SEC notebook: LSU-Tennessee showdown, ranked tests for Texas, things we learned from Week 1

Kim Mulkey’s Tigers haven’t lost a game since Caitlin Clark and the Hawkeyes eliminated LSU from the Elite Eight of last year’s women’s NCAA tournament. LSU (17-0) is one of only five remaining undefeated teams in the country while also boasting the nation’s longest winning streak. However, Thursday’s game also marks the first road contest for the Tigers against a ranked foe this season. 

Tennessee, a team that was among the country’s last eight undefeated programs heading into SEC play, will seek to give LSU its first loss and give head coach Kim Caldwell her first victory against a ranked SEC opponent this season. Caldwell hasn’t wasted time implementing her culture of fast-paced, high-scoring and aggressive defensive press into the Volunteers’ program. 

The Vols (13-1) enter Thursday’s game after splitting its first two games — a win against Texas A&M and a last-second loss to Oklahoma — in SEC play while boasting the best scoring offense (97.3 ppg), the most three pointers (12.1), three point attempts (36.5) and offensive rebounds (20.9) per game in the nation. Tennessee also averages the fifth most points in bench production (35.5) per game.

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Mulkey described Caldwell’s uptempo “style of play” as one she hasn’t really seen.

“They [Volunteers] score a lot of points and they make you play fast with their press,” Mulkey said. “It’s going to be quite a challenge to keep them from scoring in the nineties.”

Defensively, the Vols lead the country in forcing turnovers per game (27.6) and are second in the nation in turnover margin (+12.6) and steals per game (14.9), something Mulkey has stressed to her team heading into the contest.

“…You can’t turn the ball over and you have to really, really work hard to keep them [Vols] off the offensive boards,” Mulkey said.

Tennessee features five players averaging double digits in points that include guards Talaysia Cooper (leading scorer with 17.8 ppg) while shooting 51.7% from the floor and Jewel Spear, who has registered 15 or more points in her last four games and a combined average of 24 points in the Vols’ first two SEC contests against Texas A&M and Oklahoma.

Through 14 games, LSU sits at No. 3 nationally in scoring offense (91.7 ppg), sixth in offensive rating (116.5), 15th in defensive rating (76.6), seventh in field goal percentage (49.3%) as well as in the top five in total rebounds (49.1), offensive (17.4) and defensive rebounds (31.6). The biggest reasons for LSU’s success stem from the play of guards Flau’jae Johnson (19.7 ppg., 6.1 rpg), Mikaylah Williams (15.9) and forward Aneesah Morrow (18.1 ppg., 14.0 rpg.). Morrow leads the country in double-doubles and her 14.0 rebounds per game is the best in the country. 

In addition to the Tigers trio — Johnson, Williams and Morrow — guard Kailyn Gilbert has delivered in big moments for LSU, averaging 11.3 points, 3.4 rebounds and 2.2 assists per game while posting 16.5 points and shooting 68.2% from the floor in the Tigers first two SEC wins against Arkansas and Auburn. 

Although the Vols hold a substantial advantage in the season series against the Tigers, LSU has captured wins in three of the last four contests against Tennessee including their last two battles in Knoxville. 

Two ranked tests for Texas

Coach Vic Schaefer knew what was in store for his Longhorns’ squad when the SEC slate began last Thursday. With Schaefer — who witnessed the physicality, tenacity and all-around talent in the conference dating back to his days coaching at Mississippi State — things were no different when the Longhorns battled Oklahoma on the road in their first SEC contest. Oklahoma threw the first punch, maintaining an early 32-20 lead in the second quarter before Texas led 40-39 at halftime thanks to a 21-7 run by the Longhorns. However, two key veterans — Shay Holle and Aaliyah Moore — along with leading scorer Madison Booker dealt with foul trouble. However, after managing to tie the game heading into the fourth quarter, Texas pulled out the win. 

