The Vols beat Tennessee State 89-60 on their home floor. Five different UT players scored in double figures as the Volunteer offense knocked in 8 triples and 31 free throw attempts. Ja’Kobi Gillespie led the way with 17 points, 5 assists, and 4 rebounds. Nate Ament and Amaree Abram each added 15 points.

But the story of the game was the Tennessee defense.

Tennessee forced a season-high 22 turnovers — 12 of which came off steals — and turned those extra possessions into points. They had 13 fastbreak points and 24 points off turnovers. They controlled the boards and limited Tennessee State to 7 second-chance points.

The Tigers shot 32% from the field and just 19% from beyond the 3-point line. They made only 5 triples all game. Tennessee also made more free throws than TSU attempted (25).

Tennessee has held each of its first 5 opponents under 70 points.

With the win, Tennessee has now opened consecutive seasons with 5-0 starts for the first time since 2019 and 2020. The Vols head to Las Vegas on Monday to face Rutgers in the Players Era Men’s Championship.

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However, one of their biggest offseason additions — Pitt transfer Jaland Lowe — has been sidelined for most of the year by a shoulder injury suffered in practice.

At a media availability on Thursday, Pope gave an update on Lowe’s status, but stopped short of offering a timetable for his return.

“We’re still in consultation. Still seeing how rehab goes. So, right now, it’s just a matter of can he get to a place where he feels some stability and some strength,” Pope said. “So, I wish I had better answers for you right now, but it really is kind of a day-to-day process to see where he ends up.

“He’s got really good mobility right now, and so it’s just a matter of stability and strength and kind of see what we get and take another swing at it, if we can.”

Lowe made his season debut for Kentucky against Valparaiso on Nov. 7. He played 18 minutes and scored 6 points to go with 5 assists. Lowe played 30 minutes against Louisville, scoring 9 points to go with 5 assists, 1 block, 1 steal, and 1 rebound.

While he was at Pitt, Lowe averaged 16.8 points, 5.5 assists, and 1.8 steals a game. He quickly became one of the better guards in the ACC, making him a massive transfer portal pickup for Kentucky.

The Wildcats are coming off an 83-66 loss to Michigan State. They host Loyola (MD) on Friday.

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1. Opening Tip

This is why Tom Izzo is a Hall of Famer, y’all.

Seconds before tipoff against Kentucky on Tuesday night at the Champions Classic at Madison Square Garden, Izzo and Kentucky basketball coach Mark Pope were interviewed by ESPN’s Kris Budden. Coaches rarely say anything detailed or combative during these pregame hits, and this was no different.

Izzo’s note? He wanted to see his team make some shots.

Boy, did the Spartans ever listen to their coach.

By the 7:11 mark in the first half, Michigan State had knocked down 6 3-pointers, more than it had made in any entire game so far this season. Triple No. 7 came 20 seconds later at the 6:51 mark as the Spartans took a 31-19 lead at the under-8 timeout.

Michigan State finished an impressive 11-of-22 from long range. Kentucky shot an abysmal 7-for-30 from deep. There’s always going to be some variance in 3-point percentage on a night-to-night basis, but this game can be explained by something deeper.

It was shot selection that doomed the Wildcats. While Michigan State was playing “inside-out” basketball, getting the ball to the paint before kicking it back out for 3s, Kentucky was settling for contested 3s all too often. Just look at these 2 plays below:

That’s just bad offense. Even more so when you’re already down by 10+ points and trying to stage a comeback.

Pope said after the game that Kentucky’s problem is bad coaching. That’s something every coach will say after a couple of bad outings, but in this case, I’m inclined to agree with him. Kentucky needs to play more cohesive offense or it is going to struggle in SEC play.

Here’s where I mention that the Wildcats didn’t have Jaland Lowe (and are still without Jayden Quaintance) due to injury, but it shouldn’t have resulted in the lackluster effort I saw on Tuesday night. Rebounds are an effort stat more often than not and the Wildcats got out-rebounded by the Spartans 42-28 in this game. That should be absolutely unacceptable to Pope and his staff.

