SEC Basketball: Answering 5 questions from the preseason
Non-conference play is coming to a close across the country. SEC basketball has looked great so far but how have our preseason questions been answered?
1. Will South Carolina go from the Final Four to missing the tournament altogether?
It’s starting to look like a real possibility after managing just 48 points in a loss to Clemson, a team not known for elite defense. So far, Frank Martin doesn’t know which combination of guards to use on the perimeter, with the starting group combining for just five points in the last game.
The Gamecocks haven’t played the toughest non-conference schedule, with Wyoming being the greatest win to date. The offense doesn’t look good, but neither did last year’s team. The difference last year was having a star such as Sindarius Thornwell and this time around there are none of those guys.
2. Who breaks out in the SEC?
At the beginning of the year, it looked like Florida would be the team to beat in the SEC after the team’s performance in the PK80. Ever since, they’ve looked like a shell of themselves, losing four games. Just about everyone else has a good record, but each has lost that marquee game to become a true second-weekend threat.
3. Who becomes the star of Kentucky?
The top two players have been freshmen Kevin Knox and Hamidou Diallo, each averaging around 15 points. Knox, though, has been the more explosive scorer, with a few big games under his belt. If the Wildcats advance far into March, it’ll be on the back of the 6’8 wing.
4. Does Florida have enough offense for a Final Four run?
If the question was asked right after the PK80 Invitational, the answer would’ve been unequivocally yes. At one point the team led the country in scoring, playing at an incredibly fast pace, led by speedy point guard Chris Chiozza.
The highlight of the season so far has been the Gators double overtime win over Gonzaga, with 17 3-pointers made in the win. Transfers Jalen Hudson and Egor Koulechov had as good a start with a new team as possible.
But since then, the shots started not to fall, and the team has struggled to score. In fact, the team barely got 60 points in their loss to Loyola-Chicago. We’ve seen both the highs and the lows of this team on offense, a team that’s both Final Four caliber as well as a possible early round exit squad.
5. Can the Porter brothers carry Missouri to the NCAA tournament?
In one of the biggest disappointments of the season, freshman phenom Michael Porter Jr. went down with a leg injury just two minutes into his debut. There have been rumors of a possible return, but with millions on the table, that’s unlikely.
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The good news is that the team has remained solid even after the loss. The other brother Jontay, leads the team in rebounding and has become a good role player for the team. It’s been the upperclassmen that have been leading the way, including Canisius grad transfer Kassius Robertson, who leads the team in scoring. Add the Tigers to what should be a very competitive SEC.