However, the Longhorns’ win against Oklahoma doesn’t happen without strong performances from other contributors like Jordan Lee (who finished with 17 points that includes shooting 4-for-5 from beyond the arc), Taylor Jones — who scored 8 points in the final frame — Kyla Oldacre (12 pts) and the veteran presence of Rori Harmon (16 pts, eight assists, 6-for-8 from charity stripe) with the game on the line. Even more, Oldacre and Jones have combined to average 22.7 points and 13.2 rebounds per game while shooting a combined 66.4% from the floor.

“I’m pretty comfortable with her [Harmon] and Madison [Booker] when the game’s on the line, especially, stepping up making free throws,” Schaefer said about Harmon in his weekly news conference on Tuesday. “… I want the ball to be in their hands. … There’s a lot of joy for me knowing what [Rori’s] been through. … The good Lord has blessed her with a great comeback.”

Although picking up the win before earning a much easier victory against Arkansas on Sunday, Schaefer had to remind his players that Thursday’s matchup is what SEC action is truly like. 

“It’s supposed to be hard,” Schaefer said after the Longhorns’ victory against OU. “Winning is really hard and winning on the road and a top 10 team is supposed to be that way. … Going into that game was courage over comfort. To win on the road [against] a top 10 rival, you have to choose courage.”

Texas will seek to implement that mantra again starting Thursday against a ranked Alabama squad before the Longhorns turn their attention to South Carolina in a top five showdown on the road in Columbia, South Carolina. The Longhorns enter this week with the fourth best scoring offense in the country (90.8 ppg), first in offensive rating (118.7) and sixth in defensive rating (73.2) and fifth in field goal percentage (49.5%), according to Her Hoops Stats. 

Defensively, in its two SEC wins, Texas has forced 52 turnovers and garnered 60 points.

Ashlyn Watkins’ absence for South Carolina

South Carolina handled business during opening week of SEC play, dispatching Missouri (83-52) and Mississippi State (95-68). Although the Bulldogs managed an 11-point lead approaching the halfway mark of the second quarter, South Carolina’s 3-point shooting, MSU’s turnovers and the Gamecocks’ ability to get to the free throw line made the difference in another blowout victory. South Carolina, despite a different look this season without a dominant big like the seasons of Aliyah Boston and Kamilla Cardoso, is still rolling. However, as the Gamecocks continue to navigate SEC play, they will have to do so without forward Ashlyn Watkins, who will miss the remainder of the season after tearing her ACL in the Gamecocks’ win against Mississippi State.

Watkins was averaging 7.2 points, 6.4 rebounds and 1.9 blocks per game. She led the team and ranked fourth in the SEC in blocks and sat second behind teammate Chloe Kitts in rebounds per contest. While Watkins’ numbers don’t jump off the charts, losing Watkins for the remainder of the season will be something to examine. For one, because South Carolina does not have the traditional bigs it had in previous seasons, more of the rebounding duties will be placed on Kitts — who is 6’2 — and freshman Joyce Edwards, who stands at 6’3. Currently, with Watkins’ absence, the Gamecocks next best rebounders, statistically speaking, are two guards in Raven Johnson (stands at 5’9) and Bree Hall (6’), along with forward Sania Feagin (6’3). Rebounding has been a staple for South Carolina as the Gamecocks sit at No. 4 in the league in total rebounds per game behind Oklahoma, LSU and Tennessee. As far as blocks, Feagin was second on the team behind Watkins. 

With three consecutive games against OU, LSU and Tennessee starting Jan. 19, the rebounding category for South Carolina will certainly be one to keep an eye on toward the latter part of this month.

Oklahoma

The Sooners were baptized by fire into SEC play with tough matchups against their old Big 12 rival Texas that resulted in a loss and a down-to-the-wire victory against SEC blueblood Tennessee on Sunday. After watching OU play in those two contests, it was never a doubt that Oklahoma could compete in the SEC. The question now becomes what adjustments head coach Jennie Baranczyk will make for the Sooners to improve and thrive at their best against teams like the Vols and other SEC royalty like South Carolina and LSU. The addition of transfer Raegan Beers will remain a constant theme for this season and the dynamic she brings for the Sooners’ interior, along with what happens if she gets in foul trouble. Against Texas, when Beers wasn’t on the court, the Sooners struggled to score in critical moments. Cutting down turnovers — committing 27 against the Longhorns and 31 against the Vols — will also need to improve. Oklahoma led by as many as 19 against Tennessee in the third quarter, with key contributions from Beers and Payton Verhulst throughout the contest. 