If you can’t get up for a game at Madison Square Garden, it’s time to press the panic button.

2. SEC Notes

My former college roommate and good friend Robert will text me his random basketball/football thoughts from time to time. I always welcome these texts, but especially when they concern Illinois basketball, as no one in my life is more thoughtful/insightful about our home-state basketball squad than Robert.

Still, my jaw dropped when I saw what he said the Monday before the Illini scored a big-time win over a ranked Texas Tech squad. He said:

“In my opinion, this is their best team since ’04-’05,” his text read.

Mind you, this is an Illinois team that has made it to the Elite Eight once and the Sweet 16 twice since that magical 2004-05 season that saw the Illini lose to North Carolina in the national title game.

I say all that to say this…

That was a hell of a win for the Alabama Crimson Tide.

To go to Chicago, walk into the United Center — where Michael Jordan, Scottie Pippen, Dennis Rodman and company dominated the 1990s — and do that to a great Illini team? Incredible.

This was a Final Four-caliber matchup and it’s only mid-November. These teams like Illinois, like Alabama, like Arizona, like UConn, like Florida, like Gonzaga and dozens of others that use nonconference play to actually challenge themselves? This is what college basketball is all about.

Shoutout to Labaron Philon, who returned to school despite having the ability to potentially be a late first-round pick or early second-round pick in last year’s NBA Draft. He scored a team-high 24 points and also led the Tide with 5 assists in the 90-86 win over the Illini. The NIL era works, y’all!

He made himself a lot of future NBA money with tonight’s win, scoring 10 of the Tide’s final 15 points. Look at this highlight reel:

The 3-point shooting? NBA caliber. The finishing at the rim? NBA caliber. The passing? Getting there, but almost NBA caliber. We’ll talk more about Philon in the final section of this column.

Also, credit to the Alabama defense. The Crimson Tide shut down everyone but Kylan Boswell (who my best friend Michael’s wife, Hanna (shoutout, Hanna!), taught back when he was in 5th grade) from the start of the second half until the 10:51 mark of the second half.

It’s odd to give credit to a defense that allowed 86 points, but the Tide forced the Illini to rely on Boswell and Andrej “Baby Peja” Stojakovic almost exclusively in the second half.

The Illini are still trying to work Tomislav Ivisic and Mihailo Petrovic back to full health, so they’ll be even more dangerous in March assuming everyone is healthy by then. But don’t take anything away from this Alabama squad that has challenged itself to the max early this season. The Tide still have Gonzaga and Arizona on their schedule before SEC play starts.

College basketball is the best.

And here are a few other notes from around the SEC:

• First of all, it’s always great to have Dan Shulman and Jay Bilas back on the broadcast for big games on ESPN. Those 2 are pro’s pros and really add to the atmosphere of a high-quality matchup. My favorite broadcast team in the men’s hoops game today. Honorable mention goes to Jason Benetti and the legendary Bill Raftery on FOX.
• Let’s check in on the reigning champion Florida Gators, shall we? After a season-opening loss to Arizona, the Gators have reeled off 3-straight wins against in-state foes, including winning the “state championship” by beating Florida State and Miami. One problem is beginning to present itself, though — Florida is really struggling to shoot the 3. It all starts with the new-look backcourt of Boogie Fland and Xaivian Lee. In a 78-76 win over FSU (too close for comfort), the Gators shot 19% as a team from 3-point range and Lee and Fland combined to shoot 3-for-17 from deep (17.6%). In the Miami game? Lee and Fland were a combined 0-for-10 from beyond the arc. That won’t fly in SEC play.
• I’m officially worried about the Arkansas Razorbacks. (Interestingly, another SEC team that lost to Michigan State than I’m pressing the panic button on.) The Hogs have won their last 2 games, beating Samford and Winthrop. But they only beat Samford by 4 and needed a heroic shot by Nick Pringle with 11 seconds left to beat Winthrop 84-83. I don’t need to tell you this, reader, but a ranked SEC team shouldn’t need heroics to beat Winthrop. Color me concerned.

