The SEC made official its league-wide 2023-24 males’s basketball schedule Thursday, which means all of the offseason “I’s” and “T’s” (aside from sport tip-off instances) just about are 
dotted/crossed and it is nearly time to enter preseason mode, what with the official begin of fall observe lower than three weeks away. Florida went 16-17 total, together with 9-9 in convention play, in 12 months 1 below Golden. This system’s second shedding season during the last 25 years didn’t sit properly with the employees – nor the UF fan base, clearly – and Golden tried to do one thing about it in buying six gamers from the switch portal and a pair promising freshmen who immediately made the Gators greater, longer and extra athletic, alongside constructing block and 2023 SEC All-Freshman guard Riley Kugel.
Higher?
That is a query for the months to return. However whereas we’re not (formally) within the preseason but, it is not too quickly for a game-by-game overview of the UF schedule and, with it, an early rundown of what to anticipate from the remainder of the rugged SEC, with a slate that together with annual home-and-homes towards Kentucky, Vanderbilt and Georgia will match the Gators towards reigning league and match champion Alabama and Missouri twice, additionally.
Oh, and did we point out Florida opens towards Kentucky?
Nov. 6: Loyola Maryland
The season opener would be the first assembly between the Gators and Greyhounds, out of Baltimore and a member of the Patriot League. They went 13-20 final season and completed in a four-way tie for sixth in convention play. Coach Tavaras Hardy is coming into his sixth season and has but to put up a successful file (total or within the league), however he’ll have a trio of worldwide 6-foot-10, 240-pound sorts, led by Spanish ahead Alonso Faure (8.9 ppg, 6.1 rpg). The Greyhounds surrendered a sky-high 55.5 efficient discipline proportion on protection, which ranked 355th nationally, which means solely 9 groups within the nation have been worse. They have been 328th in defensive effectivity, so search for the Gators to attain. So much. UF final misplaced a gap evening dwelling sport in 1983 (vs. Stetson) and during the last 40 years has gone 30-0 when tipping off a season on the O’Dome.
Nov. 10: Virginia (Corridor of Fame Sequence) at Charlotte, N.C.
Speak about a distinction. UF will go from an opening-night opponent that performs subsequent to no protection to 4 days later going through a program – in a neutral-site affair at Spectrum Heart, dwelling to the NBA Charlotte Hornets – that has outlined itself on that finish of the ground for happening 15 seasons. The Cavaliers misplaced some excellent gamers from final season’s Atlantic Coast Convention regular-season co-champion, however there is not any doubt Coach Tony Bennett may have his pack line again in line. Possibly it is good for the Gators to get the Cavs early; possibly not. UVA, one in all three ACC opponents on the UF schedule, misplaced an impressive rim protector to the portal in Kadin Shedrick (now at Texas), however returns all-league guard Reece Beekman on the perimeter and can look to a pair of sophomores, athletic wing Ryan Dunn and capturing guard Isaac McKneely, to step into greater roles after doing cameo work as freshmen. Influence transfers embody level guard Dante Harris (Georgetown), ahead Jordan Minor (Merrimack), guard Andrew Rohde (St. Thomas) and ahead Jake Groves (Oklahoma), who the Gators confronted every of the final two seasons in losses to the Sooners. The Cavs virtually all the time have an effect redshirt freshman and that man could possibly be guard/ahead Leon Bond III.
Nov. 14: Florida A&M
UF is 12-0 all-time towards FAMU, together with a 102-62 dwelling win final Nov. 30. In that one, the Gators shot 62 p.c from the ground and dropped 13 of twenty-two from the 3-point line (59 p.c), but protection was not the Rattlers’ most urgent challenge. On the way in which to going 7-22 (5-13 within the Southwestern Athletic Convention), they completed next-to-last within the nation in offensive effectivity and dead-last in turnover proportion, with giveaways on almost one in all each 4 possessions. Coach Robert McCullum, an assistant for Lon Kruger throughout UF’s run to the 1994 Last 4, returns simply one in all his high six scorers, however that could possibly be an excellent factor given the Rattlers’ main scorer final season was at simply 10.6 factors per sport.
