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SEC Basketball: Top 5 rising seniors for 2018-19
Posted on 7/15/18 at 4:55 pm
Posted on 7/15/18 at 4:55 pm
Agree/Disagree? Player(s) too high or low? Anybody you would add or remove?
5. Jalen Hudson, Florida
The Gators never quite delivered on their preseason promised last year, going just 20-13 and losing to Texas Tech in the second round of the NCAA Tournament, but Hudson did his part during his first season with the program. The Virginia Tech transfer led Florida with 15.5 points per game, proving to be their best and most consistent offensive threat. However, after testing the NBA Draft waters this offseason, head coach Mike White expects Hudson to become a more well-rounded player.
4. Admiral Schofield, Tennessee
Speaking over exceeding expectations, Tennessee did that in the biggest way possible last season, winning the conference for the first time in a decade after being picked to finish 13th. The Vols did so with a well-balanced attack, and while Grant Williams was co-SEC Player of the Year, Schofield was arguably Tennessee’s best player. NBA scouts certainly took notice of Schofield, who also went through the draft process before returning to school. He’s projected to be a mid-second round pick in the 2019 draft
3. Bryce Brown, Auburn
Auburn had perhaps the most shocking season of any team in the country last season. They went from being right at the forefront of the FBI investigation into college basketball, losing arguably their two best players in Austin Wiley and Danjel Purifoy in the process, yet still won a share of the SEC title for the first time since 1999. Brown was one of the biggest reasons why head coach Bruce Pearl’s squad was able to reach new heights. He was Auburn’s second-leading scorer (15.9 ppg) while making over three three-pointers per game. Brown was also the most consistent scorer for the Tigers, scoring in double figures in 28 of the 33 games he played in.
2. Quinndary Weatherspoon, Mississippi State
Mississippi State is another team that enters 2018-19 with high expectations as they return virtually every major contributor from last year’s 25-12 team that made it to the Final Four of the NIT. Quinndary Weatherspoon is the leader of the group and has led the Bulldogs in scoring each of the last two seasons, averaged 14.4 points, 6.0 rebounds, and 3.3 assists last year. He earned second-team All-SEC honors last season thanks to his scoring abilities and Mississippi State’s unexpected success. Weatherspoon shot a career-high 48.4 percent from the field last season, showing a good deal of efficiency for a backcourt player. However, he needs to improve his three-point shooting (31.3 percent), which has gradually decreased during his career in Starkville.
1. Reid Travis, Kentucky
Travis is a grad transfer from Stanford who was a first-team All-Pac-12 performer last season, averaging 19.5 points and 8.7 rebounds per game. Many think his decision to join Kentucky makes the Wildcats the preseason No. 1 team in the country. The 6-8, 240-pounder is a force in the post on both ends of the floor and, despite Kentucky’s returning players in the frontcourt and the influx of talent from another top recruiting class, Travis is expected to start and be one of the team’s leaders in minutes.
5. Jalen Hudson, Florida
The Gators never quite delivered on their preseason promised last year, going just 20-13 and losing to Texas Tech in the second round of the NCAA Tournament, but Hudson did his part during his first season with the program. The Virginia Tech transfer led Florida with 15.5 points per game, proving to be their best and most consistent offensive threat. However, after testing the NBA Draft waters this offseason, head coach Mike White expects Hudson to become a more well-rounded player.
4. Admiral Schofield, Tennessee
Speaking over exceeding expectations, Tennessee did that in the biggest way possible last season, winning the conference for the first time in a decade after being picked to finish 13th. The Vols did so with a well-balanced attack, and while Grant Williams was co-SEC Player of the Year, Schofield was arguably Tennessee’s best player. NBA scouts certainly took notice of Schofield, who also went through the draft process before returning to school. He’s projected to be a mid-second round pick in the 2019 draft
3. Bryce Brown, Auburn
Auburn had perhaps the most shocking season of any team in the country last season. They went from being right at the forefront of the FBI investigation into college basketball, losing arguably their two best players in Austin Wiley and Danjel Purifoy in the process, yet still won a share of the SEC title for the first time since 1999. Brown was one of the biggest reasons why head coach Bruce Pearl’s squad was able to reach new heights. He was Auburn’s second-leading scorer (15.9 ppg) while making over three three-pointers per game. Brown was also the most consistent scorer for the Tigers, scoring in double figures in 28 of the 33 games he played in.