Now let’s move on to the rest of the country.

3. Non-SEC Notes

If, for some reason, you are trapped under a rock and haven’t watched Duke play yet this year… first, you clearly have internet access if you’re reading this article, so call for help. Second, make sure to watch Duke freshman Cameron Boozer play basketball ASAP, maybe from your hospital bed as you recover from your injuries/dehydration.

One of 2 sons of former Duke/NBA star Carlos Boozer on this year’s Duke team, Cameron is doing it all for the Blue Devils. In fact, he’s already making history:

In case that tweet doesn’t load for you, Boozer is the first ACC player since March of 2006 with 100 points, 50 rebounds and 20 assists in a 5-game span. That player was Boston College’s Craig Smith.

Smith was a senior in 2006. Boozer is a true freshman.

Oh, and Boozer has done this in his first 5 games. Like his first 5 college games ever. I cannot stress to you how insane it is that a college freshman is already this good. Look at the full-court pass he makes in the highlight video below. That’s on par with Nikola Jokic and Kevin Love, 2 of the best outlet passers the NBA has ever seen:

Now, before you think I’m comparing him to Jokic and Love already, he still has a lot of work to do. If there’s one flaw to his game at this point, it’s that you can throw size at him defensively to rattle him a bit. He’s not making a high enough percentage of his shots at the rim:

Is this something he can fix? Sure. Is he still a near-lock to be a top-5 2026 NBA Draft pick? Absolutely.

Duke has an incredible nonconference run coming up when it plays Arkansas (Nov. 27), Florida (Dec. 2) and Michigan State (Dec. 6) in 3-straight games. Mark your calendars now, as those games will all be appointment viewing.

Now for some other storylines around the country:

• Koa Peat. (I had this in here as a reminder to talk about him, but it really says it all.) Koa Peat. The guy who is the son of former NFL OL Todd Peat and current NFL OL Andrus Peat plays basketball, well… like an offensive lineman. He’s not afraid to mix it up with opposing players:

• He is a beast in the paint:

• The guy can do it all on the court. Also, shoutout to former Alabama guard Jaden Bradley, who has become a steady veteran presence for the Wildcats this year. They don’t win that game at UConn (71-67) without Bradley’s leadership.
• I’d be remiss not to mention the No. 1 team in the country — the Purdue Boilermakers — in this section. I wouldn’t want to be remiss, so let’s talk about Matt Painter’s squad for a second. Purdue’s offense, led by Braden Smith, Trey Kaufman-Renn, Fletcher Loyer and Oscar Cluff, is one of the most-efficient groups you’ll ever see on a court. Per KenPom’s offensive efficiency ratings, Purdue (128.3) is 2.4 points better than No. 2 Louisville (125.9). That gap is as big as the gap between Louisville and the No. 6 offense in the country (Vanderbilt). The Boilermakers aren’t just beating up on nobodies, either — they have a true road win at Alabama on their résumé already and face Memphis in the Bahamas on Thursday night. Expect this team to continue its strong run all year long.

Now let’s take a look at the week ahead.

4. Games to Watch This Week

Here’s a ranking of the top 5 games I can’t wait to watch over the next week of college hoops action, which takes us into Feast Week:

