All-Important Non-Conference '15-16 Schedules for SEC M Basketball Teams

[jbcarol]

Just before the Big12/SEC Challenge on Saturday, a look back at the SEC's non-conference season to-date:

Reviewing the SEC men's basketball non-conference season

ALABAMA

Record: 7-3

Losses: Dayton, Xavier, Oregon

Key wins: Wichita State, Notre Dame

KENTUCKY

Record: 10-2

Losses: UCLA, Ohio State

Key wins: Duke, Arizona State, Louisville

SOUTH CAROLINA

Record: 12-0

Losses: None

Key wins: Oral Roberts, St. John's, Hofstra

TEXAS A&M

Record: 10-2

Losses: Syracuse, Arizona State

Key wins: Texas, Gonzaga, Kansas State, Baylor

[jbcarol]

Big 12/SEC Challenge is like found money for the SEC

We all heard rumblings over the summer about the SEC's resurgence in college basketball, but the truth of the matter is that this league has been a notch below the other power-five conferences during the first few months of the season.

That can be slightly altered this weekend.

The Big 12/SEC Challenge is an opportunity for the SEC to elevate its overall profile as several of its teams will play games against some of the top programs in the country.

The Big 12 currently has five teams -- Oklahoma, Kansas, West Virginia, Iowa State, and Baylor -- ranked in the top 17 of the AP Top 25 poll and all five of those teams will be on display during the event.

For schools like LSU and Florida, who could use quality wins to boost their potential NCAA resume, this weekend is beyond huge.

The Tigers will host top-ranked Oklahoma in Baton Rouge while the Gators will entertain West Virginia in Gainesville.

Red-hot Iowa State meanwhile travels to Texas A&M while Kentucky heads to Kansas in a battle between two of the sport's premier programs.

[jbcarol]

SEC Network ‏@SECNetwork 5h5 hours ago

It's ON this Saturday!

The Big 12/SEC Challenge: http://bit.ly/1P042iQ 

[jbcarol]

Bryan Fenley
‏@BryanFenley

#Memphis Josh Pastner, "The only game where we didn't have self-inflicted wounds in late game situations this season was Ole Miss game."

[jbcarol]

SEC Sports ‏@SEC 2h2 hours ago

#Big12SEC Challenge starts at Noon ET tomorrow with West Virginia at Florida (ESPN) and Vanderbilt at Texas (ESPN2)

[jbcarol]

Kevin Brockway ‏@gatorhoops 6h6 hours ago Florida, USA

Latest Line lists Florida as a 1.5-point favorite over West Virginia.

[jbcarol]

Ken Pomeroy ‏@kenpomeroy Jan 28

The SEC/Big 12 Challenge is finally an event deserving of a bar chart, so here you go. http://kenpom.com/blog/index.php/weblog/entry/sec_big_12_challenge_bar_chart ...

[jbcarol]

Jon Rothstein ‏@JonRothstein 50s51 seconds ago

LSU has not shown a consistent effort to defend this season. If it doesn't today against Oklahoma the Sooners could score 100 plus.

Interesting story line in Iowa State's game at Texas A&M: Cyclones' HC Steve Prohm worked for Aggies' HC Billy Kennedy while at Murray St.

Vanderbilt can change the entire vibe of its season today at Texas. Dores need a signature win. Today they've got the opportunity to get it.

Curious to see how West Virginia's press affects Florida today in Gainesville. Gators' dual PG attack of Chiozza/Hill will be put to work.

[jbcarol]

Perryn Keys ‏@KeysAdvocate 7h7 hours ago

Ben Simmons and Buddy Hield. As big as it gets. @theadvocatebr @theadvocateno @theadvocateaca cc: @APSE_sportmedia

[jbcarol]

Daniel Paulling ‏@DanielPaulling 8m8 minutes ago

Kansas State opened as an 8 1/2-point favorite over Ole Miss, but that number has dropped to 7. They play at 1 p.m. on ESPNU.

[jbcarol]

Jason Butt ‏@JasonHButt 13h13 hours ago

As @taylorddenman writes, UGA has a big chance to improve its resume against Baylor tomorrow: http://www.macon.com/sports/college/sec/university-of-georgia/bulldogs-beat/article57293688.html ...

ATHENS -- There is just more than a month left in Georgia basketball's regular season, time for the Bulldogs to build their resume before the SEC tournament and then the NCAA tournament selection.

