The SEC went 3-0 in Sunday’s games, with Vanderbilt’s road victory over USC being one of the better games of the early season thus far.
There’s only one game on Monday night’s schedule, as Arkansas hosts UC Davis.
Let’s run through some thoughts from yesterday’s action along with a pick for tonight’s game.
Sunday recap
No. 18 Mississippi State 77, Hartford 59
Hartford came out and tried to slow the game down considerably, but the Bulldogs’ length and athleticism was too overwhelming at times.
Mississippi State sort of had a lull in the second half after getting up big, and Ben Howland said they weren’t entirely happy with the final margin of victory after the game.
Something that may be worth watching with this team this season is shot selection. There were many times in this game where the Bulldogs took long jump shots early in the shot clock instead of trying to attack with their size and strength.
The good news in that regard is that they shot it well from beyond the arc in going 9 of 24 on the night.
More than likely, a lot of teams are going to force Howland’s team to win the game from the perimeter, as one of Mississippi State’s biggest weaknesses a season ago was outside shooting. The Bulldogs need to find the patience to attack those areas and not just settle for 15-plus foot shots and beyond all the time.
However, when you play somewhat sloppy and still win by 18, you’re in decent shape.
Noteworthy Stats
- Quinndary Weatherspoon led the way with 22 points on 8 of 15 shooting
- Tyson Carter provided a spark off the bench with 14 points while going 4 of 7 from 3-point range
- Aric Holman added 12 points and eight rebounds
- The Bulldogs had 16 offensive rebounds and 20 second chance points
Alabama 81, Appalachian State 73
I had a feeling this would be a tougher game than most expected due to Appalachian State’s toughness and scoring ability.
But for anyone that watched the game, there was something that stood out above almost everything else: Kira Lewis can play.
The 5-star freshman notched 21 points on 9-of-18 shooting and committed just one turnover in 31 minutes of action.
Before the season started, the common belief was that Lewis would be worked into the rotation gradually so that he get used to certain aspects of the college game and gain valuable experience along the way.
Well, we’re two games into the season, and he’s currently averaging 30 minutes per contest. That number is probably a little higher due to Dazon Ingram missing the first game due to injury, but it’s clear that Avery Johnson has no reservations when it comes to letting Lewis learn on the job.
He’s an excellent competitor that can score in a variety of ways, and that’s going to be a valuable asset for the Crimson Tide this season.
And don’t forget, Lewis is only 17 years old and won’t turn 18 until the season is over in April.
Noteworthy Stats
- Donta Hall racked up a double-double with 12 points and 12 rebounds
- Ingram had eight points and eight rebounds in his return to action
- Alabama’s free-throw struggles were back in making just 26 of 43 attempts (60 percent)
- The Tide won despite shooting 38 percent from the floor
- Alabama grabbed 21 offensive rebounds and converted that into 19 second chance points
Vanderbilt 82, USC 78
There have been plenty of impressive victories thus far this season in college basketball, but I think you have to rank the Commodores’ win in Los Angeles right up there.
It’s not just that Bryce Drew’s team won the game, it’s how they did it.
We came into the season talking all about how Vanderbilt was going to rely on underclassmen and why that could be a cause for concern in close games against skilled opponents.
Well, the Commodores passed their first big test in that department. The freshman trio of Darius Garland, Simi Shittu, and Aaron Nesmith were excellent down the stretch, as all three made game-winning type of plays.
Garland led the way once again with 19 points. Shittu racked up a double-double before we even hit halftime, and despite not playing for a lot of the second half due to foul trouble, still finished with 14 points and 15 rebounds. Nesmith scored 10 points and led the team with four assists.
The poise down the stretch from those players was a glaring positive. They didn’t back down from the moment, and instead, embraced the challenge of needing to make plays to hold off the home team.
But it wouldn’t be accurate to only praise the freshmen, because there was another player that stepped up in a big way.
Senior forward Joe Toye had 16 points and hit several key free throws down the stretch to lift the Commodores, and his performances through two games are an encouraging sign. He’s had problems with consistent over the years, but there’s no doubt that he has the tools to be a major contributor for Drew and company this season.
Simply put, even with USC missing a few key players, this was a massive win for a young Vanderbilt team that has many of the pieces needed to surprise a lot of people in the SEC this season.
Noteworthy Stats
- Saben Lee struggled from the field in making just 3 of 13 shots but sealed the game with two free throws with two seconds left
- The Commodores made 9 of 26 attempts from 3-point range
Today’s Pick
Arkansas -15 vs. UC Davis (Game Preview)
- Season Predictions (straight up): 19-4
- ATS and O/U Record: 0-0
Since some have asked for more picks against the spread (rather than just straight up), we’re gonna give this a try.
But just remember that we’re mostly doing this for fun, so don’t blow all your money on our advice that will almost certainly be wrong many times throughout the season.
Full analysis will be located in the game previews, but we’ll do some quick thoughts in these notebook posts as well.
UC Davis has struggled through two games, and while I do have concerns about a potential Arkansas letdown after a tough loss to Texas, the Razorbacks should take care of business by attacking the glass and finding a good amount of extra scoring opportunities.
For more SEC basketball coverage, follow me on Twitter @theblakelovell.