Nov. 17: Florida State
Talking of Tallahassee, FSU did not simply have a nasty season in ’22-23, the Seminoles had a traditionally unhealthy one; as within the worst in program historical past. They went 9-23, tying for the second-fewest wins in this system’s 67 seasons and completed with an all-time worst successful proportion of .281, with losses alongside the way in which to Stetson, Central Florida, Troy and Sienna. Coach Leonard Hamilton will enter his 22nd season with out a lot expectation after shedding two of his high three scorers in Max Cleveland (Miami) and Caleb Mills (Memphis). The Seminoles do, nevertheless, return their different top-five scorers, together with guard Darin Inexperienced Jr. (13.4 ppg, 2.9 rpg) and ahead Cam’Ron Fletcher (10.8 ppg, 7.5 rpg), who discovered a distinct segment at FSU the final two seasons after principally driving the bench as a high-profile freshman at Kentucky. This isn’t an infinite crew, relative to bigs, like latest Hamilton squads, however his lone freshman is 6-10 Taylor Bol Bowen, from the Brewster (N.H.) Academy hoops manufacturing facility.
Nov. 22-24: Preseason NIT at Brooklyn, N.Y.
Again to the Barclay’s Heart, the place the Gators will play for the third time in 4 years. UF misplaced a detailed one to Maryland in 2021 and smashed Windfall in 2019, each instances within the Naismith Basketball Corridor of Fame Invitational. UF drew Pittsburgh in opening-round play. The Panthers, coached by Jeff Capel, are coming off their first NCAA Event season in seven years, after tying Duke for third within the ACC regular-season standings. They return simply one in all their high six scorers in ahead Blake Hinson (15.3 ppg, 6.0 rpg), signed solely two transfers – guard Ishmael Leggett averaged 16.4 factors and 5.8 boards at Rhode Island – and determine to depend on an incoming freshman class ranked within the high 30. Relying on the result towards Pitt, the Gators will face both Baylor, simply two seasons faraway from its first NCAA championship and led by level guard Adam Flagler, or Oregon State, which went 11-21 final season, completed next-to-last within the Pac-12 and was crushed by UF within the Phil Knight Legacy at Portland, Ore.
Nov. 29: at Wake Forest (SEC/ACC Problem)
If solely Tyree Appleby might have discovered a seventh season of eligibility. As a substitute, the Gators missed a reunion with their former guard (Appleby had a first-team, All-ACC season in ’22-23) by simply eight months. Oh properly. Such would be the case for the inaugural SEC/ACC Problem, which replaces the SEC/Large 12 Problem and (sadly) was moved by ESPN honchos from its distinctive, stand-alone spot in late-January – the weekend of the NFL convention championship video games – to a extra typical (and obscure) mid-week spot simply after Thanksgiving. UF will play on the Lawrence Joel Veteran’s Memorial Coliseum in Winston-Salem, N.C., for the primary time because the 2000 NCAA Event (see Miller, Mike in above video) and its first true highway sport towards the Demon Deacons since 1960. Wake misplaced Appleby’s league-high 18.8 factors per sport, however returns its subsequent three scorers, led by ahead Cam Hildreth (12.4 ppg, 5.3 rpg), and welcomes 4 transfers, together with 7-footer Efton Reid, who began at LSU two seasons in the past then transferred to Gonzaga, the place he noticed little taking part in time.
Dec. 5: Merrimack
The UF-Merrimack contract was drawn up final winter, giving the Gators an excellent, clear “purchase” sport towards a program that in ’23-24 will play its first season as a full member of Division I. Appears innocent sufficient, proper? Properly, then the Warriors needed to go and win the Northeast Convention Event championship, however weren’t eligible for the league’s automated NCAA Event berth, as a result of transition guidelines. Who is aware of what Merrimack might need completed? The Warriors ended the season with the nation’s longest successful streak (11 video games) and within the match title sport upset Fairleigh Dickenson, which mere days later shocked No. 1-seed Purdue in opening-round NCAA play. Upon the celebratory – and irritating — conclusion to the season, the Warriors misplaced their high 4 scorers from a 20-11 crew to the switch portal and mainly will likely be beginning their Division I journey from scratch. C’mon on down.
Dec. 9: Richmond (Orange Bowl Basic) at Dawn, Fla.
