SEC Player of the Week – Arkansas guard Keyon Menifield Jr., a 6-foot-1, 150-pound sophomore from Flint, Mich., led the Razorbacks with a career-high 32 points in a win over UNC Wilmington. In just his third game as a Razorback, Menifield was 8-of-14 from the field, including three 3’s, and was 13-of-17 at the free throw line. He added five assists and was +17 – one of two Hogs with as double-digit plus/minus.
· SEC Freshman of the Week – LSU guard Mike Williams III, a 6-foot-3, 181-pound freshman from Baltimore, Md., needed just 21 minutes to lead LSU with 20 points in a win over Northwestern St. The 20 points were a season-high in his first game coming off the bench. His six 3-pointers (6-of-9) are the most by a Tiger this season.
· Four SEC teams are ranked in the January 1 Associated Press poll. Tennessee leads the way at 5th, Kentucky is 6th, Ole Miss is 22nd, and Auburn is 25th. Additionally, Texas A&M, South Carolina, Mississippi State, and Alabama are among the teams receiving votes.
· The SEC’s five Top 25 NET teams are tied for most in the nation and eight Top 50 NET teams are also tied for the most in the nation (as of Jan. 5).
· The SEC leads the nation with 35 Quad 1 & 2 wins through games of Jan. 4.
· Ole Miss guard Matthew Murrell’s 10 steals against Troy (12/19/23) tied the SEC single-game record set by Alabama’s Anthony Murray (1978) and LSU’s Shawn Griggs (1991).
· 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).
· 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).
· Seven SEC players have been named to the Naismith Player of the Year Watchlist: Trevon Brazile (Arkansas), Johni Broome (Auburn), Justin Edwards (Kentucky), Grant Nelson (Alabama), Tolu Smith III (Mississippi State), Wade Taylor IV (Texas A&M), and Santiago Vescovi (Tennessee).
· Tennessee is the favorite to win the 2024 SEC championship in a preseason poll of media from around the league and nation. Texas A&M was picked to finish second and is followed by Arkansas, Kentucky and Alabama. Texas A&M’s Wade Taylor IV was selected by the media as the preseason player of the year.
· 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.
· 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.
· The SEC led all conferences with 10 players selected in the 2023 NBA Draft. Six first round selections also led the nation.
· 35 NCAA Tournament selections over the last four tournaments.
· Alabama’s Brandon Miller earned 2023 National Freshman of the Year awards from the USBWA and NABC, joining Chris Jackson, John Wall, Anthony Davis, Ben Simmons, and Jabari Smith as SEC players who have been named national freshman of the year.
· Three players earned All-America honors from the Associated Press in 2023: Alabama’s Brandon Miller (1st team), Kentucky’s Oscar Tsheibwe (2nd team) and Texas A&M’s Wade Taylor IV (honorable mention).
· 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):
Friday, December 29
at #8 Kentucky 96, Illinois St. 70
at LSU 96, Northwestern St. 55
Saturday, December 30
at Florida 97, Quinnipiac 72
C.M. Newton Classic (Birmingham, AL)
Alabama 101, Liberty 56
at South Carolina 94, Florida A&M 62
at Missouri 92, Central Arkansas 59
at Georgia 93, Alabama A&M 73
at Vanderbilt 69, Dartmouth 53
at Arkansas 106, UNC Wilmington 90
at Texas A&M 79, Prairie View A&M 54
at Auburn 101, Chattanooga 66
Sunday, December 31
at Mississippi St. 85, Bethune-Cookman 62
at #24 Ole Miss 95, Bryant 78
Tuesday, January 2
at #5 Tennessee 87, Norfolk St. 50
at #25 Auburn 88, Penn 68
Saturday, January 6
Mississippi St. at South Carolina CBS 12:00p
#6 Kentucky at Florida ESPN 12:30p
Georgia at Missouri SEC Network 1:00p
#25 Auburn at Arkansas ESPN2 2:00p
Alabama at Vanderbilt SEC Network 3:30p
#22 Ole Miss at #5 Tennessee SEC Network 6:00p
LSU at Texas A&M SEC Network 8:30p
Tuesday, January 9
Missouri at Kentucky ESPN 7:00p
South Carolina at Alabama SEC Network 7:00p
Texas A&M at Auburn ESPN2 9:00p
Vanderbilt at LSU SEC Network 9:00p
Wednesday, January 10
Tennessee at Mississippi St. SEC Network 7:00p
Arkansas at Georgia ESPNU 9:00p
Florida at Ole Miss SEC Network 9:00p
Saturday, January 13
Tennessee at Georgia ESPN2 12:00p
Vanderbilt at Ole Miss SEC Network 1:00p
Kentucky at Texas A&M ESPN 2:00p
South Carolina at Missouri SEC Network 3:30p
Arkansas at Florida ESPN 4:00p
LSU at Auburn SEC Network 6:00p
Alabama at Mississippi St. SEC Network 8:30p
· SEC Freshman of the Week – LSU guard Mike Williams III, a 6-foot-3, 181-pound freshman from Baltimore, Md., needed just 21 minutes to lead LSU with 20 points in a win over Northwestern St. The 20 points were a season-high in his first game coming off the bench. His six 3-pointers (6-of-9) are the most by a Tiger this season.
