GAME DAY 4 SCHEDULE:
Tuesday, Jan. 15
Arkansas @ Tennessee on ESPN2, 6 p.m.
Florida @ Mississippi State on SEC Network, 6 p.m.
Kentucky @ Georgia on ESPN, 6 p.m.
LSU @ Ole Miss on SEC Network, 8 p.m.
Wednesday, Jan. 16
South Carolina @ Vanderbilt on SEC Network, 6 p.m.
AUBURN @ TEXAS A&M on ESPNU, 6 p.m.
Alabama @ Missouri on SEC Network, 8 p.m.
SURVEYING THE SCENE
MIZZOU: Nobody expected Missouri to be challenging for the league title this season, but opening 0-2 with a pair of double-digit losses wasn't really in the script. The problem is F/C Jeremiah Tillmon, who is the only Tiger of note who can play and defend inside. And he's having a very rough time right now. He fouled out against South Carolina Sunday with 13 minutes remaining, which left Mizzou totally vulnerable on the road. The 6-foot-10 sophomore has 11 points and two rebounds during his past three games combined. If he can't get his foul problems situated, thereby giving Mizzou some semblance of rim protection, it's going to be a miserable, momentum-killing season for Cuonzo Martin.
VANDERBILT: No team misses a single player more than Vanderbilt misses PG Darius Garland. He suffered a season-ending knee injury in November, which robbed the Commodores of their best, or possibly only, three-point shooter. It's strange to glance at the SEC statistics portal and see Vandy near the bottom in long-range shooting; that's been a program staple since the days of Billy McCaffrey. Garland was at 48 percent from three when he went down against Kent State. Only one current starter is over 35 percent, which is shifting an inordinate amount of scoring responsibility upon freshman F/C Simi Shittu. He's holding up well so far — 13 points and 9 rebounds per game against SEC opponents — but freshmen tend to wear down as February approaches. The Commodores will keep launching from long range, but their recent history suggests they'll miss more than their fair share. And Bryce Drew will continue longing for the day Garland returns to his lineup.
**NOT A SUBSCRIBER? JOIN AUBURNSPORTS.COM TODAY FOR $9.99 PER MONTH.**
SOUTH CAROLINA: The Gamecocks, currently 3-0 in league play, are the league's biggest surprise so far. And the team may be receiving a key reinforcement soon. Coach Frank Martin says SF Justin Minaya, who underwent surgery in November to repair torn cartilage in his right knee, almost is ready for a return to practice. Minaya's redshirt window closes after the Gamecocks' game at Vanderbilt on Wednesday; he won't be able to redshirt if he plays after that. Will the recent rise of freshman SF Keyshawn Bryant affect Minaya's decision? "I haven’t sat down and thought about that yet," Martin told reporters Monday. "That’s one of those where I’ll cross that bridge when I get there. Whenever that day comes, I have to sit there and figure it out. I know what he can do. I’ve coached him before.”
TENNESSEE: Rick Barnes' fourth Tennessee team appears to be his best yet — and it's a group that has improved gradually. The Vols qualified for the NCAA Tournament last spring for the first time since 2014 and now seem prepared to handle being the SEC's top-rated team. "They dealt with all the hype coming into the season," Barnes said. "Having such a great, non-league schedule over the years, they've been into a lot of tough, difficult situations ... and we try to made sure they're grounded on the main things and understand that it's about us getting better. That's the bottom line."
