Before you ask: Basketball was called "the cage game" years ago and basketball players were called "cagers." This is how sports writers referred to basketball a few generations back — as recently as the late 1980s in my hometown newspaper, the Tulsa World — and I'm bringing it back. Sort of. Just for this particular segment. Thank you for your understanding.
GAME DAY 4 SCHEDULE:
Tennessee 106, Arkansas 87
Mississippi State 71, Florida 68
Kentucky 69, Georgia 49
LSU 83, Ole Miss 69
South Carolina 74, Vanderbilt 71
Auburn 85, Texas A&M 66
Alabama 70, Missouri 60
• Alabama was bigger and better on this night — going +12 rebounding and simply doing a bit more than Missouri during the second half. The Tigers lost their best player (F Jontay Porter) before the season began with a knee injury and their only true post player remaining, C Jeremiah Tilmon, hasn't been providing much. Alabama got to the line more (+5 FTs), hit more at the line (+7 Made FTs) and was 10% better from two-point range. When you're playing Missouri in its current state, that's enough sometimes.
• South Carolina trailed by 10 at halftime against Vanderbilt Wednesday, but once again summoned unusual resolve during the second half. PG Hassani Gravett scored all of his 17 points during the second half while G/F AJ Lawson went for 24 points on 8-of-14 shooting. Just as notable is the fact that F Chris Silva fouled out while four other players, including three starters, played with four fouls apiece. Fifty-seven fouls were called in this game and the teams combined to shoot 72 free throws.
• Tennessee was a whole lot better than Arkansas. That's all you need to know there.
• Kentucky got another big night from PG Ashton Hagans, a one-time UGA commit, during their blowout victory over the Bulldogs. The freshman from Cartersville, Ga., finished with 23 points on 9-of-18 shooting and added four assists. He was credited with one turnover. Hagans was terrific with his drives to the basket and his staccato footwork (see below), but it's important to note that Georgia somehow went 4-of-27 from long range. That also played a role in the wide margin. UK was +8 rebounding and +8 shots attempted. All in all, an easy road win for the Wildcats. Their next one will be much different.
• The MSU-Florida game was as evenly matched as you'll see. In fact, neither team led by more than three points during the final 10 minutes of the game. The Bulldogs won by virtue of hitting four of their final five shots including G Quinndary Weatherspoon's coast-to-coast, bucket-and-1 with four seconds remaining to break a tie. Florida committed the cardinal sin there; it never got a body in front of Weatherspoon to stem the drive. The Gators were +10 shots attempted, but MSU (59% from three, 50% from two) was more efficient with its opportunities. The Bulldogs simply couldn't afford to drop a third game to open the conference season and pretend to be a factor in the race. Now they have at least something to show for their work so far.
• LSU won the biggest game of this night, claiming a double-digit victory in Oxford. PG Tremont Waters was the Bayou Bengals' star again — finishing with 20 points on 6-of-11 shooting and nine assists. The game was tied at halftime, but Ole Miss endured anm extended cold-shooting stretch during which it hit 3 of 15 shots. LSU used that drought to build a 12-point lead at the 8-minute mark. The visitors weren't threatened after that. Also of note: Oregon transfer C Kavell Bigby-Williams had his best game of the season with 14 points, 10 rebounds and five blocks. He's now shooting 68 percent from two-point range. If he becomes a reliable post player to collaborate with F/C Naz Reid, well, this team may be in position to challenge Tennessee for the top spot.