Georgia heads to Waco, Texas, to play No. 17 Baylor as part of the Big 12/SEC Challenge on Saturday. Georgia is one of four SEC teams slated to play a Big 12 team currently ranked within the AP top 25, and Baylor is one of Georgia's five remaining games against teams currently ranked among the top 50 NCAA teams in RPI (South Carolina on Tuesday and March 3, Kentucky on Feb. 9 and Florida on Feb. 16).

There are still plenty of chances for resume-building wins, but the list grows thinner with each passing game.

"We feel like there are opportunities in front of us," Georgia head coach Mark Fox said. "We talked about -- before conference play started -- there were going to be some knock-down, drag-outs. Whether it's a close game against Arkansas, which we won, or a close loss, we have to be mature enough to go again because there are many more battles in front."

Coming off a loss to LSU...

[jbcarol]

Saturday is a good day because it is the day of the SEC/Big 12 Basketball Challenge, which has the added twist of being played not in the non-conference part of the season but as a break from league play

Saturday, Jan. 30 [All times EST]

▪ 12:00 - West Virginia at Florida (ESPN)

▪ 12:00 - Vanderbilt at Texas (ESPN2)

▪ 12:00 - Michigan at Penn State (Big 10)

▪ 12:00 - Houston at East Carolina (ESPN News)

▪ 12:00 - Georgia Tech at Syracuse (ESPNU)

▪ 12:00 - Butler at Marquette (Fox Sports 1)

▪ 12:00 - Fordham at UMass (NBC Sports)

▪ 12:00 - UAB at Marshall (CBS Sports)

▪ 1:00 - Virginia at Louisville (CBS)

▪ 2:00 - Ole Miss at Kansas State (ESPNU)

▪ 2:00 - Tennessee at TCU (ESPN2)

▪ 2:00 - Iowa State at Texas A&M (ESPN)

▪ 2:00 - Xavier at DePaul (CBS Sports)

▪ 2:00 - LaSalle at Dayton (NBC Sports)

▪ 2:15 - Minnesota at Indiana (Big 10)

▪ 4:00 - Texas Tech at Arkansas (ESPNU)

▪ 4:00 - Boston College at North Carolina (ESPN2)

▪ 4:00 - Murray State at Tennessee-Martin (CBS Sports)

▪ 4:30 - Nebraska at Purdue (Big 10)

▪ 5:00 - Oklahoma at LSU (ESPN)

▪ 6:00 - Georgia at Baylor (ESPN2)

▪ 6:00 - Alabama at South Carolina (SEC)

▪ 6:00 - Saint Joseph's at Rhode Island (CBS Sports)

▪ 7:00 - Kentucky at Kansas (ESPN)

▪ 8:00 - Oklahoma State at Auburn (ESPN2)

▪ 8:00 - San Diego State at UNLV (CBS Sports)

▪ 8:00 - Memphis at SMU (ESPNU)

▪ 8:00 - Seton Hall at Creighton (Fox Sports Ohio)

▪ 8:00 - Providence at Georgetown (Fox Spots 1)

▪ 8:30 - Mississippi State at Missouri (SEC)

▪ 10:00 - Pepperdine at BYU (ESPN2)

▪ 10:00 - UC-Santa Barbara at UC-Irvine (ESPNU)

[jbcarol]

Vandy 58  Texas 72   Final from Austin

[jbcarol]

Kevin Brockway ‏@gatorhoops  1m1 minute ago Orlando, FL
Fans chanting "S-E-C" referencing Florida's near win over West Virginia in SEC-Big 12 Challenge.

Final from O-Dome

#9 West Virginia 71  Florida 88

[jbcarol]

Jon Rothstein ‏@JonRothstein  34m34 minutes ago
Texas A&M gets a big boost from its bench and bounces back with a win at home against Iowa State. Two teams that can do damage in March.

Florida gets a signature win at home over West Virginia. By far the best game the Gators have played thus far under Mike White. Impressive.

[jbcarol]

Ole Miss Basketball ‏@OleMissMBB  48m48 minutes ago
Ole Miss falls at Kansas State 69-64 in the #BIG12SEC Challenge. Perez leads the Rebels with 13 points.

[jbcarol]

VandyMBB ‏@VandyMBB  3h3 hours ago
FINAL:  TEXAS 72, VANDERBILT 58.  Damian Jones scores a career-high 26 points, MFD adds 19 for Commodores.

[jbcarol]

@GrantRamey ‏@GrantRamey  1h1 hour ago Fort Worth, TX
Final: TCU 75, Vols 63. Tennessee (10-11) hosts Kentucky Tuesday at 7 p.m. Punter had 22. Vols 0-for-15 from 3 in second half today.

