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Snowflakes: SEC Hoops

* What a great night of hoops SEC fans witnessed on Wednesday night. We’ll start in Gainesville where Tennessee came from 16 back to beat the Gators 89-86, and wrapped up the SEC Title in the process. It’s the first outright conference title for the Vols in 41 years, and it may have wrapped up a #1 seed in the NCAA Tournament for the Big Orange. The SEC title is another feather in the cap of Tennessee head coach Bruce Pearl who has engineered one of the most remarkable program turnarounds in conference history. The third year head man has the Vols ranked in the Top 5 and looks to have the program ready to compete year in-year out with the Florida’s and Kentucky’s of the world. Tennessee fans have fallen in love with the Vols’ up tempo style and have turned out in record numbers as home attendance has averaged over 20,000 a game in Knoxville. Maybe Pearl should host that show “Extreme Makeover” in the offseason because that’s exactly what he’s done with Tennessee basketball in just 3 seasons.

* In Nashville, Vanderbilt’s Shan Foster may have wrapped the SEC Player of the Year with his amazing performance in the Commodores’ 86-85 overtime win over Mississippi State. With Vandy trailing late in regulation, the sharp-shooting senior made three pointers with 26 and 14 seconds left to go to force the overtime. And then with the Bulldogs leading 85-83, Foster did it again by hitting a game-winning trey with 2 seconds on the clock. Foster ended the game with 42 points including making his last 9 three-point attempts. It was quite the performance on Senior Night as the Commodores’ all-time leading scorer help keep Vandy’s home record perfect on the season at 19-0. Kevin Stallings’ team is now 25-5, and they will turn their focus to the postseason where a return trip to the Sweet 16 looks very possible.

* Kentucky continued their quality play in conference as they got a huge win at South Carolina, 71-63. It was especially impressive for the ‘Cats to win on the road now that super frosh Patrick Patterson is out for the year. Seniors Joe Crawford and Ramel Bradley combined for 55 points in the victory over the Gamecocks, and they have led the Wildcats to an 11-4 mark in SEC play. It has been quite the turnaround for Kentucky after finishing the non-conference slate at 6-7. Billy Gillispie finally has the team playing his style, and it now looks like the Big Blue has a very good shot to make the Big Dance. They can help ensure a Tourney berth with a win over Florida this weekend and by getting at least one victory in the SEC Tournament.

- Patrick Snow

                                                               

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