SEC Player of the Week – Alabama guard Mark Sears, a 6-foot-1, 185-pound senior from Muscle Shoals, Ala., averaged 21.5 points, 6.5 assists, four rebounds, and two steals in wins over No. 8 Auburn and LSU. He opened the week with 22 points, eight assists and five rebounds in the upset win over Auburn. He added 21 points and five assists against LSU on Saturday. Sears recorded his 10th and 11th 20-point games of the season. He ranks 27th in the country in points per game and No. 2 in the SEC.
· SEC Freshman of the Week – Mississippi State guard Josh Hubbard, a 5-foot-10, 190-pound freshman from Madison, Miss., averaged 21.5 points and three rebounds against Florida and No. 8 Auburn. He made the most of his first career start against the Tigers with 15 of his game-leading 17 points during the second half. Hubbard began his week with a SEC season’s best 26 points at Florida which marked his fifth effort of 20-plus points off the bench, the most for a State player in a single season going back to 1989-90.
· Four SEC teams are ranked in the January 29 Associated Press poll. Tennessee leads the way at 5th, Kentucky is 10th, Auburn is 16th, and Alabama is 24th. Additionally, South Carolina and Ole Miss are among the teams receiving votes.
· The January 22 AP poll marked the third straight season that the SEC has had three teams in the Top 10 of the Associated Press Poll at the same time.
· The SEC’s three Top 10 NET teams are tied for the most in the nation, four Top 25 are tied for second-most, and eight Top 50 teams are second-most in the nation (as of Feb. 1).
· SEC teams are averaging 4.57 Quad 1 & 2 wins per team.
· Three SEC players have been named to the John R. Wooden Award Late Season Top 20 List: Johni Broome (AU), Dalton Knecht (UT), Antonio Reeves (UK).
· Kentucky’s John Calipari became the fourth coach to win 400 games at an SEC school on Jan. 17. He joined Adolph Rupp (876), Billy Donovan (467), and Dale Brown (448) in the 400-win club.
· Former Missouri forward Kobe Brown has been honored as a recipient of the NCAA Today’s Top 10 award and will be honored at the NCAA Convention in January. The award recognizes former student-athletes for their exceptional athletic and academic achievements, as well as their contributions to their campuses and communities. The SEC led the nation with four honorees, also including Callie Dickinson of Georgia swimming & diving, Ashley Rogers of Tennessee softball and Trinity Thomas of Florida gymnastics.
· The SEC won the final three games of the first ACC/SEC Challenge to take a 7-7 tie with the ACC. The ACC/SEC Challenge marks the third interconference challenge the SEC has been a part of. The SEC also had events against the Big East (2007-08 to 2012-13) and Big 12 (2013-14 to 2022-23).
· 60 SEC players have been selected in the last six NBA Drafts. That leads all conferences: 50 ACC, 41 Big Ten, 37 Pac-12, 29 Big 12 and 19 Big East.
· Three SEC teams won holiday tournament titles this season: Auburn (Legends Classic), Mississippi State (Basketball Hall of Fame Tip-Off), South Carolina (Arizona Tip-Off).
· 35 NCAA Tournament selections over the last four tournaments.
· 92 players from SEC schools were on 2023-24 NBA Opening Day rosters. Twelve of 14 SEC schools are represented and at least one SEC player is on 29 of the 30 NBA rosters.
· The SEC led all conferences with 10 players selected in the 2023 NBA Draft. Six first round selections also led the nation.
· 13 SEC players on 2023-24 NBA Opening Day rosters have made an NBA All-Star Game.
· The first two college players selected in the 2023 NBA Draft - Alabama’s Brandon Miller (2nd overall) and Arkansas’ Anthony Black (6th overall) - were from the SEC.
· A record-tying 10 SEC teams received postseason bids in 2023. The SEC’s eight NCAA Tournament selections tied its previous best set in 2018. Additionally, two SEC teams competed in the National Invitation Tournament.
· 14 of 14 SEC teams have made at least one NCAA Tournament appearance in the last eight tournaments.
· Nine different SEC teams have advanced to the Sweet 16 in the last six NCAA Tournaments. All 14 SEC members have advanced to the Sweet 16 since 1996.
· Four SEC coaches have been named national coach of the year: Rick Barnes, Chris Beard, John Calipari and Bruce Pearl.
· The SEC ranked second nationally with 2,756,659 fans attending games during the 2022-23 season. An average of 11,344 fans attended games at SEC schools in 2023, an increase of 787 from 2022.
