With the SEC building a lot of momentum heading into the new year, there’s a chance to add more big wins prior to conference play.
There are six conference teams set for action on Wednesday night, and several of them will take on upset-minded opponents.
Let’s get to the picks.
Season Predictions Record (straight up): 103-25
No. 5 Virginia at South Carolina – 7 p.m. EST, SEC Network
The Gamecocks fared better than most thought they would in the trip to Michigan back on Dec. 8, and that may be a game that Frank Martin can use to get ready for a similar test against Virginia.
Tony Bennett’s team continues to use be efficient on both sides of the court, with the Cavaliers rankings in the top 15 nationally in both offensive and defensive efficiency.
South Carolina’s key to success in this one will be to keep Chris Silva out of foul trouble while also not forcing bad shots on the offensive side of the court. Taking care of the ball will be equally important against this excellent Virginia defense.
The performance against the Wolverines showed what the Gamecocks are capable of, but it’s going to be tough to overcome the visitors in this one.
Prediction: Virginia 64, South Carolina 58
No. 7 Auburn at NC State – 7 p.m. EST, ESPN2
These two teams want to get up and down the court, which should make for one of the most entertaining games of the evening.
Kevin Keatts has the Wolfpack rolling along thus far this season, and they are currently ranked 17th nationally with a 14.9 average offensive possession length.
As for the Tigers, they didn’t play their best game in the overtime win over UAB last weekend, but that should allow Bruce Pearl to have his team’s full attention heading into what will be a more difficult challenge.
Auburn has to make shots early against what is a very balanced NC State team, or it could allow the Wolfpack to take control thanks to their ability to put points up in a hurry.
This will be NC State’s toughest game on the schedule to this point, and I tend to believe that it is looking to make a statement here.
I’ll lean towards the Wolfpack to grab the close win.
Prediction: NC State 83, Auburn 81
Samford at No. 3 Tennessee – 7 p.m. EST, SEC Network+
While the Vols have played two physically demanding games over the past week and a half, they’ll need to be ready for some of the challenges that will be presented by a solid Samford squad.
Scott Padgett has the Bulldogs playing very well right now, with their only two losses coming against Ohio State and Belmont.
But Tennessee has proven that is capable of winning in a variety of ways, and with Grant Williams and Admiral Schofield forming one of the best one-two punches in college basketball, this team has national championship aspirations.
Samford is shooting 40.9 percent from 3-point range (ninth nationally), so I wouldn’t be shocked to see this game be closer than expected for a while since Tennessee is coming off a highly emotional game against Memphis.
But the Vols should take care of business.
Prediction: Tennessee 78, Samford 62
Wofford at No. 17 Mississippi State – 8 p.m. EST, SEC Network+
The Bulldogs have posted quality wins in consecutive outings, as they put together impressive performances against both Clemson and Cincinnati.
However, Ben Howland’s group better be prepared for a tough Wofford team that as already played well against teams like North Carolina and Oklahoma this season.
And let’s not forget that the Terriers won at South Carolina by 20 several weeks ago.
Wofford may actually be able to limit Mississippi State’s opportunities on the offensive glass, which may seem surprising considering the size and athleticism for the Bulldogs.
But Mike Young’s team currently ranks eighth nationally in allowing opponents to secure just a 22.4 percent offensive rebounding percentage, and that trend needs to continue if the visitors want to pull off the upset.
In recent years, this is the type of game that Mississippi State would likely struggle with. If the Bulldogs want to be an SEC title contender, they’ll need to show that they can pick up a victory in this spot.
I’ll go with Mississippi State to get the win, but it won’t be easy.
Prediction: Mississippi State 70, Wofford 64
Valparaiso at Texas A&M – 8:30 p.m. EST, SEC Network+
Texas A&M earned its best win of the season last Saturday in scoring a 67-64 victory over Oregon State, so perhaps Billy Kennedy’s team can build off that in this particular matchup.
Valpo hasn’t been all that consistent to this point in the season, but it has played somewhat well in away from home games against Western Kentucky, Wake Forest, and West Virginia.
The most glaring statistic that may decide this game is Texas A&M’s ability to produce a lot of second-chance opportunities, with the Aggies currently 12th nationally in offensive rebounding percentage (37.9 percent). On the flip side, the Crusaders are 295th defensively in that same category.
Texas A&M is still a hard team to trust, but the win over the Beavers should have given them some much-needed confidence.
Prediction: Texas A&M 75, Valparaiso 63
Georgia Tech at Arkansas – 9 p.m. EST, SEC Network
The Hogs got back on track against UTSA after the tough loss to Western Kentucky, and now they’ll turn their attention to a Georgia Tech team that’s coming off a surprising 10-point home loss to Gardner-Webb.
Defensively, the Yellow Jackets have been pretty good this season in ranking seventh in effective field-goal percentage defense (42.3 percent) while also holding teams to just 26.7 percent shooting from beyond the arc (10th nationally).
But on the offensive side of the court, it’s been a different story for Josh Pastner’s group. Georgia Tech is 278th nationally in scoring offense (70.3 points per game), and the efficiency just hasn’t been there when it comes to finding consistency offense.
With the Razorbacks rarely struggling in that area, this just feels like a good spot for them, especially considering the Yellow Jackets’ deflating loss earlier in the week.
Prediction: Arkansas 73, Georgia Tech 63
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