Final season, the Gators skipped the Orange Bowl Basic for the primary time since 2006, however return to FLA Reside Enviornment (previously the BT&T Heart, BankAtlantic Heart, Workplace Depot Heart and Nationwide Automotive Rental Heart) for what is going to doubtless be the beginning of an every-other-year look within the occasion. UF is 18-4 all-time within the OBC, with a type of 4 losses a 56-53 defeat towards Richmond in 2009. Florida has had 4 head coaches since then, whereas the Spiders will likely be in 12 months 19 below Chris Mooney, who needed to take go away final February to bear surgical procedure for an aortic aneurysm. With Mooney sidelined the crew went 2-4 the remainder of the season to complete 15-18 for simply the fourth shedding marketing campaign over Mooney’s earlier 16 years. Richmond’s main scorer and rebounder, ahead Tyler Burton, was one of many high prospects within the portal and took his skills to Villanova. The Spiders return their No. 2 man in each classes with versatile 7-foot, 260-pound middle Neal Quinn (9.5 ppg, 4.5 rpg, 2.9 apg) and acquired a confirmed scoring level guard in Jordan King, an All-Southern Convention choice at East Tennessee State, the place he averaged 15.6 factors per sport, shot higher than 41 p.c from the arc as a sophomore and final season poured in a career-high 42 factors, together with eight 3s, in a sport.
Dec. 14: East Carolina at Lakeland
Name this “The Walter Clayton Jr.” Recreation. Do not be stunned if each soul from Lake Wales and Bartow – if not all of Polk County – file into the RP Funding Heart in downtown Lakeland for the Gators’ first look there because the renovation of the O’Dome pressured the crew to barnstorm throughout the state earlier than the brand new Exactech Enviornment was able to open within the fall of ’16. Clayton, the switch from Iona and 2023 Metro Atlantic Athletic Convention Participant of the 12 months, was a soccer/basketball standout at Lake Wales, then transferred to rival Bartow to play basketball solely and promptly led that crew to back-to-back Class 6A state titles. The Pirates return their third-leading scorer and high rebounder in 6-8 ahead Brandon Johnson (12.3 ppg, 8.1 rpg), who was second within the American Athletic Convention in double-doubles with 10. In addition they will get a lift from switch guard Cam Hayes, who averaged 8.1 factors at LSU final season and almost eight a sport the 2 earlier seasons at North Carolina State. UF and ECU will play for the primary time.
Dec. 19: Michigan (Jumpman Basic) at Charlotte, N.C.
Simply 39 days after going through Virginia on the Queen Metropolis, the Gators will likely be again at Spectrum Heart to face one other marquee brand-name opponent; one of their Jumpman brothers, in fact. The Jumpman Basic debuted final yr with a two-night double-header that includes the 4 applications (women and men) who first adopted the Michael Jordan-brand brand. Florida misplaced to Oklahoma, whereas North Carolina defeated Michigan. This yr, the Gators rotate to face the Wolverines (sure, it’s going to be Florida vs UNC subsequent season). UM, coming into its fifth season below well-known “Fab 5” alum Juwan Howard, pale late in ’23, shedding in double-overtime at Illinois and in time beyond regulation at Indiana to finish the common season, then towards Rutgers in first-round play of the Large Ten Event. The collapse dumped the Wolverines into the NIT. Extra unhealthy information adopted with the switch of 7-foot standout Hunter Dickinson to Kansas and early NBA exits of No. 2 scorer Jett Howard and Kobe Bufkin, each of whom have been lottery picks. The rebuild begins with level guard Dug McDaniel (8.6 ppg, 3.1 rpg, 3.6 apg), switch ahead Olivier Nkamhoua (10.8 ppg, 5.0 rpg at Tennessee) and freshman guard George Washington III, the Ohio Gatorade Participant of the 12 months.
Dec. 22: Grambling
The Tigers misplaced 4 of their high 5 scorers from a crew that went 24-9 and was driving an 11-game successful streak till being upset by Texas Southern within the Southwestern Athletic Convention Event title sport. Ouch. Florida and Grambling have by no means performed, with this one falling within the dreaded last-game-before-Christmas spot. Translation: Beware. Wing Jourdan Smith, the lone returnee of be aware, averaged 8.7 factors and 4.9 rebounds final season.
Dec. 30: Quinnipiac
One other first-time assembly. Whichever UF assistant coach is assigned the pregame scout little doubt will get with Clayton to evaluate the Bobcats, who handed Clayton’s Iona squad one in all its three Metro Atlantic Athletic Convention losses final season. Clayton, although, did not play within the sport, however scored 17 in main his crew to victory within the rematch. Quinnipiac misplaced 4 of its high 5 scorers, with fifth-year senior guard Matt Balanc (12.0 ppg, 4.7 rpg, 37 p.c from 3) the lone man again.