But with the caliber of talent in the SEC, playing for a full 40 minutes and not blowing big leads must be a priority as well. With a game on the road against Mississippi State on Thursday and matchup against Texas A&M on Sunday, Oklahoma will seek to pick up its third and fourth SEC wins over the weekend. OU enters this week 4-0 in true road games, fifth in scoring offense (90.1 ppg), 12th in field goal percentage (48.5%), second in assists per game (22.6) while leading the country in rebounds per game (49.9). The Sooners are second in the nation in paint points (45.6), ninth second chance points (15.8) and fifth in bench points (34.8). 

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Kentucky

Although Kentucky isn’t perfect, the Wildcats couldn’t ask for a better start to SEC play. Kentucky picked up two wins against Mississippi State and Vanderbilt by a margin of 18 or more points for the first time since the 1992-93 season. A big reason behind Kentucky’s wins is the Wildcats’ 3-point shooting prowess, ball movement and the challenges they present opposing teams with their length.

“What we lack, maybe in foot speed, we make up for it with our length and our IQ,” head coach Kenny Brooks said in his weekly news conference on Tuesday. “They [players] do a really good job of baiting people. “I’ve mentioned it as like the Venus fly trap. … you can go in there and get a layup, but at the worst, we’re going to make you make a very tough shot.”

Kentucky registered at least 91 points in its victories against the Bulldogs and the Commodores, marking the first time the program has reached the feat in its first two SEC games in program history. The Wildcats also notched at least 15 3-pointers in their first two league games for the first time in program history. Even more, all five starters for Kentucky are averaging nearly 12 or more points per game with three of the five — Georgia Amoore (34.6%), Amelia Hassett (39.8%) and Dazia Lawrence (45.5%) — shooting nearly 35% or better from three point range. 

As Amoore continues to fulfill her duties as the team’s bonafide leader, Brooks said center Clara Strack’s growth for the game has been paramount in the Wildcats’ success, leaning into her being the “best passing post player in the country.”

“If you want to argue with me, show me the person, and we will have a debate,” Brooks said of Strack, who also leads the SEC in blocks and has seven double-doubles this season. “… I’ll stand on business when I say that. … She sees things before they happen. …Her defense is unbelievable. … She’s not a super athletic kid. She has a feel for the game at any position. …She was an understudy for Elizabeth [Kitley] and she watched Liz Kitley play, but she doesn’t mirror Liz’s game. We’re not going to sit here and make [her] Liz. We’re going to try to make [her] Clara.”

Kentucky gets a road test against Florida on Thursday before returning home on Sunday to face Auburn.

Alabama

The Crimson Tide opened SEC play with two wins against Florida and Missouri. However, there will be a lot to find out about Alabama in its gauntlet of games that include two road contests against Texas starting Thursday and Ole Miss on Sunday before returning home to face the defending national champs. As of now, the Crimson Tide must tackle these early season challenges without Sarah Ashlee Barker (15.6 ppg), who suffered a lower-leg injury in Alabama’s win against Florida and is currently day-to-day. With the absence of the grad guard, Diana Collins is projected to get the start for Barker. Typically, Collins — along with freshman Eris Lester — is part of Alabama’s bench production, a unit that averages 18.6 points per game. With Longhorns and Rebels’ production at the guard position, Kristy Curry’s squad will need quality minutes from Collins along with the remaining starting five in those matchups to secure wins. But, beyond Barker’s absence, Zaay Green has continued to play exceptionally well for Alabama. The UAPB transfer dropped 23 against Missouri and 27 points and six assists against Florida to help Alabama notch its first SEC opening win since the 2021-22 campaign. Another strong performance from Green will be needed in both of the Crimson Tide’s games this week. 

