Player of the Week
Jeremiah Fears, Oklahoma
This week’s SEC Player of the Week is Jeremiah Fears, a freshman guard from the University of Oklahoma. The tough minded 6’4 Fears is averaging 18.1 points on the season, along with 3.5 rebounds, 4.5 assists and 2.2 steals. A do-it-all player, he’s shooting 50.3% from the field and 86.4% from the free-throw line. His last three games have been very impressive, as he’s scored 19 points against Prairie View A&M and Central Arkansas, as well as 30 points against Michigan. His offensive output led the Sooners to wins in all three of those games.
Who’s Hot
Jalon Moore, Oklahoma
Speaking of the Oklahoma Sooners, Fears’ teammate Jalon Moore has been excellent this season as well. In Oklahoma’s last 3 games, Moore has scored 16 points against Michigan, 17 points against Central Arkansas and 22 points against Prairie View A&M. A senior forward, he’s improved massively in points per game (11.2 to 17.7) and free-throw percentage (73.4% to 86.5%). Standing 6’7, he’s proven to be a great complimentary player to Jeremiah Fears. You can catch his next game, Oklahoma’s first SEC conference game, on January 4th against Alabama.
Collin Murray-Boyles, South Carolina
The Gamecocks are on a seven-game winning streak and Collin Murray-Boyles has been a huge reason why. The 6’7 sophomore forward has scored 20+ points in three of South Carolina’s last five games. What stands out most in that span were his 22-point performances against Clemson and Presbyterian. He’s done a great job shooting the ball in those games as well. He shot 80% from the field and 100% from the charity stripe in the win over Clemson, and 60% from the field and 71.4% from the charity stripe in the win over Presbyterian. Murray-Boyles’ first conference game of the season will be on January 4th against Mississippi State.
Who’s Not
Walter Clayton Jr., Florida
Despite Florida being on a 13-game winning streak currently, Clayton Jr. hasn’t quite been at his best. After scoring 27 points against Virginia and 25 points against Arizona State, his production has taken a little bit of a backseat. In Florida’s last 3 games, he’s scored 12 points against North Carolina, eight points against North Florida and 12 points again against Stetson. Even though Florida has won most of those games convincingly, they could still use some more buckets from the team’s top scorer. At 17.2 points per contest, Clayton Jr. will look to recapture some of that early December form as his Gators kick off conference play.
Dre Davis, Ole Miss
In the Rebels’ last game, an 87-80 loss against Memphis, Davis had a rough time getting anything going. Davis shot the ball 5 times, only scoring once (20% from the field), and went 0/2 from downtown as well. He finished with two points, four rebounds, two assists, one steal and one block in 20 minutes. Davis is very capable of scoring the basketball; he has scored in double figures in four of his last six games, scoring 20 points in one of those games. However, Ole Miss could have won that game against Memphis with a stronger offensive night from Davis. The Rebels will take on the Georgia Bulldogs to begin conference play and will need Davis to step up to ensure a win.
Top 5: SEC Teams Entering Conference Play
With conference play set to begin, here is a list of the five teams that I think will perform the best on their road to March Madness. All of the games I preview will take place on Saturday, January 4th. All times listed are Eastern Time.
1. Tennessee (13-0)
Ranked No. 1 in the AP Poll, the Volunteers are the team nobody wants to face thus far. Their best wins this season have come against Baylor, 77-62, and Illinois, 66-64. Their top player to watch is one of the nation’s best, Chaz Lanier; a 6’4 senior guard averaging 19.6 points, 3.0 rebounds and 1.5 assists. Tennessee’s first conference play game will be against No. 23 Arkansas at 1:00 PM.
2. Auburn (12-1)
The No. 2 team in the country, the Tigers are another team that no one should hope is on their schedule. Auburn has some impressive wins this season; 83-81 over No. 3 Iowa State, 74-69 over No. 14 Houston and 87-69 over No. 20 Purdue. Their top player is also one of the better players in the country, Johni Broome; a senior forward standing 6’10 and posting 18.2 points, 11.5 rebounds and 3.4 assists. The Tigers’ will begin conference play with a meeting against Missouri at 4:00 PM.
3. Florida (13-0)
No. 6 nationally, the Gators have been a big surprise in the college basketball world this year. Undefeated thus far, their best wins are over North Carolina, 90-84, and Florida State, 87-74. The Gators’ star player this season has been Walter Clayton Jr. The senior guard has averaged 17.2 points, 3.2 rebounds and 3.8 assists. Florida’s first SEC game will be a big one, as they take on No. 10 Kentucky at 11:00 AM.
4. Oklahoma (13-0)
The Sooners have impressed many in their first year as an SEC team, as they’re undefeated and ranked 12th in the country to this point. An 82-77 victory over Arizona and an 87-86 victory over Michigan highlight their schedule as their best wins of the year so far. Their top player? None other than this week’s SEC Player of the Week, Jeremiah Fears, who’s stats are listed at the beginning of this blog. Oklahoma’s first ever conference game in the SEC should be a good one, as they face No. 5 Alabama at 6:00 PM.
5. Kentucky (11-2)
The Wildcats have the worst overall record among this group but are still a top-ten team in the nation. Their ranking is supported by two very impressive victories, a 77-72 win over No. 4 Duke and a 90-89 win over No. 19 Gonzaga. The player opposing teams will prepare for most when facing Kentucky is Otega Oweh, who’s putting up 15.9 points, 3.6 rebounds and 1.7 assists each night. Kentucky’s first SEC opponent of the season will be the aforementioned Florida Gators, with an 11:00 AM tip off on Saturday.