Jan. 6 – Kentucky
At level in early June, Kentucky had simply seven gamers on its ’23-24 roster. Seven. That mentioned, 4 of them have been members of an incoming freshman class ranked No. 1 within the nation, so – per typical for Coach John Calipari, coming into his 14th season in Lexington – it is not as if the Wildcats have been bereft of expertise. Quite the opposite, all 4 of these freshmen performed within the 2023 McDonald’s All America Recreation, led by 6-7 ahead Justin Edwards, the consensus no. 1 prospect within the nation. Edwards’s classmates embody 7-foot Aaron Bradshaw and level guard D.J. Wagner (the latter is son of Dajuan Wagner, former Memphis star, and grandson of Milt Wagner, who received an NCAA title at Louisville in 1986), and Kentucky Mr. Basketball Reed Sheppard (3,727 profession factors, 1,214 assists, and 1,050 rebounds), whose father, Jeff, was 1998 Last 4 MVP for Tubby Smith’s nationwide champs. The place expectations surged for this band of Cats was when ahead Antonio Reeves, the 2023 SEC Sixth Man of the 12 months and UK second-leading scorer (14.4 ppg, team-high 80 3-pointers at 39.8 p.c) exited the switch portal and rejoined this system. That was Fortuitous Growth No. 1. No. 2 got here courtesy of the Bob Huggins offseason scandal at West Virginia, with standout ahead Tre Mitchell (11.7 ppg, 5.5 rpg) leaving the Mountaineers for the Cats in July. UK is perhaps down considerably in numbers (and expertise), however what a late rally by Cal. His finest younger groups have been recognized to but their stride deep into the convention season, so possibly this uncommon early crack on the Cats will likely be good for the Gators, who’ve misplaced 5 straight dwelling video games within the sequence. When UF and UK final met this early, the Cats hammered what turned Billy Donovan’s first NCAA Event crew by 35.
Jan. 10 – at Ole Miss
Chris Beard was the largest free agent on the 2023 teaching carousel, however the circumstances weren’t fairly. Beard, together with his 70.7 profession successful proportion (together with 11-5 mark in NCAA play and nationwide runner-up end with Texas Tech in 2019), was fired 9 video games into his second season at Texas over a home abuse incident. Ole Miss, which had bailed on Kermit Davis after 5 seasons and simply seven SEC wins the final two years, was the varsity that took on Beard’s baggage and successful resume, having guided three completely different applications to the match. The thrill for the Rebels has gone via the roof. Not solely does Mississippi return main scorers Matthew Murrell (14.4 ppg, 3.5 rpg) and Jaemyn Brakefield (11.1 ppg, 5.7 rpg), however the Rebels landed a six-member switch class ranked within the nation’s high 10, together with guard Jaylen Murray (12.5 ppg at Memphis), ahead Allen Flanigan (10.1 ppg, 5.0 rpg at Auburn), 6-10 ahead Moussa Cisse (6.8 ppg, 8.0 rpg at Oklahoma State) and 7-2 middle Jamarion Sharp (7.4 ppg, 7.7 rpg, NCAA-leading 4.1 bpg at Western Kentucky). This could possibly be essentially the most improved crew within the league in ’23-24.
Jan. 13 – Arkansas
It was a wild fifth season for Coach Eric Musselman and his Razorbacks. A freshman class thought-about among the many finest within the nation was rocked by an early damage to lottery-pick-in-waiting Nick Smith about the identical time marquee big-man switch Trevon Brazile suffered a season-ending knee damage. The Hogs went 8-10 in SEC play and completed ninth, however with an honest resume of wins nonetheless acquired a No. 8 NCAA Event seed, then upset No. 1-seed and reigning nationwide champion Kansas earlier than getting blasted within the Candy 16 by eventual champ Connecticut. Arkansas misplaced its high three scorers (and 4 gamers complete) to the NBA, together with freshman standout level guard Anthony Black, now with Orlando. The 4 accounted for 57 p.c of the crew’s scoring, 38 p.c of rebounding and 63 p.c of assists. No biggie. Musselman, going again to his days at Nevada, is the “OG” in the case of portaling and hauled in six stable ones to crew alongside three key returnees in guard and elite defender Davonte Davis (10.9 ppg, 4.4 rpg, 48 steals), 6-10 fifth-year Makhi Mitchell (7.0 ppg, 5.3 rpg) and Brazile (11.9 ppg, 6.0 rpg in 9 video games). The incomings embody a trio of guards in El Ellis (17.7 factors, 4.4 assists at Louisville), guard Khalif Battle (17.9 ppg at Temple) and Tramon Mack (10.1 ppg, 4.9 rpg at Houston). They added a few four-star freshmen additionally, with 6-10 Denver product Baye Fall anticipated to assist up entrance. UF has misplaced three straight within the sequence after going 24-5 towards the Hogs from 2000-20.