1. No. 11 Alabama vs. No. 13 Gonzaga (Monday, November 24 at 9:30 p.m. ET on TNT) — Alabama continues to schedule like absolute maniacs during nonconference play, and I love it. How are you supposed to prepare yourself for SEC play if you beat up on a bunch of nobodies before January comes around? Nate Oats and the Tide have the NCAA Tournament résumé to back up this strategy. This will be a must-see game in Las Vegas. Also, Gonzaga might be No. 13 in the AP Poll, but the Bulldogs are the No. 2 team in the nation according to KenPom.com.
2. No. 2 Houston vs. No. 20 Tennessee (Tuesday, November 25 at 6 p.m. ET on TNT) — Two teams that have been incredible defensively in recent years and are once again the top 5 of the defensive efficiency ratings on KenPom.com? Sign me up to watch that. This game will teach us a lot about the new-look Vols, who had to replace defensive maestro Zakai Zeigler this offseason.
3. No. 9 BYU vs. No. 23 Wisconsin (Friday, November 21 at 4 p.m. ET on Peacock) — I admittedly haven’t watched much of AJ Dybantsa yet this year. It appears he’s been as advertised. I can’t wait to watch him in this Friday afternoon matinee. The guy who could end up being the No. 1 overall pick in the 2026 NBA Draft should be ready for the national spotlight.
4. No. 7 Michigan vs. No. 22 Auburn (Tuesday, November 25 at 8:30 p.m. ET on TNT) — Auburn is coming off a 1-point loss to an elite Houston squad. That loss changed my opinion on the Tigers. I think they’re ready to take a step forward. The Wolverines will have their work cut out for them on Tuesday night if they’re going to remain unbeaten.
5. No. 14 St. John’s vs. No. 16 Iowa State (Monday, November 24 at 4:30 p.m. ET on truTV) — Zuby Ejiofor wasn’t quite able to get St. John’s over the hump against Alabama, but he was amazing in that game. In addition to having one of the best names, he’s also one of the best players. This should be another fun Feast Week afternoon showcase.

This Feast Week isn’t as meaty as ones in the recent past, but that’s not a huge surprise as more teams move away from preseason tournament (thanks a lot, Dan Hurley). Thankfully the Players Era Festival has some great matchups to keep us entertained all week long.

5. Buzzer Beater

In this spot this week, I just want to do a quick ranking of my 5 favorite 2026 NBA Draft prospects from the SEC. There’s a nice mix of guys who came back to school to go with some talented freshmen. Let’s dive in:

1. Nate Ament, Tennessee freshman — Any NBA Draft conversation involving the SEC has to start with the talented Tennessee freshman. Being 6-10 and moving the way he does shouldn’t be legal. He has the chance to lead the Tennessee basketball program to new heights this season, and I’d be shocked if he’s not a first-round pick in the upcoming draft.
2. Darius Acuff Jr., Arkansas freshman — As long as Acuff stays healthy this year, he can be what the Hogs thought they were getting in Boogie Fland last year, and could be even better. He’s an elite shooter. His passing is beyond his years. His defense needs to improve, but what freshman’s defense doesn’t? The Razorbacks have something special in Acuff.
3. Labaron Philon, Alabama sophomore — I was surprised Philon didn’t enter the 2025 NBA Draft, but he returned to school and will be looking to make himself some first-round money this coming summer. So far, it looks like a good decision. Prior to Wednesday night’s game against Illinois, Philon had improved his shooting percentage (45.2 to 54.5), his 3-point percentage (31.5 to 33.3), points per game (10.6 to 19.3) and a bunch of his other numbers from last year to this year. If he keeps playing like this, he’ll be a Round 1 pick.
4. Jayden Quaintance, Kentucky sophomore — I’m a bit lower on Quaintance than many. I just want to see how he looks in his return from an ACL injury suffered last year at Arizona State. Is that too much to ask? He has a chance to make me look like an idiot if he comes back and is able to build on the impact he was having with the Sun Devils last year. He’s the biggest X-factor in the SEC this year.
5. Thomas Haugh, Florida junior — Haugh is a Swiss Army Knife who is well-positioned to be drafted in the middle of Round 1 of the upcoming draft. That’s going to be perfect for him, as he could end up being the missing piece for a team that’s on the edge of playoff or title contention. ESPN’s Jeremy Woo currently has Haugh going No. 15 overall to the Boston Celtics. Imagine him stepping into a situation where he’s coming off the bench for a team with Jayson Tatum, Jaylen Brown and Derrick White. That would be ideal for the Florida wing.

