Tag: sec basketball

Nations No. 1 PF, Georgia native Jabari Smith to announce commitment Friday

Jabari Smith of Tyrone, Georgia is set to make his college decision this Friday, choosing between UGA, Auburn, LSU, UNC and Georgia Tech.

5-star power forward Jabari Smith is set to commit between Georgia, Auburn, LSU, Georgia Tech and UNC on Friday, according to reports by TiptonEdits and later  confirmed by ESPN.

Smith is rated as the No. 1 power forward and the No. 1 recruit in the state of Georgia in the 2021 recruiting class, according to 247Sports.

Georgia basketball coach Tom Crean has experience in keeping star basketball players in-state and signing them to play for the Bulldogs.

Possible 2020 NBA No. 1 overall pick Anthony Edwards did just that for the Bulldogs last year when the Atlanta native signed with Georgia and was named SEC Freshman of the Year in his one season with the Bulldogs.

247Sports currently predicts Smith will sign with Auburn.

Check back here Friday for updates on Smith’s commitment.

SEC announces start dates for men’s and women’s basketball

SEC basketball will begin at the end of December.

We will get to see SEC basketball a little earlier than usual this year.

On Friday, the SEC announced that the men’s and women’s basketball conference season will begin on Dec. 29 and 30.

From the press release:

The 2020-21 SEC men’s basketball conference schedule will be comprised of 20 play dates that would accommodate an 18-game schedule with two open dates. Ten SEC schools will fill one of those open dates with the SEC/Big 12 Challenge in late January. The four teams not participating in the SEC/Big 12 Challenge will play league games that day.

The 2020-21 SEC women’s basketball conference schedule remains at 18 play dates that will fit a 16-game league schedule.

Earlier this month, the NCAA Division I Council approved a Nov. 25 start date for the 2020-21 men’s and women’s college basketball seasons, when the SEC will begin non-conference play. Teams can begin preseason practice on Wednesday, Oct. 14 and will have a 42-day window to conduct no more than 30 practices.

Watch: Georgia basketball’s Anthony Edwards talks NBA Draft, possibility of playing for Hawks

Anthony Edwards sits down with Bleacher Report to discuss the NBA Draft and how he should be the No. 1 overall pick.

The NBA will be holding its annual Draft Lottery this Thursday, August 20 at 8:30 pm and we will be watching to find out which teams will have a shot at drafting Georgia basketball star Anthony Edwards as he tries to become UGA’s first-ever No. 1 NBA draft pick.

Edwards was a one-and-done for the Bulldogs, but his dominant play was something DawgNation will be able to look back on with pride.

He led the Bulldogs in 2019 with 19.1 points, 5.2 rebounds and 2.8 assists per game and was named the 2019 SEC Freshman of the Year – the first Bulldog to win the award.

Here’s Edwards as he sits down with Bleacher Reports Taylor Rooks to talk about the upcoming draft and how he would feel about possibly staying home in Georgia to play for the Hawks.

Watch the interview here.

Report: NCAA to allow voluntary football, basketball workouts

According to Pete Thamel of Yahoo Sports, the NCAA voted Wednesday to allow athletes back on campus. Dates and details here

According to Pete Thamel of Yahoo Sports, the NCAA voted Wednesday to allow athletes back on campus starting June 1 for voluntary football and basketball workouts.

Thamel wrote:

“An NCAA vote Wednesday cleared the return of student-athletes to campus in football, men’s basketball and women’s basketball on June 1 through June 30, multiple sources told Yahoo Sports.”

The decision ends the COVID-19 lock-down on athletic activities on campuses through May 31 and is, though just a small step towards normalcy, great news for sports fans and athletes around the country.

Sources reportedly told Yahoo Sports that the Division 1 council will vote on other sports besides football and basketball as soon as possible.

As far as testing procedures, it will be up to the individual school’s and state’s procedures and guidelines, according to Yahoo Sports’ sources.

“It will be up to the schools and political decision-makers to develop protocols on the tests, which cost approximately $100 each,” Thamel added. ““No one wants to get into that,” said a source. “They want to leave it to your own campus and state.””

The 2020 college football season is set to begin August 29 and Georgia football is scheduled to start its season in Atlanta versus Virginia on Sept. 7. What that will look like remains to be known. Last week, NCAA President Mark Emmert said:

“All of the commissioners and every president that I’ve talked to is in clear agreement: If you don’t have students on campus, you don’t have student-athletes on campus. That doesn’t mean [the school] has to be up and running in the full normal model, but you have to treat the health and well-being of the athletes at least as much as the regular students. … If a school doesn’t reopen, then they’re not going to be playing sports. It’s really that simple.”

If the season does go on, most likely there will be a very limited number of people involved and judging by Emmert’s comments and the NBA’s reported plan of resuming their season without fans, we could also see a start to the football season without people in attendance.

Latest NBA Mock Drafts have Kira Lewis Jr. as top 20 draft pick

In the latest mock drafts by CBS Sports as well as Bleacher Report, both mock drafts have Lewis being drafted in the top 20. 