Jan. 16 – at Tennessee
The Volunteers led the nation final season in defensive effectivity on the way in which to going 25-11, ending fourth within the league, gaining a No. 4 NCAA seed and – once more – flaming out towards a decrease seed in match play, courtesy of a Candy 16 loss to Cinderella Florida Atlantic. It did not assist that standout level guard Zakai Zeigler (10.7 ppg, 5.4 apg, 2.1 spg) suffered a season-ending knee damage in February. Zeigler is on schedule to return in ’24, however within the interim the Vols will lean – once more – on fifth-year capturing guard Santiago Vescovi (11.6 ppg, 3.6 rpg, 3.2 apg), who has been terrific in beginning 110 of 114 video games the final 4 seasons and shot 38 p.c from 3 for his profession since he arrived within the ’19-20 midseason from Uruguay. UT misplaced its finest huge (the aforementioned Olivier Nkamhoua) to the portal and 7-1 bully Uros Plavsic to commencement, however ahead Josiah-Jordan James (9.0 ppg, 5.7 rpg), as soon as thought-about a one-and-done, is again for a fifth season. Tennessee nabbed a pair extremely productive mid-major guards through the portal in Dalton Knecht (20.2 ppg, 7.8 rpg, 38 p.c from 3 at Northern Colorado) and Jordan Gainey (15.2 ppg at South Carolina-Upstate), and signed a pair four-star incoming freshmen, together with 6-11 middle JP Estrella. Lots of new faces, however the Vols determine to look and play the identical, as this system, after eight years, is firmly grounded within the rules and defensive/bodily type that’s the blueprint of Coach Rick Barnes, who’s averaged 24 wins the final six seasons. UF has not received at Knoxville since 2014, a run of six straight defeats.
Jan. 20 – at Missouri
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A case might have simply been made for Dennis Gates as 2023 SEC Coach of the 12 months. After flipping the reclamation challenge that was Cleveland State – he turned a program with six straight shedding seasons into the Horizon League champs and went to 2 NITs – the previous FSU assistant and ace recruiter took over a spot that was 12-21 within the ultimate season below Cuonzo Martin and went 25-10, completed fourth within the SEC and went to the NCAA Event. The Tigers mentioned goodbye to All-SEC ahead Kobe Brown (first-round by the L.A. Clippers), however get fifth years from super-active ahead Noah Carter (9.6 ppg, 4.0 rpg after transferring from Northern Iowa) and stocky level guard Nick Honor (7.9 ppg, 39.9 p.c from 3 in his first yr after leaving Clemson). Heart Connor Vanover, who goes 7-3 and 247, is again within the SEC after averaging 12.7 factors and seven.2 rebounds in his lone season at Oral Roberts following three middling years at Arkansas. Fifth-year guard Caleb Grill (9.5 ppg, 4.0 rpg) got here from Iowa State. The Tigers’ finest freshman doubtless will likely be 6-8 ahead Trent Pierce, a top-100 prospect out of Arizona. Price noting, given the mid-January date: Florida’s final two journeys to Mizzou have coincided with depraved snowstorms, together with a 2022 blizzard that stranded the crew in Columbia in a single day.