· Four SEC teams are ranked in the January 1 Associated Press poll. Tennessee leads the way at 5th, Kentucky is 6th, Ole Miss is 22nd, and Auburn is 25th. Additionally, Texas A&M, South Carolina, Mississippi State, and Alabama are among the teams receiving votes.
· The SEC’s five Top 25 NET teams are tied for most in the nation and eight Top 50 NET teams are also tied for the most in the nation (as of Jan. 5).
· The SEC leads the nation with 35 Quad 1 & 2 wins through games of Jan. 4.
· Ole Miss guard Matthew Murrell’s 10 steals against Troy (12/19/23) tied the SEC single-game record set by Alabama’s Anthony Murray (1978) and LSU’s Shawn Griggs (1991).
· 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).
· 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).
· Seven SEC players have been named to the Naismith Player of the Year Watchlist: Trevon Brazile (Arkansas), Johni Broome (Auburn), Justin Edwards (Kentucky), Grant Nelson (Alabama), Tolu Smith III (Mississippi State), Wade Taylor IV (Texas A&M), and Santiago Vescovi (Tennessee).
· Tennessee is the favorite to win the 2024 SEC championship in a preseason poll of media from around the league and nation. Texas A&M was picked to finish second and is followed by Arkansas, Kentucky and Alabama. Texas A&M’s Wade Taylor IV was selected by the media as the preseason player of the year.
· 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.
· 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.
· The SEC led all conferences with 10 players selected in the 2023 NBA Draft. Six first round selections also led the nation.
· 35 NCAA Tournament selections over the last four tournaments.
· Alabama’s Brandon Miller earned 2023 National Freshman of the Year awards from the USBWA and NABC, joining Chris Jackson, John Wall, Anthony Davis, Ben Simmons, and Jabari Smith as SEC players who have been named national freshman of the year.
· Three players earned All-America honors from the Associated Press in 2023: Alabama’s Brandon Miller (1st team), Kentucky’s Oscar Tsheibwe (2nd team) and Texas A&M’s Wade Taylor IV (honorable mention).
· 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):
Friday, December 29
at #8 Kentucky 96, Illinois St. 70
at LSU 96, Northwestern St. 55
Saturday, December 30
at Florida 97, Quinnipiac 72
C.M. Newton Classic (Birmingham, AL)
Alabama 101, Liberty 56
at South Carolina 94, Florida A&M 62
at Missouri 92, Central Arkansas 59
at Georgia 93, Alabama A&M 73
at Vanderbilt 69, Dartmouth 53
at Arkansas 106, UNC Wilmington 90
at Texas A&M 79, Prairie View A&M 54
at Auburn 101, Chattanooga 66
Sunday, December 31
at Mississippi St. 85, Bethune-Cookman 62
at #24 Ole Miss 95, Bryant 78
Tuesday, January 2
at #5 Tennessee 87, Norfolk St. 50
at #25 Auburn 88, Penn 68
Saturday, January 6
Mississippi St. at South Carolina CBS 12:00p
#6 Kentucky at Florida ESPN 12:30p
Georgia at Missouri SEC Network 1:00p
#25 Auburn at Arkansas ESPN2 2:00p
Alabama at Vanderbilt SEC Network 3:30p
#22 Ole Miss at #5 Tennessee SEC Network 6:00p
LSU at Texas A&M SEC Network 8:30p
Tuesday, January 9
Missouri at Kentucky ESPN 7:00p
South Carolina at Alabama SEC Network 7:00p
Texas A&M at Auburn ESPN2 9:00p
Vanderbilt at LSU SEC Network 9:00p
Wednesday, January 10
Tennessee at Mississippi St. SEC Network 7:00p
Arkansas at Georgia ESPNU 9:00p
Florida at Ole Miss SEC Network 9:00p
Saturday, January 13
Tennessee at Georgia ESPN2 12:00p
Vanderbilt at Ole Miss SEC Network 1:00p
Kentucky at Texas A&M ESPN 2:00p
South Carolina at Missouri SEC Network 3:30p
Arkansas at Florida ESPN 4:00p
LSU at Auburn SEC Network 6:00p
Alabama at Mississippi St. SEC Network 8:30p