Honorable mention goes to Tahaad Pettiford of Auburn, who I absolutely love watching every time he’s on the basketball court. However, I think his lack of size (6-1, 170 pounds) will hurt him in NBA circles. I expect him to push to be a late first-round pick, but current consensus seems to have him going early in Round 2.

Enjoy the Starting 5? Have a question? Want to yell at me about something? Follow me on X @AdamSpencer4 or email me at a.spencer@sportradar.com.

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With the program’s 2025 National Championship rings having recently arrived, Golden and assistant coach Carlin Hartman made the short trip down to Orlando in order to surprise current Golden State Warriors guard Will Richard with his piece of jewelry.

Golden and Hartman walked into a team meeting after being introduced by Steve Kerr, who noted that his squad has two former Gators in its midst, both of whom won national titles. Al Horford, a back-to-back champion in 2006 and 2007, is the other.

Florida’s head coach spoke to the Warriors’ players about why he specifically made the trip to see Richard.

“We just finished our third year at Florida, culminating with a national title, and the first young man we brought into our program was Will,” Golden said. “As soon as Will committed with his family, we said that if we were able to go out and build a team with a bunch of guys like Will Richard, we could have a bunch of success in a short amount of time.”

Golden went on to emphasize how Richard was the MVP of the National Championship win over Houston and discuss what he believes the guard can bring to a team when it comes to his selflessness.

“He doesn’t care about who gets the credit,” Golden said.

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No. 12 Kentucky was beaten up and thrown onto Madison Square Garden’s sidewalk in the Champions Classic on Tuesday night, falling 83-66 to No. 17 Michigan State. The Spartans — who entered the game shooting just 21.7% from 3-point range in 2025 — connected on 50% (11-of-22) of their long-distance attempts against the Wildcats.

Michigan State’s hot shooting obviously didn’t help Kentucky’s chances, but the bigger story was the Wildcats’ lack of physicality. No Kentucky player had more than 4 rebounds; 4 different Spartans recorded at least 5 rebounds. Michigan State also had 25 assists on 32 made shots.

No matter which way you slice it, the Wildcats were utterly dominated in this game. They failed to show the grit and resolve that helped them climb back in the game against Louisville, perhaps because Jaland Lowe was not on the court. It’s also clear that Kentucky’s highly talented players are operating on different wavelengths right now.

Four Wildcats scored in double-figures, though no one had more than 12 points. Otega Oweh led the way with 12 points on 4-of-12 shooting. Michigan State got 20 from Jaxon Kohler on 8-of-12 shooting.

There’s still a lot of time left in the season, but there is definitely cause for concern if you’re Big Blue Nation. Performances like these, when taking on the types of foes you’ll be facing daily once you get into SEC play, can leave even the most optimistic person feeling blue.

For now, BBN must hope the team resolves its issues versus Loyola MD (Nov. 21) and Tennessee Tech (Nov. 26) before hosting North Carolina on Dec. 2.

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The 12th-ranked Wildcats lost, 83-66, but it was the way they went down in the ESPN spotlight game at Madison Square Garden. Kentucky fell to 3-2 on the young season, but this was the Wildcats’ second defeat in a showdown situation, with UK also suffering a 96-88 road loss to rival Louisville exactly a week earlier.

It was obvious to everyone watching that Kentucky wasn’t ready from the tip on Tuesday night, with the Wildcats falling behind big in the first half. When halftime mercifully came, Michigan State held a commanding 44-27 lead, and the dazed Wildcats were forced to play from way behind for the rest of the night.

RELATED: Interested in betting on college basketball this season? Here’s a DraftKings Kentucky promo code to help you get started!

That didn’t go well either for head coach Mark Pope and company, and Michigan State improved to 4-0 while Kentucky and its passionate fan base were left to wonder what happened — again. There will be a lot of bad fallout for Pope in the next few days until Kentucky plays again on Friday night at home against Loyola of Maryland.

