The first full weekend of SEC play got underway on Saturday, and two teams displayed why they are the conference’s best teams.
The day started with No. 7 Alabama welcoming perennial power Kentucky to Coleman Coliseum for an early-season test, and well, the Tide passed it. Alabama shot 48% from the field and outscored the Wildcats, 43-28 to earn a convincing 78-52 win.
In the SEC’s only ranked-vs-ranked matchup of the weekend, No. 20 Auburn took care of business by defeating No. 13 Arkansas, 72-59. Auburn’s Wendell Green Jr. and Allen Flanigan combined to score 37 points while Johni Broome recorded his third-straight double-double. Arkansas relied heavily on Freshman Anthony Black in the second half, as he scored 18 of the Razorbacks’ 34 points in the final 20 minutes. He ended the night with 23 points and seven rebounds.
Another top team in the SEC, Tennessee, had no trouble with South Carolina on the road, defeating the Gamecocks 85-42 in Columbia. The Volunteers’ defense forced South Carolina to shoot just 25% in the game and were able to secure 30 defensive boards. Tennessee’s Oliver Nkhamoua had the performance of the weekend by scoring 21 and reeling in 10 rebounds. He reached that total by going a perfect 10-of-10 from the field and connected on his only three-point attempt.
Other headlines from this weekend’s action include Chris Jans leading Mississippi State to their first SEC win this season, Texas A&M moving to 2-0 in SEC play, and the Florida Gators getting revenge on ex-head coach Mike White in his first trip back to Gainesville.
Here’s a look at the weekend that was in the SEC: