 76-69, Central Michigan 84-52.
UK losses -- (H) VMI 111-103, @ then #1 North Carolina 77-58, (H) then #21 Miami (FLA) 73-67, @ then #18 Louisville 74-71.
Combined record of teams that have beaten UK: 47-9.
Key Personnel
- Jodie Meeks: 6'4", 208 lb junior guard -- Meeks averages 24.4 ppg, 3.1 rpg, and 1.7 apg. He shoots 47.1% from the field (42.5% from the 3-point line). He makes 89.4% of his free throws. He also averages 3.1 turnovers per game.
- Patrick Patterson: 6'9", 235 lb sophomore center -- Patterson averages 19.5 ppg, 9.8 rpg, 2.7 apg, and 2.0 blocks per game. He makes 71.3% of his shots, and 79.5% of his free throws.
- Perry Stevenson: 6'9", 207 lb junior forward -- Stevenson averages 6.9 ppg, 6.2 rpg, and 2.4 bpg. He shoots 55.1% from the field and makes 73.5% of his free throws.
'Cat Nips
Kentucky averages 80.5 ppg, and gives up 65.1 ppg ... UK is shooting 51.0% from the field, while their opponents shoot 37.3% ... UK's opponents make 34.1% of their 3-point shots ... UK makes only 33.9% of their 3-point attempts ... UK is +7.9 rpg over their opponents, but -16 in offensive rebounds on the year ... UK averages 18.3 apg, and 18.5 turnovers pg ... The 'Cats average 7.5 blocks pg, while their opponents average only 2.7 bpg ... UK opponents average only 10.0 apg ... UK is -17 in steals on the year ... Kentucky has won six of their last seven games.
South Carolina Gamecocks: Record 11-2 2008 SEC Record - 5-11 (5th)
USC wins -- Jacksonville State 89-76, Winthrop 86-63, South Carolina Upstate 75-53, Gardner-Webb 85-70, Princeton 84-58, Furman 72-48, N.C. Central 90-43, The Citadel 80-66, Presbyterian 75-56. then #19 Baylor 85-84, Wofford 78-61.
USC losses -- College of Charleston 82-80 ot, then #20 Clemson 87-78.
Combined record of teams that have beaten South Carolina: 25-3.
Key Personnel
- Devan Downey: 5'9", 195 lb junior point guard -- Downey averages 20.5 ppg, 4.5 apg (3.1 turnovers pg), 2.7 rpg. He shoots 51.5% from the field, and 41.0% from behind th 3-point line. He also makes 79.8% of his free throws.
- Zam Frederick: 6'0", 203 lb senior guard -- Frederick averages 15.2 ppg, 3.3 rpg, and 2.2 apg. He makes 34.9% of his 3-point attempts.
- Mike Holmes: 6'7", 230 lb sophomore F/C -- Holmes averages 12.6 ppg, 8.7 rpg, and 1.6 bpg. He shoots only 48.1% from the free throw line (25 of 52).
- Dominique Archie: 6'7", 200 lb junior forward -- Archie averages 10.8 ppg, and 6.6 rpg. He makes 53.0% of is field goal attempts.
Gamecock Findings
South Carolina head coach Darrin Horn (Tates Creek HS, and Western Kentucky) is the only new coach in the SEC East this year ... South Carolina averages 82.0 ppg, their opponents 66.0 ... As a team USC shoots 40.5% from the 3-point line, while holding their opponents to 32.1% ... USC has dished out 167 assists to 180 turnovers ... USC is +3.1 rpg ... Overall, USC shoots 47.8% from the field, their opponents shoot 40.6% ... USC forces 19.9 turnovers per game ... Carolina has 42 more steals than their opponents ... The Gamecocks have won seven of their last eight games.
Tennessee Volunteers: Record 9-4 2008 SEC Record - 14-2 (1st)
UT wins -- Tenn.- Chattanooga 114-75, UT-Martin 91-64, Middle Tennessee 76-66, Siena 78-64, then #21 Georgetown 90-78, UNC-Asheville 87-69, then #24 Marquette 80-68, Belmont 79-77, Louisiana-Lafayette 89-62.
UT losses -- Then #7 Gonzaga 83-74, @ Temple 88-72, @ Kansas 92-85, (H) Gonzaga 89-79 ot.
