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College Basketball Preview
2003-2004 SCS.com SEC Preview
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Below is a look at how SCS.com thinks the SEC will stack up this season. The preview includes a look at each team individually, the first and second all-conference teams, complete projections, and more.
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| A LOOK BACK AT 2002 - 2003 |
SEC East Standings
| (1) Kentucky | 16-0 | 32-4 |
| (2) Florida | 12-4 | 25-8 |
| (3) Georgia | 11-5 | 19-8 |
| (4) Tennessee | 9-7 | 17-12 |
| (5) South Carolina | 5-11 | 12-16 |
| (6) Vanderbilt | 3-13 | 11-18 |
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SEC West Standings
| (1) Mississippi State | 9-7 | 21-10 |
| (2) Auburn | 8-8 | 22-12 |
| (3) LSU | 8-8 | 21-11 |
| (4) Alabama | 7-9 | 17-12 |
| (5) Arkansas | 4-12 | 9-19 |
| (6) Mississippi | 4-12 | 14-15 |
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SEC Tournament Championship Game
Kentucky over Mississippi State |
| 2003 - 2004 SEC PRESEASON PROJECTIONS |
Projected SEC East Standings
| (1) Florida | 13-3 |
| (2) Kentucky | 12-4 |
| (3) Georgia | 8-8 |
| (4) Tennessee | 7-9 |
| (5) South Carolina | 4-12 |
| (6) Vanderbilt | 4-12 |
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Projected SEC West Standings
| (1) Mississippi State | 11-5 |
| (2) Auburn | 10-6 |
| (3) Arkansas | 8-8 |
| (4) LSU | 7-9 |
| (5) Mississippi | 7-9 |
| (6) Alabama | 5-11 |
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| 2003 - 2004 PRESEASON ALL-CONFERENCE TEAMS |
| First Team All-SEC |
| G |
TIMMY BOWERS
Mississippi State Bulldogs Senior 14.6 PPG 46.8 FG% 41.2 3P% |
| G |
ANTHONY ROBERSON
Florida Gators Sophomore 15.2 PPG 40.9 FG% 38.9 3P% |
| F |
MATT FREIJE
Vanderbilt Commodores Senior 17.9 PPG 44.3 FG% 79.8 FT% |
| F |
MARCO KILLINGSWORTH
Auburn Tigers Junior 13.3 PPG 55.0 FG% 6.4 RPG |
| F |
JUSTIN REED
Mississippi Rebels Senior 15.4 PPG 48.8 FG% 42.6 3P% |
Bowers
MSU |
Roberson
UF |
Freije
VAN |
Killingsworth
AUB |
Reed
UM |
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| Second Team All-SEC |
| G |
GERALD FITCH
Kentucky Wildcats Senior 12.3 PPG 47.2 FG% 41.5 3P% |
| G |
JONATHAN MODICA
Arkansas Razorbacks Sophomore 11.5 PPG 46.4 FG% 36.0 3P% |
| F |
DAVID LEE
Florida Gators Junior 11.2 PPG 64.8 FG% 6.8 RPG |
| F |
LAWRENCE ROBERTS
Mississippi State Bulldogs Junior 13.3 PPG 55.0 FG% 6.4 RPG |
| F |
JAIME LLOREDA
LSU Tigers Senior 12.3 PPG 56.3 FG% 9.0 RPG |
Fitch
UK |
Modica
ARK |
Lee
UF |
Roberts
MSU |
Lloreda
LSU |
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| 2003 - 2004 PRESEASON PLAYER OF THE YEAR |
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ANTHONY ROBERSON
FLORIDA GATORS #1
Sophomore Guard
6'1" 180 lbs.
Saginaw, Michigan Saginaw High School |
| Roberson's 2002 - 2003 Stats |
| PPG |
RPG |
FG% |
FT% |
3P% |
| 15.2 |
6.1 |
40.9 |
82.0 |
38.9 |
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| INDIVIDUAL TEAM PREVIEWS |
ALABAMA CRIMSON TIDE
Coach Mark Gottfried's team lost three of their top four leading scorers from last year's team which was a surprise selection to the NCAA Tournament. Sophomore Kennedy Winston will have to pick up the slack left by departed seniors Erwin Dudley, Kenny Walker, and Maurice Williams. Seniors Antoine Pettway and Emmett Thomas will have much expected out of them this season. The Tide will have to battle their inexperience while facing a tough non-conference schedule that includes games against Pittsburgh, Oregon, Wisconsin, and Xavier.
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ARKANSAS RAZORBACKS
The Hogs are a youthful team with only one senior in the projected starting lineup. The losses of Baker, Gomez, and Lane hurt, but sophomore guards Eric Ferguson and Jonathan Modica look like potential stars. Both averaged about 11 points per game last season. Coach Stan Heath brought in a couple of good freshmen that can contribute right away. No player listed on the roster is over 6'9", meaning Arkansas will again rely on their athletic guards to make the outside shot and beat people with speed and athleticism. UA's toughest pre-conference games are against Illinois and Oklahoma State.
