SEC Notebook by Rainer Sabin For Mississippi State center Mario Austin, the season was almost over before it even began. But that changed last Tuesday when the NCAA declared him eligible to play after its investigators determined that he completed the requisite amount of core class hours at his high […]

SEC Notebook by Rainer Sabin Future opponents of 25th ranked Mississippi State (5-1) let out a collective moan when they learned that Mario Austin was returning to the hardwood. The junior forward and Wooden Award candidate, who had sat on the bench for the Bulldogs’ first six games, was cleared […]

SEC Notebook by Rainer Sabin As the college football season slowly draws to a close, the 2002-2003 basketball season is heating up. Several SEC teams showcased their talent over the Thanksgiving weekend while participating in early season tournaments. Kentucky and Florida competed in the Maui Invitational and Preseason NIT, respectively, […]

SEC Notebook by Rainer Sabin The Southeastern Conference has picked up where it left off last season, as the 12 schools seem to be conspiring to recreate the 2001-2002 storyline. In a matter of weeks, eerie similarities are surfacing. Alabama and Florida already look formidable. Kentucky is a mess so […]

SEC Conference Preview by Rainer Sabin It should be another fun and exciting year in the SEC, as a balance between the East and West divisions has finally been established. Alabama, Mississippi State, Florida, Georgia, and Kentucky should be locks for the NCAA Tournament, but look for LSU to make […]

SEC Offseason Recap by Rainer Sabin Scandal, controversy, and an overall poor performance in the Big Dance and NIT made the 2001-2002 campaign one to forget for the Southeastern Conference. While nine of the 12 teams in the SEC made the postseason, their lack of success in the season-ending tournaments […]

SEC Tournament Preview It’s been an exciting and unpredictable year in the Southeastern Conference and as the scene shifts to the Georgia Dome, the action promises to be gripping. Unlike most other leagues, the SEC is devoid of any “bubble” teams. Six schools figure to have tournament bids sewn up […]

SEC Notebook Alabama: (20-4 overall, 8-2) – Despite dropping their last game at the hands of Mississippi State, the Crimson Tide have emerged as one of the stories of this college hoops season. Prior to dropping a 76-62 final against the Bulldogs, Bama’ rolled off six straight victories, climbing all […]

SEC Notebook Alabama (16-3 overall, 4-1) – The Crimson Tide bounced back nicely from a disappointing loss at Auburn by notching a pair of impressive victories. They traveled to Athens and behind a 16-point 10-rebound performance from Rod Gizzard, handed Georgia its first conference loss of the season, 77-72. The […]

SEC Notebook Alabama (14-3 overall, 2-1) – The Crimson Tide had their 8-game winning streak snapped and suffered their first conference loss at the hands of the Auburn Tigers, 59-56. The Tide’s high-flying offense, which had been averaging 82 points a game, was completely stifled as leading scorer Rod Gizzard […]