It was an eventful night of SEC basketball on Tuesday, but a largely predictable one.
Let’s dive into random thoughts from yesterday’s action.
1. Kentucky is good at basketball
Listen, I thought Kentucky would beat Texas A&M convincingly. But like that? Not at all.
The Wildcats trounced the Aggies 100-58 at Rupp Arena in a game that was a far cry from the classics these two have had in recent years.
Malik Monk was yet again the primary scoring threat for Kentucky, as he finished with 26 points on 8-of-11 shooting.
But what made the biggest impact on the blowout win was Texas A&M’s turnovers. Billy Kennedy team’s turned it over 25 times and simply never had a chance after Admon Gilder gave them a 3-0 lead 33 seconds into the game.
Which brings us to topic No. 2…..
2. The Aggies aren’t a top three SEC team right now
This is in response to Jon Rothstein’s tweet on Texas A&M maybe being the third best team in the league:
I picked Texas A&M to finish third in the SEC this season. However, there’s no way I’m classifying the Aggies as a top three team at this point.
You can look back at this team’s win over Virginia Tech back in November and see what its capable of. But starting off SEC play with a double-digit home loss to Tennessee and a 42-point road loss at Kentucky doesn’t land you in the No. 3 spot.
If Texas A&M wins at South Carolina on Saturday? Then we’ll talk.
For now, I’d take Kentucky, Florida, South Carolina, Arkansas, and Georgia ahead of them in the SEC pecking order.
3. Arkansas may actually be legit
The Razorbacks passed the test in playing only their second true road game of the season.
Arkansas went into Knoxville and held off a red-hot Tennessee team in picking up a 82-78 victory. It was a must-win situation for Mike Anderson’s squad, with a potential 0-3 start staring them down since Kentucky is next on the schedule.
The Hogs got a big boost from Anton Beard and Jaylen Barford off the bench, and good bench play is important when you’re on the road.
Unless there’s a complete collapse, Arkansas looks like an NCAA tournament team.
4. All is well in Gainesville
Florida’s home win over Ole Miss was in no way surprising.
After going on the road and winning in Fayetteville to open up SEC play, there was little doubt that the Gators would return home and feast on a suspect Ole Miss defense. And although Florida struggled shooting at times (that 52% from the free throw line is the biggest concern), it was able to grind out a solid victory.
As I mentioned on Twitter last night, mark February 4 on your calendar. That’s when the Gators host Kentucky in what might be the Wildcats’ only shot at a conference loss this season.
5. Alabama’s defense changes the game
No one will ever mistake Alabama for the Golden State Warriors. The Crimson Tide can be downright ugly on offense at times, but yet still find ways to win thanks to their defense.
Mississippi State was only able to shoot 37% from the floor on Tuesday, and only managed 20 points on 25% shooting in the first half. That was certainly a big key to Alabama’s 68-58 road win in Starkville.
The Crimson Tide also dominated the boards in grabbing 43 boards to Mississippi State’s 26.
In looking at this team’s upcoming schedule (vs. Vanderbilt, vs. Florida, at LSU, vs. Missouri), it wouldn’t be shocking to see Avery Johnson and company start 4-1 in the SEC.
Tonight’s action
South Carolina (10-3) at Georgia (9-4) – 7 PM ET, ESPNU
Getting Sindarius Thornwell back is obviously a huge boost for the Gamecocks. However, Yante Maten is on a complete tear right now, so this will be a challenge for South Carolina.
The Gamecocks are holding opposing teams to just 59 points per game on 36% shooting.
Auburn (10-3) at Vanderbilt (7-6) – 7 PM ET, SEC Network
At this point, the Commodores are using their three-point shooting to win games. Vandy leads the SEC in 3PT FG% (40.2%), so Auburn will have to guard the perimeter in this one.
The biggest concern for Vandy is what happens when the three isn’t falling. This isn’t a great defensive team, and Auburn will play fast and put up a lot of shots.
Bryce Drew’s team will need a great defensive effort to slow down the Tigers.
LSU (8-4) at Missouri (5-7) – 9 PM ET, SEC Network
Well this won’t be pretty. LSU is coming off a home loss to Vandy despite making 17 threes, while Missouri is coming off a home loss to Lipscomb (who also sports purple and yellow).
This is the Tigers’ best chance at an SEC win this season.
See what I did there?
Blake Lovell has worked in sports media for over 10 years. He currently covers SEC football and basketball for various publications.