Alabama basketball’s Kira Lewis has continued to climb up the rankings in many recent NBA Mock Drafts. After deciding to test the NBA waters earlier this year, Lewis announced in late April that he was going to stay in the NBA Draft, and that seems to have been the best choice.

Feb 15, 2020; Tuscaloosa, Alabama, USA; Alabama Crimson Tide guard Kira Lewis Jr. (2) drives the ball to the basket against LSU Tigers during the second half at Coleman Coliseum. Marvin Gentry-USA TODAY Sports

In the latest mock drafts by CBS Sports as well as Bleacher Report, both mock drafts have Lewis being drafted in the top 20.

A few weeks ago, CBS’ Gary Parrish has Lewis being drafted in the 28th spot by the New York Knicks, while fellow CBS analyst Kyle Boone has Lewis being the 20th overall pick becoming a Milwaukee Buck.

The latest CBS Sports mock draft by David Cobb has Lewis being drafted by the Dallas Mavericks as the 18th overall pick of the 2020 NBA Draft.

According to Cobb,

“The Mavericks are taking point guard Kira Lewis Jr. after his monster sophomore season at Alabama. Makes sense considering that Avery Johnson made the pick. He’s a former NBA point guard who coached the Mavericks and recruited Lewis to Alabama.”

But Cobb isn’t the only person who sees Lewis being drafted in the top 20. Bleacher Report’s Zach Buckley also sees Kira being drafted in the top 20.

In his mock draft, Buckley sees the Boston Celtics drafting Lewis as the 17th overall pick of the 2020 NBA Draft.

In his two years with the Crimson Tide, Lewis averaged 34.5 minutes, a field goal percentage of 44.7 percent, 1,031 total points, 260 assists and 183 turnovers.

He also averaged 18.5 ppg, 5.2 assists per game, and made 37% percent of his 3 pointers.

Lewis made his announcement to enter into the NBA Draft at the end of March by a heartfelt twitter post.

The NBA draft is scheduled to be held on Thursday, June 25, but Roll Tide Wire will keep you updated on if that changed due to the coronavirus.

Feb 22, 2020; Oxford, Mississippi, USA; Alabama Crimson Tide guard Kira Lewis Jr. (2) drives to the basket as Mississippi Rebels guard Breein Tyree (4) defends during the first half at The Pavilion at Ole Miss. Petre Thomas-USA TODAY Sports

Twitter reacts as SEC cancels G-Day, all SEC spring scrimmages

The SEC announced that it will be cancelling all spring scrimmages, including Georgia football’s G-Day

Amid concerns regarding COVID-19, the Southeastern Conference has canceled play for all remaining winter and spring sports.

This includes out-of conference contests, SEC championship tournaments, and each school’s spring football scrimmage. No football program will host a pro day for its NFL prospects.

For college football fans, they kept their fingers crossed in hopes that spring games would be played as scheduled. However, we all knew that was a long shot.

At the end of the day, it’s just a scrimmage. But for the players, fans and coaches, oftentimes it’s much more than that.

For some fans, spring games are the only Georgia games they can attend in person, given the free admission into the event.

For the coaches, the spring scrimmage is not terribly instrumental in determining depth charts as they have multiple scrimmages throughout the offseason. But what they will be missing out on is an opportunity to get big-time recruits on campus and show them a good time. On the bright side, it’s an even playing field across the conference seeing as how all spring games have been called off.

And for a large number of the players, this was going to be their final G-Day, an event that many of them look forward to. It’s also a chance for the freshmen to begin making a name for themselves among the DawgNation. That will have to wait until fall.

With the SEC confirming what we had all suspected for the last week, Georgia fans took to Twitter to express their sadness over the situation.

 

SEC cancels all remaining competitions, includes spring football games

Conference commissioner Greg Sankey made the necessary decision. It just makes everything else seem even worse somehow.

Amid concerns regarding COVID-19, the Southeastern Conference has canceled play for all remaining winter and spring sports.

This includes out-of conference contests, SEC championship tournaments, and each school’s spring football scrimmage. No football program will host a pro day for its NFL prospects.

Conference commissioner Greg Sankey made the necessary decision. It just makes everything else seem even worse somehow.

“This is a difficult day for all of us, and I am especially disappointed for our student athletes. The health and well-being of our entire conference community is an ongoing priority for the SEC as we continue to monitor developments and information about the COVID-19 virus.”

As per the SEC’s official statement:

“Team and individual practices, meetings and other organized gatherings, whether required or voluntary, remain suspended through at least April 15.”

For more into how the global health pandemic affects the world of college sports:

Georgia football produces positive video amid coronavirus pandemic

Finebaum: NCAA president Emmert’s handling of cancellations “inexcusable”

Coronavirus forces NCAA to make big decisions regarding eligibility, recruiting

SEC cancels its men’s basketball tournament due to coronavirus

NCAA grants spring season athletes an extra year of eligibility

Will Georgia football cancel G-Day due to coronavirus?

