SEC In Review

Flickr/Acdixon

A look into the Southeastern Conference's 2010-11 basketball season. By Trevor Hass 

While the Southeastern Conference is known predominantly as a perennial football powerhouse, it also boasts a number of strong basketball programs. Last year, the SEC sent five teams to the NCAA tournament: Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Tennessee, and Vanderbilt.  Here is a team-by-team recap of the 2010-11 season:

Alabama – Some feel the Crimson Tide were snubbed of an NCAA berth. ‘Bama was on the bubble according to ESPN Bracketologist Joe Lunardi, yet the team settled for a spot in the NIT tournament as the number one overall seed. Led by JaMychal Green’s productivity, the Tide made it to the finals before falling to a pesky Wichita State squad.


Arkansas – Arkansas’ offense goes as Rotnei Clarke goes. The junior averaged 15 points per game and shot a whopping 44 percentage from beyond the arc. Clarke went 4/13 from the field in the first round of the SEC tournament against tourney-bound Tennessee and the Razorbacks finished the year at 18-13. 


Auburn – While prolific quarterback Cam Newton ignited the Tigers to a national championship in football, the Auburn offense was not quite as dominant on the court. The Tigers finished 306th in the nation in scoring and ended the season at a lowly 11-20.


Florida – Chandler Parsons, Erving Walker, and Kenny Boynton carried a balanced Florida team all the way to the Elite 8 in the NCAA tournament. The Gators finished the regular season with a 29-8 record, including a 13-3 mark in the SEC. Parsons ended the year with 11 points per game, eight rebounds per game, and four assists per game.  Florida lost a thriller to Butler in the Elite Eight, after knocking off Jimmer Fredette and the BYU Cougars in overtime in the Sweet 16.


Georgia – Junior Trey Thompkins utilized his lethal outside game and crafty post moves to catapult the Bulldogs to the NCAA tournament. Georgia was a trendy upset pick over 7-seed Washington, but the Huskies took care of business, winning 68-65 in a back-and-forth contest.


Kentucky – Kentucky has been to the NCAA tourney 51 times, which is the most out of any D-1 school and won seven national championships. In 2010, a John Calipari-led squad made yet another run, reaching the Final Four before falling to eventual champion UConn in a slugfest. Bruiser Josh Harrellson, NBA-bound Brandon Knight, and stealthy Doron Lamb carried the Wildcats.


LSU – The Tigers stumbled to an 11-21 season and lost in the first round of the SEC tournament. Freshman Ralston Turner averaged 12 points per game in his freshman year.

(AP Photo/Rogelio V. Solis)

Mississippi State – Ravern Johnson (left) averaged 18 points per game for the 17-14 Bulldogs. MSU made it to the quarterfinals of the SEC tourney before falling to Vandy.


Ole Miss – Ole Miss missed the NCAA Tourney, but its 20-14 record warranted a spot in the NIT. The Rebels lost to California in the first round.  


South Carolina – The Gamecocks finished 29th in the nation in rebounding, thanks in large part to Sam Muldrow, and ended the season at 14-16.


Tennessee – Head coach Bruce Pearl was suspended for the first eight SEC games of the season due to recruiting violations. He was then fired on March 21st. Despite the off-court saga, the Volunteers finished the regular season at 19-15 and obtained an 8-seed in the NCAA tourney. However, they got annihilated in the first round by a Michigan team that clicked on all cylinders. 


Vanderbilt – In one of the biggest upsets of the first round, Vandy lost to 12-seed Richmond. Despite this disappointment, the Commodores finished the regular season at an impressive 23-11. John Jenkins contributed 20 points per game for Vandy.