· Three of the top four attendance leaders in 2022-23 were from the SEC. Kentucky led the nation with a total attendance of 357,721, Arkansas ranked third with 323,875) and Tennessee was fourth with 300,496 fans.
SCHEDULE/RESULTS (All Times Eastern):
Tuesday, January 23
at South Carolina 79, #6 Kentucky 62
at Texas A&M 63, Missouri 57
Wednesday, January 24
at Georgia 68, LSU 66
at Alabama 79, #8 Auburn 75
at Florida 79, Mississippi St. 70
at Ole Miss 77, Arkansas 51
Saturday, January 27
at Florida 102, Georgia 98 ot
at South Carolina 72, Missouri 64
at Mississippi St. 64, #8 Auburn 58
#6 Kentucky 63, at Arkansas 57
#5 Tennessee 75, at Vanderbilt 62
at Alabama 109, LSU 88
Ole Miss 71, at Texas A&M 68
Tuesday, January 30
South Carolina 63, at #5 Tennessee 59
at Ole Miss 86, Mississippi St. 82
Wednesday, January 31
#24 Alabama 85, at Georgia 76
Florida 94, at #10 Kentucky 91 ot
Arkansas 91, at Missouri 84
at #16 Auburn 81, Vanderbilt 54
Saturday, February 3
Arkansas at LSU ESPN2 12:00p
South Carolina at Georgia SEC Network 1:00p
Missouri at Vanderbilt SEC Network 3:30p
Florida at Texas A&M ESPN2 4:00p
#16 Auburn at Ole Miss SEC Network 6:00p
#5 Tennessee at #10 Kentucky ESPN 8:30p
Mississippi St. at #24 Alabama SEC Network 8:30p
Tuesday, February 6
Ole Miss at South Carolina SEC Network 6:30p
Kentucky at Vanderbilt SEC Network 8:30p
Wednesday, February 7
Alabama at Auburn ESPN2 7:00p
LSU at Tennessee SEC Network 7:00p
Texas A&M at Missouri ESPN2 9:00p
Georgia at Mississippi St. SEC Network 9:00p
Saturday, February 10
Alabama at LSU ESPN/2 12:00p
Vanderbilt at South Carolina SEC Network 1:00p
Auburn at Florida SEC Network 3:30p
Gonzaga at Kentucky CBS 4:00p
Georgia at Arkansas SEC Network 6:00p
Tennessee at Texas A&M ESPN 8:00p
Mississippi St. at Missouri SEC Network 8:30p
· SEC Freshman of the Week – Mississippi State guard Josh Hubbard, a 5-foot-10, 190-pound freshman from Madison, Miss., averaged 21.5 points and three rebounds against Florida and No. 8 Auburn. He made the most of his first career start against the Tigers with 15 of his game-leading 17 points during the second half. Hubbard began his week with a SEC season’s best 26 points at Florida which marked his fifth effort of 20-plus points off the bench, the most for a State player in a single season going back to 1989-90.
· Four SEC teams are ranked in the January 29 Associated Press poll. Tennessee leads the way at 5th, Kentucky is 10th, Auburn is 16th, and Alabama is 24th. Additionally, South Carolina and Ole Miss are among the teams receiving votes.
· The January 22 AP poll marked the third straight season that the SEC has had three teams in the Top 10 of the Associated Press Poll at the same time.
· The SEC’s three Top 10 NET teams are tied for the most in the nation, four Top 25 are tied for second-most, and eight Top 50 teams are second-most in the nation (as of Feb. 1).
· SEC teams are averaging 4.57 Quad 1 & 2 wins per team.
· Three SEC players have been named to the John R. Wooden Award Late Season Top 20 List: Johni Broome (AU), Dalton Knecht (UT), Antonio Reeves (UK).
· Kentucky’s John Calipari became the fourth coach to win 400 games at an SEC school on Jan. 17. He joined Adolph Rupp (876), Billy Donovan (467), and Dale Brown (448) in the 400-win club.
· Former Missouri forward Kobe Brown has been honored as a recipient of the NCAA Today’s Top 10 award and will be honored at the NCAA Convention in January. The award recognizes former student-athletes for their exceptional athletic and academic achievements, as well as their contributions to their campuses and communities. The SEC led the nation with four honorees, also including Callie Dickinson of Georgia swimming & diving, Ashley Rogers of Tennessee softball and Trinity Thomas of Florida gymnastics.