Jan. 24 – Mississippi State
The Bulldogs have been one in all two SEC groups (together with Arkansas) that completed behind the Gators within the convention standings, but nonetheless made the NCAA Event. UF beat MSU on the highway within the common season and will have repeated the feat in second-round SEC Event play have been it not for a blown late defensive project and layup by All-SEC ahead Tolu Smith with 4 seconds to play. Smith (15.7 ppg, 8.5 rpg) toyed with the NBA draft course of, however opted to return, giving the Bulldogs all 5 of their high scorers again from a crew that bounced from a dreadful begin to league play to win eight of its ultimate 10 and steal a spot within the Dayton play-in spherical, the place they misplaced to Pittsburgh. Smith was the lone Bulldog to common in double figures, however Shakeel Moore, D.J. Jeffries, Dashawn Davis and Cameron Matthews every averaged between 9.8 and 6.9 factors for Coach Chris Jans’ first MSU squad after coming to Starkville from New Mexico State. The roster newcomers embody the No. 1- and 2-ranked junior school prospects within the nation – guard Lerenzo Fort III and ahead Jaquan Scott, respectively – plus Marshall switch capturing guard Andrew Taylor (20.2 ppg, 4.7 rpg, 4.7 apg, 36 p.c from 3).
Jan. 27 – Georgia
Mike White’s first season after bolting Gainesville for Athens went about as anticipated, given he inherited a program in utter shambles after going 6-26 total and 1-17 in SEC play within the ultimate season of Tom Crean’s disastrous four-year flip. The Bulldogs went 16-16, together with 6-12 towards league foes, making for White’s first non-winning file in 11 seasons as a collegiate head coach. He is acquired a shot at a second straight. UGA misplaced its high three scorers, together with guard Kario Oquendo (12.7 ppg) bolting for Oregon. The Bulldogs get again guard Justin Hill (8.6) and wing Jabri Abdur-Rahim, however will rely totally on new blood, like former Niagara guard Noah Thomasson, who averaged a league-high 19.5 factors on his strategy to first-team MAAC honors (making for one more Clayton reunion), 7-foot, 275-pound middle Russell Tchewa (South Florida) and incoming freshman guard Blue Cain, a Knoxville, Tenn., product out of IMG and a child the Gators had for an official go to within the spring.
Jan. 31 – at Kentucky
UF swept Kentucky of their 2018 sequence (see Chiozza, Chris). Since then, the Wildcats have received 9 of the final 10, with the Gators’ lone win coming in a principally empty Rupp Enviornment throughout the pandemic-marred 2021 league season when UK was on its strategy to simply its first shedding season because the NCAA probation-ravaged squad of 1988-89.
Feb. 3 – at Texas A&M
It did not occur immediately for Buzz Williams, however he is acquired it getting in School Station (like he acquired it going at Marquette and Virginia Tech earlier than that). The Aggies went 15-3 in league play final season – beating UF twice in video games that went right down to the ultimate possession – and completed only a sport behind Alabama within the standings, solely to lose in first-round NCAA play as a No. 7 seed. No rebuild right here. Actually, the A&M roster (the very best components of it) returns principally intact (not one Aggie transferred out), together with 4 of the highest 5 scorers, led by first-team All-SEC level guard Wade Taylor IV (16.3 ppg, 3.9 apg) and proficient wing Tyrece Radford (13.3 ppg, 5.3 rpg, 2.4 apg). Additionally again is the up-front muscle Julian Marble (9.1 ppg, 4.1 rpg), who got here from Michigan State final season, and Henry Coleman (9.0 ppg, 5.7 rpg), who got here from Duke the season earlier than that. The Aggies may have a handful of position gamers engrained in Williams’ system to select from, plus a trio of incoming transfers: forwards Jace Carter (16.6 ppg, 7.0 rpg at Illinois-Chicago) and Wildens Leveque (5.5 ppg, 4.5 rpg at UMass), plus guard Eli Lawrence (12.2 ppg, 4.1 rpg at Center Tennessee). A&M will likely be among the many preseason favorites to win the convention.
Feb. 6 and seven – Mid-week bye
SEC groups haven’t had a bye week within the league schedule since 2016, which coincided with the primary yr of the SEC/Large 12 Problem being performed in January.