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AUBURN TIGERS
Cliff Ellis' team was one win away from winning the SEC Western Division championship last season and was the SEC's biggest surprise in the NCAA Tournament, advancing to the Sweet 16. Marquis Daniels and Derrick Bird are starters who must be replaced. Center Kyle Davis is a shot-blocking machine, while forward Marco Killingsworth, guard Lewis Monroe, and forward Brandon Robinson are all solid players. The Tigers will have a chance to get their lineup in order before the SEC season begins as they have an extremely favorable non-conference schedule.
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FLORIDA GATORS
The Florida Gators again had a successful season in '02-'03 but fell out of the NCAA Tournament in the second round to Michigan State. All-conference forward Matt Bonner is the team's biggest loss; guards Justin Hamilton and Brett Nelson will also have to be replaced. UF has possibly one of the best sophomore classes in the country in guard/forward Christian Drejer, forward Matt Walsh, and guard Anthony Roberson. Forward David Lee is an all-conference performer, as is Roberson. UF has non-conference games against Arizona, Maryland, Louisville, and Florida State.
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GEORGIA BULLDOGS
UGA's program hit rock-bottom late last season when former player Tony Cole made allegations against coach Jim Harrick and his staff, leading to the university declaring themselves ineligible for postseason play. It was a tumultuous departure for seniors Jarvis Hayes and Ezra Williams, two of the best players in the SEC. Georgia returns three starters from last year's team, all of whom averaged right around 10 points per game. All five projected starters are seniors; the rest of the team is made of all freshmen. UGA plays Gonzaga, Pittsburgh, and Georgia Tech before SEC action begins.
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KENTUCKY WILDCATS
The Wildcats pulled off a 19-0 SEC season in '02-'03, including three straight wins in the SEC Tournament. Coach Tubby Smith proved he's one of the nation's best coaches, but his work is cut out for him this season. Keith Bogans and Marquis Estill, averaging 16 and 12 points respectively, as well as Jules Camara, are all gone. Guard Gerald Fitch is the star returnee but is complemented by returning starters Erik Daniels and Chuck Hayes. A player to watch is 7'3" center Shagari Alleyne. UK plays out-of-confernce games against UCLA, Michigan State, Indiana, Louisville, and UNC before SEC play.
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LSU TIGERS
After a strong 2002-2003 season in which the Tigers won 21 games (eight in the SEC), coach John Brady will have to work hard to get this Tiger team to equal that performance. Seniors Toris Bright, Ronald Dupree, and Collis Temple III are all gone; each averaged 11 or more points per game. Jaime Lloreda is the Tigers' returning star, and it looks as if he could start with two freshmen. One of those newcomers is Brandon Bass, a high school star from down the road in Baton Rouge. LSU has only one really tough non-conference game, a December 16 home matchup with Utah.
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MISSISSIPPI REBELS
The Rebels had one of their worse seasons in recent history last year, finishing under .500 overall and winning only four SEC games. Three starters, Allen, Pearson, and Sanders, are gone, as is sixth-man Emanuel Wade. The two returning starters are potential stars though. Aaron Harper and Justin Reed each average more than a dozen points per game, and both shoot over 40% from three-point land. UM's team is also full of newcomers that will have to fill out the supporting staff. Two of the projected starters are transfers whose toughest non-conference games will be against Memphis and at FSU.
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MISSISSIPPI STATE BULLDOGS
The Bulldogs squeaked past Auburn last season for the SEC West title and were just one game away from their second SEC Tournament championship in a row. However, the season ended with a disappointing loss to Butler in the first round of the NCAA Tournament. Star center Mario Austin left early, while seniors Derrick Zimmerman and Michael Ignerski, both starters, graduated. Guard Timmy Bowers is one of the SEC's best, and Baylor transfer Lawrence Roberts should make an immediate impact. MSU has a couple of tough tests out-of-conference at Western Kentucky and against Xavier.
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SOUTH CAROLINA GAMECOCKS
Coach Dave Odom's second year in Columbia wasn't as good as his first as USC won only five conference games. Starters Chuck Eidson and Tony Kitchings moved on, but forwards Rolando Howell and Carlos Powell, both who average at least 10 points per game, are back for this season. Two true freshmen, guard Tre Kelley and forward Brandon Wallace, could be in the starting lineup for South Carolina. A third starter from '02-'03, Kerbrell Brown, rounds out the lineup. The Gamecocks will have their biggest non-conference test on December 20 when they host Julius Hodge and NC State.
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TENNESSEE VOLUNTEERS
After finishing 9-7 in the SEC last season, UT was snubbed of an NCAA Tournament berth, being passed up with 7-9 conference-rival Alabama. Three seniors are gone from that team, most notably all-SEC performer Ron Slay, who averaged more than 21 points per game last season. Brandon Crump and C.J. Watson, both of whom averaged right around 10 points per game, are the two returning starters for UT. Memphis transfer Scooter McFadgon will provide some scoring for the Vols who will have a chance to get things worked out before SEC play thanks to a favorable non-conference slate.
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VANDERBILT COMMODORES
Forward Brian Thorton is the only player not returning from last year's Vandy team that at one point in the season showed much promise. The 'Dores eventually wound up sixth in the East with only a 3-13 conference record. Forward Matt Freije is one of the conference's best players. Last year, he averaged almost 18 points per game while also shooting 44% from the field and 80% from the free-throw line. He is one of only three seniors on the young Vandy roster. The Commodores take on Michigan and Indiana, two tough teams from the Big Ten, before SEC action heats up.
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