Team status reports as SEC men’s basketball heads into Saturday’s games

Two games into the SEC men’s basketball season, let’s do a status report on the conference teams with an eye toward Saturday’s matchups:

Alabama (2-0): After going 8-5 against a tough pre-conference schedule, the Crimson Tide is off to a perfect start in SEC play. Senior guard Mark Sears has scored 52 points in Bama’s first two league games, including 31 in the 74-47 domination of South Carolina on Tuesday. Saturday finds Bama at Mississippi State, who is fresh off a big home win over No. 5-ranked Tennessee.

Auburn (2-0): Since being upset 69-64 at Appalachian State on Dec. 3, Bruce Pearl’s Tigers have reeled off eight straight victories. Auburn opened league play with a stunning 32-point romp over the Razorbacks at Arkansas before a 66-55 win over Texas A&M on Tuesday. The Tigers held the Aggies to 29.0 percent shooting from the floor. They get LSU at home on Saturday.

Georgia (2-0): Mike White’s Bulldogs extended their win streak to 10 games with a 76-66 win over visiting Arkansas on Wednesday. That followed a 75-68 triumph at Missouri in UGA’s conference opener. Russel Tchewa, a 7-foot senior from Cameroon, has picked up his game. The transfer from USF has been Georgia’s leading rebounder each of the last four games. Tchewa grabbed 11 rebounds in the win at Missouri. The Bulldogs play host to an angry Tennessee on Saturday.

Kentucky (2-0): No. 6 in the AP Top 25, John Calipari’s Cats should move up the ranking ladder if they handle Texas A&M at College Station on Saturday. West Virginia transfer Tre Mitchell has played an important role in UK’s success. The 6-foot-9 senior has grabbed double-digit rebounds in each of the last four games. He should be a key Saturday against the Aggies physical style.

LSU (2-0): After an 8-5 pre-conference mark, the Tigers weren’t expected to do make much of a conference mark. Surprise. LSU is 2-0 after a 68-53 win at Texas A&M and a 77-69 home victory over Vanderbilt. Jalen Cook, a 6-foot guard transfer from Tulane, scored 28 points in the win over Vandy. Cook was ineligible until a court ruling cleared the 2023-24 path for student-athletes who had transferred multiple times. Cook actually started his college career at LSU before transferring to Tulane for two seasons, then returning to LSU. He’s averaging 16.8 points per game in his five games. In a matchup of league unbeatens, LSU is at Auburn on Saturday.

Ole Miss (1-1): The Rebels were off to a 13-0 start before being trounced by Tennessee 90-64 at Thompson-Boling last Saturday. On Tuesday, Chris Beard’s team rediscovered its mojo to race past visiting Florida 103-85 on Wednesday night. Jaemyn Brakefield has scored a combined 50 points in Ole Miss’ two league games. The 6-8 senior from Jackson, Miss. transferred to Oxford from Duke before last season. Saturday, Ole Miss plays host to a reeling Vanderbilt.

SEC men’s basketball game-by-game schedule, results and leaders

Mississippi State (1-1): After Mississippi State’s 68-62 loss at South Carolina in the SEC opener, the Bulldogs bounced up off the mat to upset fifth-ranked Tennessee 77-72 on Wednesday. Chris Jans’ team shot 50 percent against the Vols, ranked No. 1 by kenpom in adjusted defensive efficiency. Josh Hubbard, a 5-10 freshman, came off the bench to score 25 points against the Vols. MSU welcomes Alabama to The Hump on Saturday.

South Carolina (1-1): The Gamecocks loss to Alabama on Tuesday was just the second for Lamont Paris’ team after 13 wins. Former Ohio State guard Meechie Johnson scored 24 points in Carolina’s 68-62 win over visiting Mississippi State last Saturday. Alas, Johnson went 2-of-9 from three-point range at Alabama and finished with 16 points in Tuscaloosa. South Carolina visits (league) winless Missouri on Saturday.

Tennessee (1-1): Rick Barnes’ Vols looked Final Four-worthy in smothering previously unbeaten Ole Miss last Saturday in Knoxville. Wednesday night, Tennessee fell back to earth at Mississippi State. Dalton Knect did score 28 points in Starkville, but foul trouble limited Jonas Aidoo, who had scored 24 points with 10 rebounds in rout of the Rebels. Tennessee hopes to call a halt to Georgia’s win-streak on Saturday.

Arkansas (0-2): Texas A&M and Arkansas are neck-and-neck for the title of SEC’s biggest disappointments, so far. After being absolutely blitzed by Auburn at Bud Walton Arena, Eric Musselman’s Razorbacks’ failed its bounce-back test at Georgia. Arkansas shot just 31 percent against Auburn, then went 3-of-21 from three-point range in the loss in Athens. The Men of Musselman travel to Gainesville on Saturday to face Florida. So we know one of the two will start 0-3.

Florida (0-2): Defense has been the downfall for Todd Golden’s Gators. After giving up 87 points to Kentucky in a two-point home loss, Florida allowed Ole Miss 103 points in an 18-point road loss on Wednesday. The Rebels shot a sizzling 59.1 percent from the floor. “Obviously, our defensive effort tonight was atrocious, specifically in the second half,” Golden said. At least one team will exit Saturday’s Arkansas-Florida battle at the O’Connell Center with a league win.

Missouri (0-2): The Tigers were within striking distance in losses to Georgia (at home) and Kentucky (on the road) but failed to complete either task. Georgia was 12-of-28 from three-point land against Mizzou, while Kentucky shot 50 percent form the floor. Plus, Kentucky pounded Dennis Gates’ team on the boards, 42-27. It was UK’s best rebound margin on the season. By a lot. In a battle of the Columbias, South Carolina visits Missouri on Saturday.

Texas A&M (0-2): The Aggies can’t shoot straight. Not in league play, anyway. Buzz Williams’ team shot a miserable 25.4 percent in the league opener against LSU, then a putrid 29.0 percent in the loss at Auburn. In the two games combined, A&M was a dreadful 8-of-47 from behind the three-point arc for 17 percent. Buzz’s bunch better find the basket if it wants to have a chance against Kentucky.

Vanderbilt (0-2): Mike Vrabel may not be the only coach leaving Nashville. Jerry Stackhouse needs to turn the Commodores around and quick. After a 5-8 mark versus its non-conference slate, Vandy opened SEC play with losses to Alabama (home) and LSU (road). The ‘Dores are currently No. 242 in the NET rankings. And Stackhouse is 66-79 overall and 24-48 in SEC play at Vandy. Saturday’s visit to Ole Miss doesn’t look promising.

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