· The SEC won the final three games of the first ACC/SEC Challenge to take a 7-7 tie with the ACC. The ACC/SEC Challenge marks the third interconference challenge the SEC has been a part of. The SEC also had events against the Big East (2007-08 to 2012-13) and Big 12 (2013-14 to 2022-23).
· 60 SEC players have been selected in the last six NBA Drafts. That leads all conferences: 50 ACC, 41 Big Ten, 37 Pac-12, 29 Big 12 and 19 Big East.
· Three SEC teams won holiday tournament titles this season: Auburn (Legends Classic), Mississippi State (Basketball Hall of Fame Tip-Off), South Carolina (Arizona Tip-Off).
· 35 NCAA Tournament selections over the last four tournaments.
· 92 players from SEC schools were on 2023-24 NBA Opening Day rosters. Twelve of 14 SEC schools are represented and at least one SEC player is on 29 of the 30 NBA rosters.
· The SEC led all conferences with 10 players selected in the 2023 NBA Draft. Six first round selections also led the nation.
· 13 SEC players on 2023-24 NBA Opening Day rosters have made an NBA All-Star Game.
· The first two college players selected in the 2023 NBA Draft - Alabama’s Brandon Miller (2nd overall) and Arkansas’ Anthony Black (6th overall) - were from the SEC.
· A record-tying 10 SEC teams received postseason bids in 2023. The SEC’s eight NCAA Tournament selections tied its previous best set in 2018. Additionally, two SEC teams competed in the National Invitation Tournament.
· 14 of 14 SEC teams have made at least one NCAA Tournament appearance in the last eight tournaments.
· Nine different SEC teams have advanced to the Sweet 16 in the last six NCAA Tournaments. All 14 SEC members have advanced to the Sweet 16 since 1996.
· Four SEC coaches have been named national coach of the year: Rick Barnes, Chris Beard, John Calipari and Bruce Pearl.
· The SEC ranked second nationally with 2,756,659 fans attending games during the 2022-23 season. An average of 11,344 fans attended games at SEC schools in 2023, an increase of 787 from 2022.
· Three of the top four attendance leaders in 2022-23 were from the SEC. Kentucky led the nation with a total attendance of 357,721, Arkansas ranked third with 323,875) and Tennessee was fourth with 300,496 fans.
SCHEDULE/RESULTS (All Times Eastern):
Tuesday, January 23
at South Carolina 79, #6 Kentucky 62
at Texas A&M 63, Missouri 57
Wednesday, January 24
at Georgia 68, LSU 66
at Alabama 79, #8 Auburn 75
at Florida 79, Mississippi St. 70
at Ole Miss 77, Arkansas 51
Saturday, January 27
at Florida 102, Georgia 98 ot
at South Carolina 72, Missouri 64
at Mississippi St. 64, #8 Auburn 58
#6 Kentucky 63, at Arkansas 57
#5 Tennessee 75, at Vanderbilt 62
at Alabama 109, LSU 88
Ole Miss 71, at Texas A&M 68
Tuesday, January 30
South Carolina 63, at #5 Tennessee 59
at Ole Miss 86, Mississippi St. 82
Wednesday, January 31
#24 Alabama 85, at Georgia 76
Florida 94, at #10 Kentucky 91 ot
Arkansas 91, at Missouri 84
at #16 Auburn 81, Vanderbilt 54
Saturday, February 3
Arkansas at LSU ESPN2 12:00p
South Carolina at Georgia SEC Network 1:00p
Missouri at Vanderbilt SEC Network 3:30p
Florida at Texas A&M ESPN2 4:00p
#16 Auburn at Ole Miss SEC Network 6:00p
#5 Tennessee at #10 Kentucky ESPN 8:30p
Mississippi St. at #24 Alabama SEC Network 8:30p
Tuesday, February 6
Ole Miss at South Carolina SEC Network 6:30p
Kentucky at Vanderbilt SEC Network 8:30p
Wednesday, February 7
Alabama at Auburn ESPN2 7:00p
LSU at Tennessee SEC Network 7:00p
Texas A&M at Missouri ESPN2 9:00p
Georgia at Mississippi St. SEC Network 9:00p
Saturday, February 10
Alabama at LSU ESPN/2 12:00p
Vanderbilt at South Carolina SEC Network 1:00p
Auburn at Florida SEC Network 3:30p
Gonzaga at Kentucky CBS 4:00p
Georgia at Arkansas SEC Network 6:00p
Tennessee at Texas A&M ESPN 8:00p
Mississippi St. at Missouri SEC Network 8:30p