2. Quinndary Weatherspoon, Mississippi State
Mississippi State is another team that enters 2018-19 with high expectations as they return virtually every major contributor from last year’s 25-12 team that made it to the Final Four of the NIT. Quinndary Weatherspoon is the leader of the group and has led the Bulldogs in scoring each of the last two seasons, averaged 14.4 points, 6.0 rebounds, and 3.3 assists last year. He earned second-team All-SEC honors last season thanks to his scoring abilities and Mississippi State’s unexpected success. Weatherspoon shot a career-high 48.4 percent from the field last season, showing a good deal of efficiency for a backcourt player. However, he needs to improve his three-point shooting (31.3 percent), which has gradually decreased during his career in Starkville.
1. Reid Travis, Kentucky
Travis is a grad transfer from Stanford who was a first-team All-Pac-12 performer last season, averaging 19.5 points and 8.7 rebounds per game. Many think his decision to join Kentucky makes the Wildcats the preseason No. 1 team in the country. The 6-8, 240-pounder is a force in the post on both ends of the floor and, despite Kentucky’s returning players in the frontcourt and the influx of talent from another top recruiting class, Travis is expected to start and be one of the team’s leaders in minutes.
Posted on 7/15/18 at 5:16 pm to pioneerbasketball
1. Travis
2. Silva
3. Brown
4. Schofield
5. Weatherspoon
Would probably be my list. Hudson maybe should make it over Weatherspoon. Weatherspoon's inability to shoot the 3 ball is a big turn off for me in today's game.
2. Silva
3. Brown
4. Schofield
5. Weatherspoon
Would probably be my list. Hudson maybe should make it over Weatherspoon. Weatherspoon's inability to shoot the 3 ball is a big turn off for me in today's game.
This post was edited on 7/15/18 at 5:19 pm
Posted on 7/15/18 at 6:06 pm to volfan30
not sure id say weatherspoon is a "rising" senior. hes basically the same player he was as a freshman.
Posted on 7/15/18 at 6:40 pm to pioneerbasketball
Bryce Brown will be the best senior in the conference this year.
Posted on 7/15/18 at 6:49 pm to JamalSanders
Kentucky fans might disagree with you.
Posted on 7/15/18 at 6:49 pm to pioneerbasketball
At first my jaw dropped that Kentucky had a senior on the basketball team, then I read that he's a grad-transfer and the world became right again.
Posted on 7/15/18 at 7:08 pm to pioneerbasketball
Travis is obviously the most seasoned player, and was great at Stanford. Will see how this works out with freshmen, sophomores and the SEC.
Posted on 7/15/18 at 7:17 pm to pioneerbasketball
quote:
The Gators never quite delivered on their preseason promised last year, going just 20-13 and losing to Texas Tech in the second round of the NCAA Tournament
Despite having literally no frontcourt, UF had that game stolen from them by Texas refs.
Posted on 7/15/18 at 7:23 pm to pioneerbasketball
quote:
Auburn had perhaps the most shocking season of any team in the country last season.
We told you what was coming. Not our fault you didn't listen.
Posted on 7/15/18 at 7:56 pm to BowlJackson
I would have Aric Holman over Q.
Posted on 7/15/18 at 8:14 pm to Uncle Gunnysack
quote:
not sure id say weatherspoon is a "rising" senior. hes basically the same player he was as a freshman.
Worse. He’s regressed every year he’s been in school. Hopefully something clicks this year.
Posted on 7/15/18 at 9:04 pm to PorkRoast
So he's improved his FG%, his assist average and has played in more games each of his 3 years but he's worse? Umm ok.
Posted on 7/15/18 at 10:13 pm to PorkRoast
I don’t think Q has regressed. He is a very good player. The talent around him is better now and so I believe it has made him look somewhat worse as a Jr. than he did as a Fr.
However, I look forward to his Sr. year as I believe he will have a great season.
Expectations can sometimes make an otherwise good player appear average when he does not quite meet those expectations when in fact he is still a very good player.
However, I look forward to his Sr. year as I believe he will have a great season.
Expectations can sometimes make an otherwise good player appear average when he does not quite meet those expectations when in fact he is still a very good player.
Posted on 7/15/18 at 10:28 pm to BowlJackson
quote:
We told you what was coming. Not our fault you didn't listen
Pretty sure I called it early in the season.
Posted on 7/16/18 at 7:09 am to pioneerbasketball
I don't really know much about basketball around the conference.
But where's Silva?
Silva was first team all SEC and the DPOY last year.
But where's Silva?
Silva was first team all SEC and the DPOY last year.
Posted on 7/16/18 at 7:57 am to gamecockman12
quote:
Chris Silva?
yes chris silva.
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