Feb. 10 – Auburn
After a powerful first half of the season, the Tigers petered out by dropping six of their final 9 in SEC play, shedding their first sport of the SEC Event, then exiting within the second spherical of the NCAA Event. There is no query, although, that Bruce Pearl has turned the Tigers right into a perennial convention contender (at the least), averaging almost 24 wins during the last six seasons, with two SEC regular-season titles, one league match crown, 4 NCAA berths and the one Last 4 in program historical past. They will be within the combine once more in ’23-24, given the return of a pair of excellent entrance court docket gamers in 6-10, 235-pound All-SEC ahead Johnie Broom (14.2 ppg, 8.4 rpg, 2.4 bpg) and 6-8, 230-pound Jaylin Williams (11.2 ppg, 4.7 rpg). Although Auburn mentioned goodbye to logo-range guard Wendell Inexperienced Jr., his mercurial backcourt companion, Ok.D. Johnson (8.9 ppg), will likely be again to shoot his crew both in or out of video games. Guard Denver Jones (20.0 ppg, 35.7 p.c from 3) transferred from Florida Worldwide, the place was a first-team All-Convention USA choice as a sophomore, however the splash new man figures to be freshman level guard Aden Holloway, a McDonald’s All American from North Carolina.
Feb. 13 – LSU
The Tigers opened the Matt McMahon period by successful 11 of their first 12 video games (albeit towards the second-easiest non-conference schedule within the league), then beat Arkansas to start out SEC play. After that, the roof caved in. As in 14 straight losses on the way in which to ending dead-last within the convention standings. It was fairly the comedown for a coach who averaged greater than 24 wins his earlier 5 seasons at Murray State and claimed 5 Ohio Valley crowns over seven years. The offseason rebuild, in fact, was in depth. LSU misplaced its high three scorers, together with all-league ahead KJ Williams (17.7 ppg, 7.7 rpg), however return ahead Derek Fountain (8.0 ppg, 5.5 rpg), bodily guard Trae Hannibal (6.8 ppg, 4.5 rpg, 2.3 apg) and promising ahead Jalen Reed (3.7 ppg, 3.2 rpg). Highlighting the half-dozen transfers are guard Jalen Cook dinner, who really began his school profession (and performed sparingly) at LSU, then blew up over two All-American Athletic Convention seasons at Tulane, the place he averaged 19.0 factors. Cook dinner figures to be paired within the backcourt with Santa Clara switch Carlos Stewart (15.2 ppg, 40.3 p.c from 3). Entrance court docket assist arrived in 7-foot Will Baker (13.6 ppg, 5.2 rebounds at Nevada), 6-10 Hunter Dean (8.7 ppg, 6.1 rpg, 64 p.c at George Washington) and Jordan Wright, together with his almost 1,200 factors and 600 rebounds (a bunch towards UF) over 4 seasons at Vandy. A pair of four-star incoming freshmen, level guard Mike Williams and ahead Corey Chest, bear watching.
Feb. 17 – at Georgia
A faction of obsessed (some deranged) Florida followers will attempt to maintain the White-vs.-Florida storyline alive, however either side are properly handed the “We have moved on” section, with the one White-acquired Gator gamers left on the UF roster a pair of walk-ons (Alex Klatsky and Jack Could).
Feb. 21 – at Alabama
Nate Oats has it getting in Tuscaloosa, what with 76 wins, two regular-season convention titles, two SEC match titles and three straight NCAA berths during the last three seasons. The ’22-23 squad was his finest Bama crew by far, what with 31 wins, a short go to to No. 1 within the rankings and a No. 1 NCAA seed, however the Tide underwent large roster turnover. First-team All-America ahead and 2023 SEC Participant of the 12 months Brandon Miller was the third total choose to the Charlotte Hornets and ahead Noah Clowney, a first-rounder by the Brooklyn Nets). Heart and defensive specialist Charles Bediaiko turned professional, plus two guards transferred; Jaden Bradley (Arizona) and Jahvon Quinerly (Memphis), who surprisingly made his leap in June. That is lots of manufacturing to exchange. Bama will get again All-SEC guard Mark Sears (12.5 ppg, 4.5 rpg) and landed a trio of transfers who have been all-league at their mid-majors, every of whom ought to make enormous impacts. Ahead Grant Nelson (from North Dakota State) averaged 19.9 factors, 9.8 rebounds, 2.4 assists, 1.7 blocks and 1.1 steals. Guard Aaron Estrada (20.2 ppg, 5.5 rpg, 4.2 apg at Hofstra) was 2023 Colonial Athletic Affiliation Participant of the 12 months, whereas guard Latrell Wrightsell Jr. (16.3 ppg, 4.5 rpg, 38 p.c from 3) brings all-star cred from Cal State Fullerton and the Large West Convention. The Tide’s incoming freshman class was ranked 10th within the nation, led by freshman ahead Sam Walters, who performed at The Villages (Fla.).