On Tuesday night though, things got really ugly for Kentucky and specifically for Pope. Here is just a sampling of the criticism from the UK basketball community and college basketball media at-large:

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In Monday’s Week 3 AP poll, both Alabama (No. 11) and Kentucky (No. 12) slipped 3 spots from their Week 2 placement. This movement leaves Florida (No. 10) as the SEC’s highest-ranked basketball team in mid-November.

Overall, there are 6 SEC teams in this week’s AP poll. A seventh squad (Vanderbilt) would be ranked No. 28 in the country — based on the “others receiving votes” points — if the poll included that many schools.

1. Purdue
2. Houston
3. UConn
4. Arizona
5. Duke
6. Louisville
7. Michigan
8. Illinois
9. BYU
10. Florida
11. Alabama
12. Kentucky
13. Gonzaga
14. St. John’s
15. Texas Tech
16. Iowa State
17. Michigan State
18. North Carolina
19. UCLA
20. Tennessee
21. Arkansas
22. Auburn
23. Wisconsin
24. Kansas
25. NC State

Tennessee is the lone undefeated SEC team in the AP poll. The other ranked schools’ lone losses — Arizona, Purdue, Louisville, Michigan State and Houston, respectively — are not bad defeats by any means. However, they have left the conference lacking a marquee non-conference win. Kentucky has a chance to change that when it faces the Spartans in the Champions Classic on Tuesday evening (6:30 p.m. ET, ESPN). Alabama could do the same against Illinois on Wednesday night (9:00 p.m. ET, FS1).

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Take the name off the jersey. If I told you the Kentucky Wildcats went on the road to play a top-12 team – one boasting what may be the best offense in college basketball – and lost by 8 points, you wouldn’t be this upset.

Heck, when you think about the Wildcats being down 20 points to said team in the second half, and cutting that deficit to merely 4 points with 3:35 remaining in regulation, you’d be thrilled with the grit and resolve demonstrated. Instead, because it’s Louisville, Big Blue Nation is up in arms.

The fact of the matter is this: it was Louisville’s turn to win this game. Since John Calipari was hired as Kentucky’s head coach, the Cardinals have defeated the Wildcats every fourth regular-season matchup. Louisville’s most recent wins in the series:

• 2012-13 (80-77)
• 2016-17 (73-70)
• 2020-21 (62-59)
• 2025-26* (96-88)

*The Cardinals and Wildcats did not play in 2021-22.

One every 4 years. Kentucky also has 2 NCAA Tournament wins over Louisville – including a Final 4 triumph – in the past 16 years. So, overall, the Wildcats are 14-4 vs. the Cardinals in their last 18 matchups. I simply can’t complain about that record against one of our biggest rivals since I turned 10 years old.

Side note: This year’s matchup was played earlier than any UK-UL battle had ever been played before. It should never have been played this early. College basketball fans across the country know it. Kentucky fans know it. Deep down, Louisville fans know it, too. But I digress.

Part of the reason I feel this way may also be because I know that the Wildcats have, far and away, been the better program, even recently. Think of how much the Wildcats have struggled, for their lofty standard, in the past half-decade. These “dark” years are seasons the Cardinals gladly would have taken. Their Kenny Payne experiment makes Billy Gillespie’s tenure look like a walk in the park.

If there’s something concerning for Kentucky basketball fans to be bothered by, it’s falling off its SEC perch. The Wildcats are no longer actively the big man on campus. They’re the high school jock in his letterman jacket.

Kentucky hasn’t won a regular-season SEC championship post-COVID (2019-20). Its SEC Tournament title drought is even longer: 2017-18 (my freshman year in Lexington). Five SEC schools have appeared in the Elite Eight more recently than the Wildcats. Four have been to the Final 4 since they last reached that hallowed stage.

Watching Tennessee finish with an equal or better SEC record in 4 of the past 5 seasons? Seeing that bright orange advance further in each of the last 4 NCAA Tournaments? That’s more than bothersome. It’s sickening. It’s vomit-inducing, even if it’s just the Vols’ peak surpassing the heights of UK’s valley.