Combined record of teams that have beaten Tennessee: 27-13.
Key Personnel
- Tyler Smith: 6'7", 215 lb junior forward -- Smith averages 17.2 ppg, 6.0 rpg, and 3.9 apg (he's second on the team with 51 assists). Smith shoots 47.8% from the field.
- Wayne Chism: 6'9", 242 lb junior forward -- Chism averages 12.5 ppg, and 9.3 rpg. He leads the team with 15 blocks. He also makes 49.1% of his shots, but is only 9-38 (23.7%) on his 3-point tries
- J.P. Prince: 6'7", 205 lb junior guard -- Prince averages 10.3 ppg, 3.9 rpg, and 2.2 apg.
- Cameron Tatum: 6'6", 196 lb redshirt freshman G/F -- Tatum averages 10.2 ppg, 2.6 rpg. He makes 36.4% of his 3-point shots.
- Bobby Maze: 6'2", 185 lb junior point guard -- Maze averages 9.5 ppg, 4.1 apg (1.8 turnovers per game), 3.0 rpg, and 1.5 steals pg.
- Scotty Hopson: 6'7', 185 lb freshman guard -- In 20.4 minutes pg, Hopson is averaging 8.7 ppg, and 2.2 rpg. He's made 41.0% of his 3-point shots, and 47.2% overall. Hopson has recorded only 14 assists.
Volunteer Submissions
UT shoots 45.5% from the field, and allows their opponents to shoot 44.0% ... Tennessee opponents shoot 34.9% from the 3-point line ... UT is +8.2 rpg ... The Vols have 31 more assists than their opponents, and eight fewer turnovers ... In UT's losses all four opponents shot over 51.0% ... In all if UT's losses the Vols shot no higher than 39.4% from the field ... In UT losses, the combined 3-point shooting average of their opponents is 46.8% (36 of 77) ... Tennessee has lost two in a row, and three of six.
Vanderbilt Commodores: Record 11-3 2008 SEC Record - 10-6 (3rd)
Vandy wins -- Morehead State 74-48, Middle Tennessee 65-57, Central Arkansas 83-62, Drake 72-57, VCU 71-66, Alabama A&M 78-55, South Florida 71-52, Tennessee Tech 83-63, Furman 68-49, St. Frances (PA) 84-55, UMass 78-48.
Vandy losses -- (H) Illinois 69-63, (H) Illinois-Chicago 74-55, @ Georgia Tech 63-51.
Combined record of teams that have beaten Vandy: 30-13.
Key Personnel
- A.J. Ogilvy: 6'11", 250 lb sophomore center -- Ogilvy averages 16.5 ppg, 7.2 rpg, and shoots 53.9% from the field.
- Jeffery Taylor: 6'7", 205 lb freshman G/F -- Taylor, a true freshman, is averaging 12.5 ppg, 6.1 rpg. The native of Sweden shoots 50.4% from the field.
- Jermaine Beal: 6'3", 205 lb point guard -- Beal averages 11.8 ppg, 3.4 apg (1.5 turnovers pg), and 4.2 rpg. He's made 47.1% of his 3-point shots, and 86.5% of his free throws.
- Brad Tinsley: 6'3", 210 lb freshman guard -- Tinsley averages 10.4 ppg, 2.8 apg (1.8 turnovers pg) and 2.4 rpg. He makes 42.7% of his 3-point shots.
Vanderbilt Thoughts
The 'Dores average 71.1 ppg, their opponents average only 58.4 ppg ... Vandy has committed 20 more turnovers than their opponents ... Vandy out-rebounds their opponents by a margin of 5.7 per game, but they've gathered in 20 fewer offensive boards than their opponents ... On the year Vandy is shooting 45.6% from the field, but holding their opponents to only 35.6% ... Vandy has made 14 more free throws than their opponents have attempted ... Vandy is allowing opponents to shoot 34.4% from the 3-point line ... The Commodores have won six in a row.
Last Year
The date was February 12, 2008. Kentucky travels to Memorial Gym and is crushed 93-52 by Vanderbilt (Vandy shot 55.4% to UK's 32.7%).
Shan Foster doesn't live there anymore.
It's time to pay.
Thanks for reading, and Go 'Cats, beat Vandy!