Feb. 24 – Vanderbilt
The Commodores have been one of many hottest groups within the SEC at finish of the season. Ask the Gators. They have been swept by Vandy for the primary time since ’16-17, as Coach Jerry Stackhouse, in his fourth season, guided the crew to a 12-3 mark over the ultimate 15 video games, with 5 of these wins coming towards eventual NCAA Event groups, together with two towards Kentucky. Stackhouse’s first successful season, nevertheless, acquired him only a second consecutive NIT bid. He managed to persuade guard Tyrin Lawrence (13.1 ppg, 4.4 rpg, 50 p.c flooring, 36 p.c from the arc) to return from a flirtation within the portal. Diminutive level guard Ezra Manjon (10.5 ppg, 3.8 apg) is also again, however the Commodores misplaced 7-0 middle Liam Robbins to commencement and a pair of starters to SEC rivals in ahead Jordan Wright (LSU) and 3-pointer specialist Myles Stute (South Carolina). Vandy’s finest portal acquisitions have been guard Evan Taylor, a two-time all Patriot League performer at Lehigh, the place he averaged 14.2 factors, 6.5 boards and shot 41 p.c over 4 seasons from 3, plus 6.8, 240-pound ahead Tasos Kamateros (12.5 ppg, 6.2 rpg) from South Dakota. The Commodores acquired a four-star capturing guard prospect out of Virginia in Jason Rivera-Torres.
Feb. 28 – Missouri
The Tigers have received win on the O’Dome in 5 journeys since becoming a member of the league for the 2012-13 season.
March 2 – at South Carolina
The Gamecocks performed their first season in a decade with out Frank Martin on the sidelines. Lamont Paris, by the use of Tennessee-Chattanooga, didn’t inherit a lot and went 11-21, together with 4-14 in league play, in his first SEC go – and that was with ahead GG Jackson (15.4 ppg, 4.4 rpg, 32 p.c from 3), the No. 1-rated prospect within the ’24 cycle, decommitting from North Carolina, reclassifying to ’23 and signing with USC. Jackson was speculated to be a NBA lottery choose and doubtless wanted that additional yr of improvement, although he was chosen in Spherical 2 (45th total) by Memphis. The Gamecocks get again level guard Meechie Johnson (12.7 ppg, 3.7 rpg, 3.6 apg) and guard Jacobi Wright (7.3 ppg). After that, it is a rebuild fueled – what else – by transfers, headlined by 6-8, 270 ahead B.J. Mack (15.6 ppg, 5.6 rpg, 49 p.c flooring at Wofford final season), 6-8 ahead Stephen Clark (16.3 ppg, 6.5 rpg at The Citadel) and Stute, through Vandy.
March 5 – Alabama
UF mainly had its manner with Bama for 20 years, going 26-5 within the sequence from 1999 to 2020, however the Tide has positively turned, what with three straight blowout wins, all by double digits, together with final season’s 28-point bloodbath at Tuscaloosa. The Gators’ lone victory over Oats got here within the 2020 SEC opener once they staged an epic comeback from 21 right down to win 104-98 in double-overtime.
March 9 – Vanderbilt
It is typically accepted across the SEC that Stackhouse, the 17-year NBA veteran and former G League Coach of the 12 months, runs a few of the most subtle offense within the league. It appears to be like much more subtle with higher gamers, because the Gators discovered final season when the Commodores snapped a nine-game shedding skid within the sequence, courting to the 2019 season. This one will function “Senior Day,” a celebration that (across the nation) has taken on a special, most likely lesser which means, given the portal. UF’s lone senior to return via this system will likely be Klatsky, the fifth yr, however grad-transfers Tyrese Samuel, Zyon Pullin, EJ Jarvis and Julian Rishwain may have an opportunity to take their bows, too.
March 13-17
SEC Event (Nashville, Tenn.)
It is 12 months 2 of a contract that has the SEC Event locked into Bridgestone Enviornment – and the Music Metropolis – via 2030, with an choice to increase the deal via 2035. Precisely nobody is complaining about it. It is a really perfect venue for a convention’s marquee basketball occasion. The match was first staged on the area (then generally known as the Gaylord Leisure Heart, dwelling to the NHL Nashville Predators) in 2001, with ’24 being the ninth time internet hosting the occasion.