Tuesday night’s result, difficult as it may have been to swallow in the moment, was encouraging. For much of the game, the offense looked clunky. The defense was borderline non-existent. Yet, when crunch time arrived, Kentucky had an opportunity to win on the road against a top-12 foe. One that is, at worst, on par with the best the SEC has to offer in 2025-26.

Would a win over the Cardinals feel better today than a loss? Of course. Do we need to see the Wildcats play better when they face Michigan State in the Champions Classic? And when they tussle with North Carolina, Gonzaga, Indiana and St. John’s to round out nonconference play? And in SEC competition? Undoubtedly.

At the same time, all that matters is what things look like in March. Every game until then is a testing ground. What does the offense look like when Jaland Lowe has his sea legs under him? How does Jayden Quantaince’s return impact the defensive end of the floor? What kind of forces do Malachi Moreno and Kam Williams develop into over the course of the season? Those questions, and so many others, are still unanswered.

We’re roughly 2 weeks into a 5-month journey. Yeah, little brother got one over on the Wildcats. It’s going to happen from time to time. There’s no point in being bothered by it.

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One of the biggest factors in the Tide’s loss was their ineffectiveness on the glass, as they were thoroughly dominated in the rebound department on both ends of the floor, with Purdue finishing the night with a 52-28 advantage in total rebounds.

Alabama head coach Nate Oats touched on his team’s lackluster performance on the boards during his postgame presser, stating that they have “issues” in the crucial area that have persisted since the team’s preseason scrimmages.

“We’ve got issues on the glass,” Oats said. “In our exhibition games, we knew it. In our intra-squad scrimmages, we knew it. … We’ve been sounding the alarm on the rebounding deal. We got exposed tonight. Our guys are gonna have to decide whether they want to have a good season, or whether they’re just gonna get out-toughed every game the rest of the year.”

When asked what it would take for his team to fix their early rebounding struggles, Oats told reporters that it all boils down to desire and who wants the ball more.

“At the end of the day, it’s about desire,” Oats said. “You either want the ball or you don’t. … At the end of the day, if you’ve got the size and athleticism and you want to go get a rebound, you’re gonna go get a rebound. We’re gonna have to determine whether we want to be the tougher team.”

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One of the biggest reasons for the Tide’s early-season loss to the team that knocked them out of the Final Four a couple of seasons ago was Purdue’s domination of Alabama on the boards. Head coach Nate Oats was none too pleased with the effort on the glass in his postgame presser.

“They’re one of the most disciplined (teams),” Oats said. “They run their stuff in the halfcourt. They know how to attack all your coverages. But, at the end of the day, the tougher team won tonight. They out-rebounded us by 24. That’s embarrassing.

“In life, in sports, the team that plays harder, people that work harder in whatever field they’re in should win. And they won. They deserved to win. They were tougher. My guess is they prepared better coming into the game than we did. And we’re gonna have to fix some stuff.”

In total, the Boilermakers out-rebounded Alabama to the tune of 52-28, and they also collected 19 boards on the offensive glass compared to just 7 for the Tide.

Oats called the offensive glass a “major problem” his team has to get sorted out if they want to beat the nation’s best.

“We’ve got major problems on the backboard. Their starting frontcourt had 24 rebounds. Our starting frontcourt had 6. That’s a problem,” Oats said. “Until we figure out how to make tougher plays, rebound the basketball at a much higher level, we’re going to have a hard time beating the best teams in the country.”

Alabama plays No. 14 Illinois next Wednesday in Chicago.

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The loss is Alabama’s first of the season.

“We didn’t deserve to win,” coach Nate Oats said after the game.

Aden Holloway led the Tide with 21 points on 7-of-13 shooting from the floor and 5-of-9 from beyond the arc. Labaron Philon added 11 points and 7 assists, though he shot just 5-of-14 from the field and 1-of-6 from 3. Taylor Bol Bowen had 13 points, and Aiden Sherrell added 12.

