There was only one SEC team in action on Monday, as Arkansas notched its first victory of the season.
However, there are several intriguing matchups tonight, with No. 5 Tennessee and No. 22 LSU both looking to keep their momentum rolling right along.
Let’s run through yesterday’s action and make some picks for the four games on Tuesday’s schedule.
Monday recap
Arkansas 81, UC Davis 58
After leading by only seven points at halftime, the Razorbacks some adjustments and pulled away down the stretch to their first win with the new-look roster.
I mentioned in the game preview that this was the type of game that would tell us a lot about this Arkansas group.
After the tough loss to Texas, there were unknowns with how a team this young would respond. However, they were focused and didn’t allow a more experienced team in UC Davis to make too many runs.
The Hogs forced 24 turnovers and turned that into 26 points, which is exactly what Mike Anderson wants to see from his teams.
It was also another good outing from Arkansas’s backcourt. Mason Jones led the way with 21 points on 6-of-10 shooting (including 4 of 7 from 3-point range) and eight rebounds, and freshman Isaiah Joe followed up his solid Texas performance with 14 points in this one.
Adrio Bailey had one of the better performances of his career as well in scoring a career-high 20 points.
The Razorbacks are still a work in progress, but the toughness and competitiveness of this group is already a glaring positive.
Noteworthy Stats
- Daniel Gafford had 12 points and eight rebounds but now has 12 turnovers through two games
- Arkansas held UC Davis to just 32 percent shooting from the field
- The Razorbacks racked up 10 steals
- UC Davis grabbed a 36-31 advantage on the boards
Tuesday’s picks
South Carolina vs. Norfolk State U142 (Game Preview)
Georgia +3.5 at Temple (Game Preview)
Memphis +11 at LSU (Game Preview)
Tennessee -16 vs. Georgia Tech (Game Preview)
- Season Predictions Record (straight up): 20-4
- ATS and O/U Record (started 11/12): 1-0
As always, my picks are mainly for fun, so don’t mistake them for an advanced statistical model or anything like that.
The South Carolina/Norfolk State matchup features two teams that aren’t efficient offensively, so it could be a grind-it-out type of game.
Meanwhile, I’d be surprised if either the Georgia/Temple or Memphis/LSU games are blowouts. Georgia will have to slow down Shizz Alston Jr. and Quinton Rose, and Memphis will need to do the same against Tremont Waters and Naz Reid.
In Knoxville, the Vols should take care of business even with Lamonte Turner still sidelined due to a shoulder injury.
For more SEC basketball coverage, follow me on Twitter @theblakelovell.