Georgia football Pro Day postponed amid coronavirus outbreak

SEC Football Basketball School Rankings: Hoops and Helmets 2019-2020

Which SEC schools had the best and worst years in the two major sports – football and men’s basketball?

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Which SEC schools had the best and worst years in the two major sports – football and men’s basketball? Which fan bases got the glory, and which ones didn’t have any fun?

Contact @PeteFiutak

On the field and court – whose fans had the most fun?

Of course every school has sports outside of the big two that matter and generate revenue, but when it comes to what athletic departments need, it’s really all about college football and men’s basketball.

Which SEC schools had the best and worst seasons?

Here’s how these rankings work.

1) The top-ranked schools with teams that went to a bowl game and would’ve played in the NCAA Tournament.

2) The next group had stronger football seasons and were okay in basketball. The superstar basketball schools get credit, but football is football, especially in the SEC. Football is the bigger revenue generator.

3) One or the other. Usually there’s a disparity with one good season in one sport an a clunker in the other. It’s sort of a catch-all before …

4) The disasters. No bowl game, there wouldn’t have been a trip to the NCAA Tournament, no fun.

The worst-to-best SEC schools in 2019-2020 in college football and college basketball …

SEC Hoops and Helmets: Losers In Both Sports

These schools suffered the indignity of failing to come up with a winning season in either of the two major sports. The fans didn’t get to have any fun.

14. Vanderbilt

Football: 3-9 overall, 1-7 in conference, 7th in SEC East

Basketball: 11-21 overall, 3-15 in conference, 14th in SEC

How Were The Football/Basketball Seasons? The football team never got anything going. There was a close win over a sleepy Missouri team, and that was about it with no offense and blowout loss after blowout loss.

Football was bad, but basketball was worse. At least the Commodores didn’t finish dead last in the conference in football. The hoops side finally won two SEC game in the final three, but overall it lost 17 of its last 20 games.

13. Ole Miss

Football: 4-8 overall, 2-6 in conference, 6th in SEC West

Basketball: 15-17 overall, 6-12 in conference, 12th in SEC

How Were The Football/Basketball Seasons? The basketball team started out well and crashed badly. Just when there was a chance to pivot – at 13-11 on a three-game winning streak – it all went wrong with six losses in the final eight games.

While the bad football season led to landing Lane Kiffin, getting there was rough. Losing five games in the last six was rough enough, but the way it dropped the Egg Bowl at Mississippi State – the peeing dog antics and missed extra point – made it uglier.

NEXT: SEC Hoops and Helmets: Okay In One Sport, Not The Other

Pages: Page 1, Page 2, Page 3, Page 4

Alabama basketball- four players named to SEC All-Conference Teams

The SEC has announced the 2020 Men’s Basketball Awards, and there are 4 players representing the Tide in 4 different categories. 

The SEC has announced the 2020 Men’s Basketball Awards, and there are 4 players representing the Tide in 4 different categories.

It’s the first time since 2006 and second time in program history that Alabama has had four different players earn All-SEC honors in the same year.

Kira Lewis Jr. was named All-Southeastern Conference First Team. John Petty Jr. earned All-SEC Second Team honors.

Also, SEC coaches voted Jaden Shackelford  to the league’s all-freshman team. And Herb Jones was named an all-defensive team performer.

Alabama will face Tennessee on Thursday at the SEC Tournament. The game will be broadcasted on the SEC Network at 12PM CT.

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Georgia men’s basketball announces new season attendance record

For the second consecutive year, Georgia’s men’s basketball has surpassed Stegeman Coliseum’s annual attendance record.

For the second consecutive year, Georgia’s men’s basketball has surpassed Stegeman Coliseum’s annual attendance record.

Attendance spiked following Tom Crean’s 2018 appointment as the Bulldogs’ head coach. When Crean managed to secure the commitment of 2019’s top high school prospect Anthony Edwards, excitement built further for Georgia basketball fans.

So, an average season with an above-average NBA prospect ended on a sour note against rival Florida. Georgia fans have every right to feel dejected.

Win or lose, however, Georgia faithful kept buying tickets to hoot and holler for the Dawgs. The Steg was packed and, oh my, was it loud.

A sure sign of an impassioned fanbase, the majority of the home crowd stayed until each game’s final whistle all year.

Mind you, that’s not just because of the fans’ recognition of the inevitably horrific post-game traffic splitting from Carlton Street toward either Lumpkin Street or East Campus Road.

The 2019-2020 Bulldogs’ hopes aren’t dead. There’s still an entire conference tourney left to be played.

Crean’s squad, which entered the campaign with high hopes, needs to win next week’s SEC Tournament to qualify for the NCAA Tournament. Unless conference tournament results prove otherwise, the Dawgs are considered a bubble team for the National Invitation Tournament (NIT).

In that case, a conference quarterfinal or semifinal would ostensibly improve Crean and company’s chances, but after such an up-and-down season, nothing can be guaranteed (always the case in the sports) or even predicted (always the case in Georgia sports).

Should the Bulldogs receive an NIT invite, they have the opportunity of hosting another game in Athens, potentially adding to the season’s attendance record.