Vanderbilt

The Commodores haven’t received the notoriety that some of the ranked teams in the SEC have registered. But make no mistake, there is no shortage of excitement in Nashville, Tennessee. Vanderbilt eclipsed 100 points for the fourth time this season in its SEC opening win against Georgia. Even in losing to a very talented and ranked Kentucky squad (96-78), scoring points won’t be a problem for Vanderbilt. Mikayla Blakes, the Commodores second leading scorer (20.6 ppg), posted 36 points that included 5-for-9 from beyond the arc and 13-for-14 from the free throw line with five assists and three rebounds in her SEC debut against UGA. Her 36 points set Vandy’s freshman single game record.

Khamil Pierre, Vandy’s leading scorer and the nation’s seventh leading scorer (22.8 ppg), was one of seven SEC players named to the Wooden Award midseason top 25 list. Pierre is the only player in women’s Division I basketball to average 22.0 points and 10.5 rebounds this season. The Phoenix, Arizona, native, Blakes and Iyana Moore are the biggest reasons why the Commodores sit at 14-2 and could present some challenges to teams early in conference play and down the stretch in late February into early March.

Mississippi

The Rebels looked like the dominant team that most expect to see from a Coach Yo squad. Great defense, scoring efficiently and a team that is physical. In the team’s dominant win on the road against Auburn, Mississippi finished with four scorers in double figures with KK Deans leading the way with 20 points off the bench. Despite leading for nearly the entire contest against Texas A&M — even holding a 41-25 advantage at halftime — things were different against the Aggies in the second half. The Rebels struggled in the second half, scoring only 17 points and outscored 20-6 in the final frame. The Aggies’ 12-0 run midway through the fourth quarter to tie the game was a turning point in the contest. Slow starts and sometimes finishing games have been themes that have plagued Mississippi at times, something Coach Yo and her players want to refrain from doing. On a bright spot, freshman guard Sira Thienou registered double digits in points in her first two SEC games. It will be exciting to see how she continues to mesh with the likes of Kennedy Todd-Williams, Madison Scott and company. 

Mississippi State

The Bulldogs have one of the toughest starts to SEC play that includes a matchup with Oklahoma on Thursday, their third ranked SEC opponent in nine days. Despite lopsided affairs against Kentucky (91-69) and South Carolina (95-68), the Bulldogs gave Gamecocks everything they could handle up until the midway portion of the second quarter. However, South Carolina put together a massive 19-2 to close the quarter to take the lead at halftime and never relinquished it. Against Kentucky, the Bulldogs ran into a Wildcats team that was scorching hot from beyond the arc (54.5%, 18-for-33) while converting only 26.7% from 3-point range in the loss. With a coach in Sam Purcell who prides his teams on playing high-quality defense and defending the 3-point line, the next task for the Bulldogs won’t be any easier in slowing down Raegan Beers and OU’s scorers. Turnovers also hurt the Bulldogs as they committed 20 against South Carolina, resulting in 23 points for the Gamecocks and 10 against Kentucky that resulted in 15 points for the Wildcats. Currently, MSU is committing 16.1 turnovers per game and the loss to South Carolina marked the eighth time the Bulldogs have committed at least 17 in a contest. 

Florida

Florida center Ra Shaya Kyle’s presence on the court — particularly in the paint — has been a huge asset for the Gators. The 6’6 center’s ability to secure rebounds (averaging 9.8 per game) and to be a scoring threat (15.8 ppg) will be important for a Florida team built with a plethora of talented guards in Liv McGill (16.2 ppg), Laila Reynolds (10.4) and Jeriah Warren (12.8). Currently, Kyle has the third-highest field goal percentage (64.1%) in the SEC. Her and McGill are among the league’s top 15 scorers. Despite losing 79-69 to Alabama — who was without Sarah Ashlee Barker for most of the contest — the Gators competed much better in the final frame after shooting the ball terribly in the first and third quarters. In the Gators’ win against Georgia, it marked the sixth time Kyle led the team in scoring and both Kyle and McGill have totaled double-digit points in 14 of the Gators 16 games this season.

