SEC Basketball: 2022 Conference Tournament preview and predictions

Players to watch not named Oscar Tshiebwe

JR Scotty Pippen – Vanderbilt

20.5 ppg / 3.6 rpg / 4.1 apg

How far the Commodores go will be directly linked to how well Scotty Pippen plays. The 6’3 guard leads the Commodores in points, steals, assists, minutes, made free throws, and made-field goals. Not only does he lead those categories, there are several he leads by a wide margin, but none telling than his 34 percent Usage Rate, at least 10 percent more than everybody else.

Having hit eight three-pointers versus SMU, the point guard’s 33 percent from beyond the arc is just good enough to force defenders to respect his range and allow him to take them off the dribble to the hole.

SR JD Notae – Arkansas

18.9 ppg / 4.4 rpg / 3.6 apg

Some will argue that JD Notae should have been given the Oscar Tshiebwe treatment and be deemed too good to be mentioned, but if the SEC leading scorer in Scotty Pippen can be mentioned, the second-leading scorer can. Notae has scored twenty or more points in 11 games and in those games, he shot under 40 percent from the field just three times.

If the defense switches when Jaylin Williams sets a screen, the 6’1 guard is getting a layup. Plus his 32 percent from beyond the arc is still dangerous, as he has made the fifth most three-pointers in the SEC. For real excitement, wait until he collects one of his second-most steals in the conference and starts the fast break.

SO Walker Kessler – Auburn

11.5 ppg / 8.2 rpg / 0.9 apg

The 7’1 center may be the fourth leading scorer on the team and does not crack the top twenty scorers list in the SEC after averaging fewer than five points with North Carolina last season, but Walker Kessler is a player to watch simply because of his importance to Auburn’s success. The primary importance of Kessler is his SEC-leading 4.7 blocks per game. In a conference with talented guards who can get to the basket, not only is Kessler not afraid to challenge shots he does.

Secondly, when it comes to occupying opposing teams’ centers, whether it be Oscar Tshiebwe, Jaylin Williams, Garrison Brooks, or Colin Castleton neither end of the court will be an opportunity to rest. Kessler runs the break, finishes lobs off the pick’n’roll, faces up to hit baseline jumpers, and takes centers off the dribble but it pales in comparison to when he occupies the bodies in the paint to allow – future lottery pick – Jabari Smith to score.

SO Tari Eason – LSU

16.9 ppg / 6.9 rpg / 1 apg

The 6’8 leading scorer for the LSU Fighting Tigers has averaged fewer than 25 minutes this season having eclipsed 30 minutes just three times while coming off the bench, aside from four games from late January to early February. If Head Coach Will Wade wants to get more than two victories in the SEC Tournament he will have to play his leading scorer more minutes.

One of the most telling stats is the 76 percent he shoots on his team-leading five free-throw attempts per game. Whether he is taking the ball to the hoop from the perimeter or battling in the paint versus a taller player, Eason is either hitting 57 percent of his two-point field goals or getting to the free-throw line by using his strength or ball-handling abilities.