Player of the Week
Chaz Lanier, Tennessee
This week’s SEC Player of the Week is Volunteers’ senior guard Chaz Lanier. Lanier spent the first four seasons of his collegiate career at the University of North Florida. He transferred to Tennessee prior to this season and has been stellar across all 8 games he’s played in. He recently went for 26, on 8-16 shooting, in their win over Syracuse. He is averaging 18.8 points, 2.6 rebounds, 1.4 assists, and 1 steal per game on 47.7% shooting from three-point range.
Who’s Hot
Johni Broome, Auburn
The Tigers’ senior bigman has not only been one of the SEC’s best players, but one of the best in all of college basketball. Across 7 games this year, he is averaging a double-double, 20.7 points and 12.9 rebounds each night. He’s also posting an SEC-best 3.1 blocks per game. Broome’s standout play has helped Auburn start the season 7-0 and slot in as the 2nd-ranked team in the country.
Florida Gators
Despite some off court concerns, Florida is off to an excellent start this season. They are 8-0 and have risen 5 spots to number 13 in this week’s AP Poll. Their best wins have come against Florida State by a score of 87-74 and Wake Forest by a score of 75-58. They’ll face the Virginia Cavaliers next, as they look to get even better with conference play approaching.
Who’s Cold
Karter Knox, Arkansas
The Razorbacks’ freshman forward hasn’t been off to the best start to his college career. Despite only playing 14.6 minutes per night for coach John Calipari, Knox averages 4.5 points, 2.9 rebounds and 0.6 assists. His shooting splits are rough as a whole; 31% from the field, 17.4% from beyond the arc, and 75% from the charity stripe. However, Knox did have a 21-point game against Maryland Eastern Shore back on November 25th, so he could improve as the season goes on.
Jordan Pope, Texas
The Texas guard has had a rough start to his junior season. Pope is a transfer from Oregon State, and while his 23.3 minutes per game are the lowest of his career, he’s still tied for the 7th-most minutes for Texas this season. He’s averaging career lows in points (7.9), rebounds (1.7), assists (2.6), field goal percentage (39.2%) and three-point percentage (25.9%). On the bright side, he is averaging career highs in steals (1.3) and free-throw percentage (88.9%).
Top 5: ACC-SEC Challenge Matchups
After Tuesday’s action, the SEC has a 9-1 advantage over the ACC, the lone outlier being a 70-66 Kentucky loss to Clemson. This week’s top 5 focuses on the best matchups for Wednesday’s slate.
Auburn (7-0) vs. Duke (5-2)
This is the matchup everyone has their eyes on. Both teams are ranked in the top ten nationally, with Auburn ranked 2nd and Duke ranked 9th. This game also features two of the best players in the country, Auburn senior Johni Broome and Duke freshman Cooper Flagg. The game will tip off at 9:15 PM EST, air on ESPN, and take place at Cameron Indoor Stadium in Durham, NC.
Alabama (6-2) vs. North Carolina (4-3)
Another big-time SEC vs. ACC matchup is the Crimson Tide vs. the Tar Heels. Two key seniors will face off; Mark Sears for Alabama and R.J. Davis for North Carolina. These teams are also both ranked in the AP Poll; Alabama is ranked 10th and North Carolina is ranked 20th. Tune in to ESPN at 7:15 PM EST to catch the action from the Dean E. Smith Center in Chapel Hill, NC.
Pittsburgh (7-1) vs. Mississippi State (6-1)
Unlike the previous 2 matchups, Pitt is the only ranked team in this one. The Panthers were newcomers on this week’s AP Poll, slotting in as the country’s 18th-best team. The Bulldogs are not ranked, but still off to an impressive start this year. The top players to watch in this matchup are guards Ishmael Leggett and Jaland Lowe for Pitt, and guard Josh Hubbard for Mississippi State. The two teams will face off at Humphrey Coliseum in Mississippi State, MS, at 9:15 PM EST on the SEC Network.
Virginia (5-2) vs. Florida (8-0)
Once again, there will only be one ranked team in this matchup, but this time, it’s one of the country’s best. The undefeated Gators are ranked 13th in the AP Poll. The top scorer for Virginia so far this season is guard Isaac McKneely (13.3 PPG). For Florida, it’s guard Walter Clayton Jr. (17.4 PPG). The game will take place at the Stephen O’Connell Center in Gainesville, FL at 7:15 PM EST on ESPN2.
Texas (6-1) vs. NC State (5-2)
While neither Texas nor NC State are ranked nationally, they are both teams that deserve your attention. One of the best players in the country will be in this matchup; the Longhorns’ guard Tre Johnson is averaging 21.1 PPG in his freshman season. A player to watch for the Wolfpack is guard Jayden Taylor, who is scoring 14.3 points per night. The game will tip off at 9:15 PM EST, air on ESPN, and take place at the Lenovo Center Stadium in Raleigh, NC.