G@greggds
@GrantRamey have you at least found Johnny Football yet?

@GrantRamey ‏@GrantRamey  52m52 minutes ago
@GrantRamey Retweeted G
Bro WILL NOT return my calls. 

[jbcarol]

Ben Roberts ‏@NextCats  54m54 minutes ago
Dusty Hannahs going bananas on Texas Tech right now. (I made a rhyme).

[jbcarol]

Bob Holt ‏@BobHoltADG  6m6 minutes ago
Hogs beat Tech 75-68 to improve to 2-3 in OT games.

[jbcarol]

Randy Rosetta ‏@RandyRosetta  3m3 minutes ago
COusins hits an elbow J with 3.8 seconds left and Quarterman misses a driving shot with some contact. OU beats #LSU 77-75.

LSU fans showering the court with debris. Ridiculous.


#1 OU is first team in the Challenge to win on the road today.

[jbcarol]

Jon Hale ‏@JonHale_CJ  9m9 minutes ago
Kansas fans know how to wear their t-shirts

[jbcarol]

Kyle Tucker ‏@KyleTucker_CJ  3m3 minutes ago
THE difference so far: KU leads 15-6 on the glass and UK has just one offensive rebound. Not gonna get it done.

[jbcarol]

John Clay ‏@johnclayiv  4m4 minutes ago
Halftime: Kentucky 46, Kansas 40

[jbcarol]

Final from Waco

UGa 73  Baylor 83

[jbcarol]

Tom Green ‏@AUBlog  7m7 minutes ago
Under-eight timeout, and Oklahoma State leads Auburn 29-17.

[jbcarol]

Jason Butt ‏@JasonHButt  37s37 seconds ago
Five takeaways following Georgia's road loss to Baylor: http://www.macon.com/sports/college/sec/university-of-georgia/bulldogs-beat/article57543093.html ...

Georgia falls to Baylor 83-73. Tough week for the Bulldogs basketball team.

Georgia (11-8) had an impressive first half, despite seeing forward Yante Maten sit for most of it with two fouls. But all of the optimism it built evaporated thanks to a 21-4 run from Baylor (17-4) to start the second half.

Free Throw Disparity: Against Baylor, most of the blame rests solely on Georgia's defenders. There were too many reach-ins and fouls that could have been prevented. It resulted in Baylor shooting 36 free throws and making 28. Georgia, conversely, only shot 26 free throws and made 15. Baylor came away with a 13-point advantage at the free-throw line, which contributed to its 10-point victory.

[jbcarol]

Kyle Tucker ‏@KyleTucker_CJ  7s7 seconds ago
OVERTIME. Kansas' halfcourt heave at the buzzer looked like it was dropping. Instant classic.

[jbcarol]

Kyle Tucker ‏@KyleTucker_CJ  5s5 seconds ago
FINAL: Kansas 90, Kentucky 84 (OT). http://www.courier-journal.com/story/sports/college/kentucky/2016/01/30/live-updates-uk-basketball-kansas/79577666/?utm_source=dlvr.it&utm_medium=twitter ...

[jbcarol]

@GrantRamey ‏@GrantRamey  22m22 minutes ago
Big 12/SEC Challenge didn't go so well for the SEC.

[jbcarol]

Final from Auburn Arena:

OK St. 74  Auburn 63

[jbcarol]

Following the Big12/SEC Challenge on Saturday, a look back at the SEC's non-conference notable wins and losses:

ALABAMA
Losses: Dayton, Xavier, Oregon
Key wins: Wichita State, Notre Dame

ARKANSAS
Losses: Akron, Georgia Tech, Stanford, Wake Forest, Mercer, Dayton
Key wins: Texas Tech, Charleston Southern

AUBURN
Losses: Oklahoma State, Colorado, Middle Tennessee, Xavier, Harvard, Hawaii
Key wins: UAB, New Mexico

FLORIDA
Losses: Purdue, Miami, Michigan State, Florida State
Key wins: West Virginia, Oklahoma State

GEORGIA
Losses: Baylor, Chattanooga, Seton Hall, Kansas State
Key wins: Georgia Tech

KENTUCKY
Losses: Kansas, UCLA, Ohio State
Key wins: Duke, Arizona State, Louisville

LSU
Losses: Oklahoma, Marquette, NC State, Houston, College of Charleston, Wake Forest
Key wins: Oral Roberts

