Lovell’s Notebook: Preview magazines, coach interviews, etc.

By
Blake Lovell
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It’s the day after the return of college football Saturday, and I’m over here writing about SEC basketball.

But something in particular sparked this notebook entry.

Let us begin.

They’re here

You know college basketball season is near when the preview magazines become available.

That’s why there is an excitement in the air now that Athlon Sports has released its 2017-18 preview magazine, which is available on newsstands and the Athlon Sports website.

As mentioned in the tweet above, I had the opportunity to contribute to this year’s magazine by writing the Auburn preview.

If you’ve followed this website or listened to the Southeast Hoops podcast, you know how high I am on the Tigers entering the season.

The magazine preview goes a bit more in depth on my overall thoughts on Bruce Pearl‘s squad, with additional reasoning why I think Auburn will be in the NCAA Tournament for the first time since 2003.

But in looking deeper at the SEC part of the preview, it backs up what I’ve said all offseason:

This is going to be a really, really fun year for SEC basketball fans.

And without spoiling too much – because $10 for a 220+ page preview with this much info is totally worth it – Athlon Sports projects the SEC to be tied with another power conference (and not the one you’re thinking of) for most NCAA bids.

But that’s just one part of the overall picture. There are plenty of other SEC features within the magazine that will give you plenty of knowledge heading into the season, including an interesting one-on-one Q&A with Michael Porter Jr.

Go pick up this magazine right now.

Battle at the top

Now is a good time to tell you that my SEC preseason power rankings will officially be released in a few weeks.

However, a spot that once seemed set in stone is now a little less clear.

And that is the spot at the top.

By most people’s accounts, that spot belongs to the Kentucky Wildcats. And after once again securing the nation’s No. 1 recruiting class, it’s easy to understand why John Calipari‘s team is the safe pick to clinch at least a share of the regular season title for the fourth straight season.

But I am finding it harder and harder to overlook the credentials of what has been Kentucky’s most consistent competition over the years: the Florida Gators.

Upon first glance, it’s understandable why picking the Gators above the Wildcats could be considered a bad idea.

After all, Florida will start the season with only one of its top six scorers from a season ago – Canyon Barry, Devon Robinson, Kasey Hill, and Justin Leon are all gone while John Egbunu is out until at least January.

But in seeing the overall makeup of this year’s roster, there’s enough depth to ease any concerns. Players like Chris Chiozza, Kevarrius Hayes, and Keith Stone will all benefit from quality minutes in last year’s Elite Eight run.

The two transfers – Rice grad transfer Egor Koulechov and Virginia Tech guard Jalen Hudson – will provide an immediate scoring boost. Then there’s the Top 20 recruiting class that features a talented trio in Chase Johnson, DeAundrae Ballard, and Isaiah Stokes.

I’m still undecided on who I’ll ultimately rank at the top.

But what I do know is that it’s a lot closer than it was a month ago.

SEC coach interviews continue

This summer, I’ve released podcast interviews with seven coaches from around the SEC:

That number will become eight on September 5 when my conversation with Arkansas head coach Mike Anderson is released on our Marching to Madness podcast.

The Razorbacks will be paced by a senior-laden roster that features Daryl Macon and Jaylen Barford, plus potential breakout performers like Dustin Thomas and Trey Thompson. Anderson also has a solid freshman class, with 6-foot-10 center Dan Gafford being the player with the most intrigue.

Of course, the roster is not without its question marks. It won’t be easy to replace sharpshooter Dusty Hannahs and do-it-all big man Moses Kingsley, so Anderson will need to fill the void left by those two.

We talk more about players that could fill that void, the team’s theme during offseason workouts, the continued mentorship of Nolan Richardson, and more in the podcast interview.

Other random SEC basketball thoughts

– One underrated aspect of Texas A&M’s potential success this season has to do with offensive rebounding. The Aggies were Top 10 nationally in offensive rebounding percentage, and with the team’s top five rebounders healthy and improved to start the season, it may be difficult for teams to limit Texas A&M’s second-chance opportunities.

– Are we forgetting how good Braxton Key was last season? Perhaps our brains have been clouded by the potential of this highly-talented recruiting class in Tuscaloosa, but there isn’t a more versatile player on the roster than Key. Avery Johnson talked about that versatility being Key’s biggest strength prior to last season, and that was clear throughout the year. His development in his second season will determine whether Alabama can be a second-weekend NCAA Tournament team.

– Losing Rakym Felder really hurts a South Carolina team that was already missing its top three players from last season. He would’ve been relied upon to be a stabilizing force in the backcourt after the departure of Sindarius Thornwell, P.J. Dozier, and Duane Notice. Unfortunately, thanks to an indefinite suspension, that now seems unlikely.

– I’ve seen some people pick Georgia as low as last in the SEC, while others have them obtaining a surprising top half finish. I’m somewhere in the middle. I don’t see a team led by a Player of the Year candidate in Yante Maten finishing last, but replacing a player like J.J. Frazier doesn’t happen overnight.

– Mississippi State will once again be filled with talent across the board, but how quickly the Bulldogs rise up the conference ladder will depend on their ability to win close games. Ben Howland saw his team lose half its games last year by seven points or less. The added year of experience will help win some of those, but will it be enough to make significant strides in a loaded SEC?

– I know some people are low on Vanderbilt after losing Luke Kornet, but this is still a tremendous shooting team. It wouldn’t surprise me to see the Commodores go with a smaller lineup at times to play to that strength, with players like Riley LaChance, Matthew Fisher-Davis, Jeff Roberson, and Joe Toye all expected to be even better from 3-point land. Freshman guards Saben Lee and Maxwell Evans also played well during the team’s trip to the U.S. Virgin Islands in early August.

– Putting aside team allegiances for a second, the tweet below is one of many great gestures we’ve seen from SEC teams in providing help for Hurricane Harvey victims. Teams around the conference have sent gear to Houston coach Kelvin Sampson, and now Calipari and the Wildcats helped raise over a million dollars during a telethon. Awesome stuff.

– Here’s a good look at SEC non-conference schedules based on where teams finished in KenPom last year. While this formula only factors in last season’s results, it gives you a decent idea of where programs stand.

– Our SEC player previews are off to a strong start, and here are six previews to get you started (more to come).

– I’ve had a lot of great applicants thus far for the open writing positions available here on Southeast Hoops. Get ready for even more SEC basketball coverage this season.