Texas A&M

Joni Taylor’s squad did not have the best starts in the first half of its first two SEC games of the season. Against Tennessee, the Volunteers held a 22-point lead (48-26) against the Aggies. But Texas A&M outscored the Vols in the second half, trailing by as few as 9 points in the contest and shooting 68% from the field in the final 20 minutes. However, 25 turnovers resulting in 34 points for Tennessee was a difference maker. After trailing by 16 against Mississippi, the Aggies initiated a 20-6 run in the fourth quarter to complete the come-from-behind victory against the Rebels, earning the program its first ranked win since defeating South Carolina in February 2021, and snapping a 19-game losing streak against ranked foes. Janae Kent, who finished with nine points, four rebounds, a block and a steal was instrumental in the Aggies’ fourth quarter rally.

Basketball is a game of runs — it’s not always how you start but how you finish. “…They know what they’re capable of, but getting a top 25 win at home is huge for them and their belief,” Taylor said after the win against Mississippi. “I’m not going to say a reward, but we’ve been in so many close games. We’ve been down, made a run and couldn’t get over the hump, so this is good for that reason.”

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Missouri

The Tigers were handed a tough slate to begin SEC play, registering losses to two ranked opponents — South Carolina and Alabama — in the first week. Missouri, one of the better 3-point shooting teams (38.2%) in the country, was limited to 25% (3-for-12 against the Crimson Tide) and 31.6% (5-for-16 against the Gamecocks) from beyond the arc. The SEC slate doesn’t get easier for the Tigers as they visit Georgia on Thursday night before returning home against Florida on Sunday.

Auburn

DeYona Gaston, the eighth leading scorer in the nation, has been Yeoman’s work for the Tigers in the absence of some key players like Taliah Scott and Kaitlyn Duhon. After a blowout loss to the Rebels, Auburn generated a more competitive affair against LSU, despite losing 73-63 and Gaston in foul trouble — limiting her production — that resulted in Tigers taking advantage of points in the paint (44-30). But on the bright side, after LSU dominated Auburn in the second quarter, LSU only outscored Auburn by 1 point in the third frame and the Tigers won the fourth quarter (24-19). The Tigers could earn their first SEC victory of the season on Thursday against Arkansas .

Georgia

The Bulldogs have been without Savannah Henderson since her preseason injury while Nyah Leveretter remains day-to-day with an injury. As no surprise, the Bulldogs freshmen continue to lead the way, registering 44% of the team’s scoring. UGA started three freshmen — Mia Woolfolk, Trinity Turner and Summer Davis — in Sunday’s game for the first time in 13 seasons. But with young teams come growing pains and the potential for miscues. Georgia committed 40 turnovers between its two losses to Vanderbilt and Florida during opening week of SEC play.

Arkansas

The one thing for certain is that Izzy Higginbottom is a prolific scorer. Higginbottom, the nation’s fourth leading scorer, has notched 20 or more points in five of the Razorbacks last six games. However, Arkansas committed a combined 46 turnovers in its first two SEC games against LSU and Texas. With games against Auburn and Tennessee this week, coach Mike Neighbors must find a way for his team to limit turnovers as well as get more production offensively beyond the SEC’s top scorer.

SEC games this week

Jan. 9

• Texas A&M at South Carolina
• Kentucky at Florida
• Missouri at Georgia
• LSU at Tennessee
• Arkansas at Auburn
• Oklahoma at Mississippi State
• Vanderbilt at Ole Miss
• Alabama vs Texas

Jan. 12

• Texas at South Carolina
• Tennessee at Arkansas
• Mississippi State at Georgia
• Auburn at Kentucky
• Florida at Missouri 
• Alabama at Ole Miss
• Texas A&M at Oklahoma