It was another 3-0 night for the SEC as teams around the league try to continue to build momentum early in the season.
However, the competition will be a bit tougher for the teams in action today, as Alabama and Texas A&M both face strong opponents.
Let’s run through some quick thoughts on yesterday’s games and make picks for Thursday’s matchups.
Wednesday recap
Florida 82, La Salle 69
Don’t let the final score deceive you, as this was a 20-plus point game before Mike White put his walk-ons in down the stretch.
I really wasn’t sure what to expect from the Gators after the loss to Florida State, but they’ve responded with two solid performances.
What stood out most in those two games was Florida’s ability to win without shooting particularly well from 3-point range. The team shot just 3 of 13 against the Explorers while going 8 of 28 in the win over Charleston Southern.
I said before the season that an over reliance on outside shots could cause some struggles, but the Gators have found ways to be effective inside the perimeter by shooting 59.6 percent from 2-point range.
Something else that has been a big boost the past two games is forcing turnovers and converting those into points. Florida forced 19 against La Salle and turned that into 30 points.
If those trends continue, this team should continue to find success.
Noteworthy Stats
- Jalen Hudson led the way with 15 points
- Keyontae Johnson and Kevarrius Hayes each added 12 points
- Florida shot 56 percent from the floor
- The Gators scored 48 points in the paint
Auburn 103, Mississippi College 52
Obviously, this result was expected and there isn’t a ton of takeaways from a game that features a 35-0 run.
But let’s at least acknowledge the career night for senior forward Horace Spencer, who grabbed his first double-double with 14 points and 17 rebounds.
Spencer may not play 30 minutes a night or put up extravagant numbers, but there’s no doubt that he’s an invaluable asset for Bruce Pearl and company due to his leadership and experience.
I’ve said before that Spencer is one of the most humble and likable players that I’ve ever interviewed, so he’s someone that is easy to root for no matter which team you support.
It was also a good outing for Austin Wiley after he made his regular season debut against Washington. The 6-11 junior scored 18 points and grabbed seven rebounds in 16 minutes of action.
The Tigers will now head to Hawaii for the Maui Invitational, where they’ll open up against Xavier on Monday.
I know people are salivating over a potential Auburn/Duke matchup, but as we’ve learned throughout the years, it’s never wise to underestimate the Musketeers.
Noteworthy Stats
- Auburn grabbed 66 total rebounds, including 23 offensive boards
- Bryce Brown had 16 points and four made 3-pointers
- The Tigers scored 32 points off of turnovers
Kentucky 96, North Dakota 58
Now this was the type of dominance we’ve been wanting to see from John Calipari’s squad.
Something else we’ve been wanting to see is more consistency from players like PJ Washington and Tyler Herro, and sure enough, both players delivered against the Fighting Hawks.
Washington finished with a career-high 25 points and seven rebounds while playing just 17 minutes, and Herro had the best scoring night of his young career with 18 points on 7-of-12 shooting.
These two players are going to crucial to Kentucky’s success this season.
Washington played a lot of minutes during his freshman season, so he’s one of the most experienced players on the roster. Herro’s strength is as an outside shooting threat, but as he showed in this game, he can score in other ways as well.
It may have been against an inferior opponent, but there was plenty of positives for the Wildcats as they try to keep improving on some early weaknesses.
Noteworthy Stats
- Keldon Johnson earned a double-double with 12 points and 10 rebounds
- Kentucky grabbed 19 offensive rebounds
- The Wildcats shot 80 percent from the free-throw line in making 24 of 30 attempts
Thursday’s picks
Alabama -3.5 vs. Northeastern (Game Preview)
Gonzaga -17 vs. Texas A&M (Game Preview)
- Season Predictions Record (straight up): 27-4
- ATS Record: 3-5
For more SEC basketball coverage, follow me on Twitter @theblakelovell.