MISSISSIPPI STATE
Losses: Southern, Miami, Texas Tech, Missouri-Kansas City, Florida State
Key wins: Tulane

MISSOURI
Losses: Xavier, Kansas State, Northwestern, Arizona, NC State, Illinois
Key wins: N/A

OLE MISS
Losses: Kansas State, George Mason, Seton Hall
Key wins: Massachusetts, Louisiana Tech, Memphis

SOUTH CAROLINA
Losses: None
Key wins: Oral Roberts, St. John's, Hofstra

TENNESSEE
Losses: TCU, Georgia Tech, George Washington, Nebraska, Butler, Gonzaga
Key wins: UNC Asheville, Marshall

A&M
Losses: Syracuse, Arizona State
Key wins: Iowa State, Texas, Gonzaga, Kansas State, Baylor

VANDERBILT
Losses: Texas, Kansas, Baylor, Dayton, Purdue
Key wins: St. John's, Wake Forest

[jbcarol]

T.J. Walker
‏@TWalkerRivals

Kansas hit a three with 10:33 to play to cut UK's lead to two. Their next made field goal came with 4:02. KU was up three after that.

7:37 PM - 30 Jan 2016

[jbcarol]

Kevin Brockway ‏@gatorhoops 19h19 hours ago Orlando, FL

In beating West Virginia, Florida picked up first win over Top-10 ranked team since knocking off No. 10 BYU in 2011 NCAA Sweet 16.

Frank Frangie ‏@Frank_Frangie 3h3 hours ago

Well, UF responded by punching the bully right in the mouth. They got out to 11-2 lead, overcame a WVU run, and then absolutely routed them.

[jbcarol]

https://twitter.com/BrentZwerneman/status/693573272491814913

One of Texas A&M's most impressive feats vs. Big 12 foes has come nearly 4 years after Big 12 exit: http://www.houstonchronicle.com/sports/aggies/article/No-5-Texas-A-M-knocks-off-No-14-Iowa-State-6796049.php ... @HoustonChron

No. 5 A&M defeated No. 14 Iowa State 72-62 on Saturday in the Reed Arena edition of the Big 12/SEC Challenge, providing the Aggies a rebound from a 74-71 setback at Arkansas on Wednesday.

First-place A&M (18-3, 7-1) stepped out of Southeastern Conference play for a day for the annual television-fueled collision of conferences, and many current A&M students are blissfully unaware the Aggies never had it as good against the Big 12 as they have now.

A&M, which never won a Big 12 basketball title over 16 seasons in the hoops-hardy conference, finished 4-0 against Big 12 foes this season, defeating Texas, Kansas State, Baylor and Iowa State all by double digits.

Kennedy bests protégé

The Aggies managed only two double-digit Big 12 victories (and four Big 12 wins total) in their final season in the league in 2012, which also happened to be Billy Kennedy's first season at A&M.

"That was huge," said Kennedy, who faced his protégé in Cyclones coach Steve Prohm while earning his 300th career win. "House was patient, didn't force anything and let us get the ball to him in the right places."

Prohm was Kennedy's top assistant at Murray State five years ago, before Kennedy accepted the A&M gig and Prohm took over the Mafia.

[jbcarol]

Jeff Goodman Verified account
‏@GoodmanESPN

Been a good night. Watched the Oklahoma game with Randy Livingston. Now met Cliff while eating/watching UK/KU.



Cheers

[jbcarol]

Steve Walentik ‏@Steve_Walentik 2h2 hours ago

LSU's Johnny Jones said he thought the Big 12/SEC Challenge was a positive experience for the league, even if SEC went 3-7.

Jones said he'd support leaving the Big 12/SEC Challenge on weekend before Super Bowl if that's what leagues want.

[jbcarol]

Blair Kerkhoff ‏@BlairKerkhoff 2h2 hours ago

Big 12/SEC Challenge viewership up 46% over last yr, 61% over 2 yrs go, says ESPN. KU-UK had 2.984 mil viewers, best in event history

[jbcarol]

Craig Pinkerton ‏@SEC_Craig Feb 2

Moving #Big12SEC Challenge to January results in ratings increase http://espnmediazone.com/us/press-releases/2016/02/big-12sec-challenge-kentucky-kansas-highest-viewed-game-of-three-year-event/ ...

Across all ESPN networks, viewership for the Big 12/SEC Challenge is up 46 percent vs. the 2014 Challenge (846,000 vs. 579,000 viewers) and up 61 percent vs. the 2013 event (846,000 vs. 525,000 viewers). The 2015 event marks the first time the games were staged on a common-bye date during the conference season, matching all 10 of the Big 12 members against 10 teams from the Southeastern Conference. All the games aired across ESPN, ESPN2 and ESPNU.

