More Potential SEC Basketball Bad News for Kentucky

Kentucky’s loss to Alabama was bad. It could get even uglier in SEC play next Saturday.

The Wildcats will be on the road yet again, facing a top ten SEC opponent. Next week it will be against rival Tennessee who has a knack for suffocating opponents. On the same day Alabama put the cuffs on Oscar Tshiebwe, Tennessee completely shut out South Carolina star G.G. Jackson. After scoring in double figures in every game this season, the freshman phenom put up a big goose-egg, missing all eight field goals and scoring zero points in the Volunteers’ 85-42 victory over South Carolina.

Tennessee now has the No. 1 defense in the country, according to KenPom. They rank second nationally in scoring defense (53.2 ppg.), second in opponent field goal percentage (33.7%) and seventh in opponent turnovers per game (17.7). Rick Barnes has a winning record over John Calipari since he arrived in Knoxville and is 6-3 over their last nine head-to-head matchups. The Cats might not score 40 points next Saturday. This next game is setting up to be the BBN’s worst nightmare.

An LSU Loss Hurts Kentucky’s Resume

Fresh off a loss in Lexington, LSU traveled to College Station and Buzz Williams put on a clinic. Texas A&M handled the Bayou Bengals in a 69-55 win. Why is this bad news for the Wildcats? The loss dropped LSU to No. 89 in the NET ratings, making the UK mid-week win a Quad 3 win. Kentucky is 1-5 vs. Quad 1 and Quad 2 opponents.

SEC Basketball Standings

Even though these early standings are deceptive, a power ranking of the conference would not look drastically different.

Mizzou Holds Off Vanderbilt

Winning at Vanderbilt’s unorthodox gym never comes too easily for the Cats, but they typically find a way to win in equally unorthodox fashion. That might be a taller task this spring.

Jerry Stackhouse’s team showed plenty of fight against red-hot Missouri. After trailing by 11 midway through the second half, Vanderbilt clawed back into the game and tied it at 71 with less than five minutes to play at Mizzou Arena. A DeAndre Ghoulston layup gave the Tigers the lead and they hit a dozen free throws in the closing minutes to put away the Commodores with an 85-82 victory.

Auburn Mollywhops Arkansas

One nice consolation prize for Kentucky fans: We don’t have to deal with an SEC road trip to see sweaty Bruce Pearl on the Plains. No. 13 Arkansas, still playing without Nick Smith, let Auburn go on a late run to close out the first half with an 11-point lead. Despite the Razorbacks’ best efforts, they could never get within striking range in the second half. Wendell Greene had 19 points and Johni Broome had a 10-point, 10-rebound double-double in Auburn’s 72-59 victory.