For the third straight season, the Big 12 won the Big 12/SEC Challenge, capturing seven of 10 matchups in 2016. In 2014, the Big 12 won six of 10 matchups and in 2013, posted a 7-3 mark.

In addition to record-breaking viewership on ESPN, the Kentucky-Kansas game also recorded WatchESPN's third most-watched NCAA men's basketball game ever...

[jbcarol]

Part of the UK-KU charm was that the game was played on a team's home court. The enthusiastic crowd in an iconic arena inevitably led to talk of a revived home-and-home series between Kentucky and Kansas.

"I'd love to do that," Kansas Coach Bill Self said. But he added conditions.

Both programs typically play top-notch schedules, he said. So both would need to replace an existing slot reserved for a marquee opponent rather than simply add another heavyweight opponent.

"We'd have to adjust some things," Self said. "Cal (John Calipari) would have to do the game thing (sic) in order to play a game like that every year. But I think there's something about it that brings so much."

[jbcarol]

Rob Dauster ‏@RobDauster 15h15 hours ago

The biggest bubble winner of the day is South Carolina, who finally has a win better than ... Alabama? http://collegebasketball.nbcsports.com/2016/02/06/bubble-banter-todays-key-bubble-games/ ...

You'll be hard-pressed to find a team that picks up a bigger bubble win today than No. 25 South Carolina (KenPom: 53, RPI: 30), who finally landed a marquee win in the first game they played against a quality opponent this season, beating No. 8 Texas A&M on Saturday.

That's not meant as a shot. It's meant purely in RPI terms. The Gamecocks have played just one RPI top 50 team this season — Alabama twice, and they split — and the Crimson Tide are 3-6 in the SEC and barely in the top 50. Throw in that horrid non-conference schedule (318th) and what you had was a team with a great record (19-3) and RPI but without any real proof as to how good they are in on-court results.

That's a problem, which is why this win is so big. Because not only did they beat a top ten team and the SEC favorite, but they did so in College Station, and road wins matter more than home wins in the eyes of the Selection Committee.

[jbcarol]

Stewart Mandel ‏@slmandel 2h2 hours ago

Interesting hoops note: Oregon -- outside the Top 10 in AP & KenPom -- has moved up to No. 1 in RPI & has the No. 1 SOS.

[jbcarol]

Stewart Mandel ‏@slmandel 2h2 hours ago

Interesting hoops note: Oregon -- outside the Top 10 in AP & KenPom -- has moved up to No. 1 in RPI & has the No. 1 SOS.

Jon Rothstein ‏@JonRothstein 10h10 hours ago

Cal again found its lineup tonight: small ball with Ivan Rabb at center. Oregon had NO answer. Bears were beyond explosive in Berkeley.


Cuonzo's team beat Dana's by 20

[jbcarol]

Jon Rothstein ‏@JonRothstein 1h1 hour ago

Dayton is 10-2 this season in games decided by eight points or less. Flyers & St. Joe's Wednesday at Hagan Arena...

[jbcarol]

https://twitter.com/SBN_Ricky/status/698653112274292736

[jbcarol]

ESPN Stats & Info ‏@ESPNStatsInfo  7h7 hours ago
109 unranked teams have beaten ranked opponents thus far this season, the most through February 13 in a single season in NCAA history.

[jbcarol]

rickbozich ‏@rickbozich 1h1 hour ago

My AP Top 25 ballot: 1. Vacant; 2. Villanova; 3. Kansas; 4. Oklahoma; 5. Iowa; 6. UNC; 7. I'll Get Back to Ya ... http://bit.ly/20y5LS0

I think you could spend hours picking the last 8-10 teams.

[jbcarol]

Sean Farnham ‏@SeanFarnham 1h1 hour ago

State of CBB: Last week teams ranked in the AP Top 25 in CBB went 27-23 for the week (16 of the 23 losses were to unranked opponents).

[jbcarol]

AP Top 25 ‏@AP_Top25 2h2 hours ago

More changes coming? New Top 25 later today. Current poll http://apne.ws/1oeQauf  Who's your top five, fans?

[jbcarol]

 NCAA March Madness ‏@marchmadness 13h13 hours ago

Bill Self is now, an amazing, 204-9 at Allen Fieldhouse.
No. 2 Kansas rolls Oklahoma State, 94-67.