Latrell Wrightsell Jr. struggled in the loss, going 2-of-9 from the floor and 1-of-6 from 3 to finish with 6 points. He missed his last 4 shots from the field in the game, though his cold night was hardly isolated. Alabama went 6-for-23 from beyond the arc in the second half.

That helped Purdue, which held a 2-point lead at the break, inch ahead. The Boilermakers closed on a 7-0 run to win.

Alabama had no answers for Braden Smith or Trey Kaufman-Renn. Smith took 12 free throws, making 10 of them, and knocked down 5 triples to finish with a game-high 29 points. Kaufman-Renn flirted with a triple-double, posting 19 points to go with 15 rebounds and 5 assists.

More specifically, Alabama had no answers for Purdue in the painted area. The Boilermakers took 23 free throws compared to Alabama’s 10. They outscored the Tide in the paint 30-22. And, perhaps most importantly, they outrebounded the Tide 52-28.

That included 19 offensive rebounds, which led to 16 second-chance points. Eight of Kaufman-Renn’s boards came on the offensive glass.

“They outrebounded us by 24,” Oats said. “That’s embarrassing.”

Still, the Tide had a chance late. Philon flushed through a slam with 3:05 to play in the game, drawing the Tide within 3 points of the Boilermakers. That was the last shot attempt Alabama took inside the arc in the game.

The Tide’s final 5 attempts all came from beyond the arc. A triple from Houston Mallette with 1:42 to play tied the game at 80.

Smith got a shot at the rim to go 24 seconds later to put Purdue up by a score. Philon then missed the front end of a one-and-one and Alabama fouled Smith late in the ensuing Purdue possession. Smith made both of his foul shots to put Purdue up 4 with 47 seconds to play.

Alabama missed a triple on its next possession and had to play the foul game late. Purdue’s Oscar Cluff made 3 of 4 free throws to put the game away.

The Tide travel to Big Ten country next. They’ll face Illinois next Wednesday, Nov. 19, at the United Center in Chicago. The Illini are 3-0 on the season and currently ranked 14th in the AP poll.

The post Alabama bullied inside by Boilermakers in 87-80 defeat appeared first on Saturday Down South.

Johnson revealed his pledge to multiple outlets on Thursday. A one-time Ohio State commit, Johnson was drawing interest from programs like Louisville, Michigan, Tennessee, and Arkansas, among others. He is the cousin of current South Carolina senior Meechie Johnson.

The 6-foot-2 Johnson is a 4-star recruit in the 2026 class. In the industry-generated 247 Composite, Johnson is the fourth-ranked point guard prospect. He is the third-ranked recruit from the state of Ohio and the 47th-ranked recruit in the class.

Johnson is the reigning Ohio Mr. Basketball following a dynamic junior season for Garfield Heights. Johnson averaged 29.7 points, 5.7 rebounds, 4.7 assists, and 2.2 steals a game for Garfield Heights, which went 24-3 and advanced to the Division III state semifinals.

He becomes South Carolina’s second known 2026 pledge, joining guard Isaac Ellis, brother of Gamecocks freshman Eli Ellis.

For coach Lamont Paris, it’s turning into a family affair in Columbia. Meechie Johnson currently leads the 3-0 Gamecocks in scoring at 18.7 points a night. Eli Ellis leads the team in assists with 4 per game. Adding Marcus Johnson alongside Ellis would give Paris a dynamic backcourt led by a pair of guards who can handle the ball, run an offense, or create for themselves.

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The severity of the injury is unknown, according to KSR. However, the injury is said to be to the same shoulder that forced Lowe out of the lineup for the Wildcats’ 2 exhibition games and their season-opener against Nicholls.

Lowe made his season debut for Kentucky against Valparaiso on Nov. 7. He played 18 minutes and scored 6 points to go with 5 assists. Lowe played 30 minutes against Louisville on Tuesday, providing 9 points to go with 5 assists, 1 block, 1 steal, and 1 rebound.

Kentucky (2-1) played Eastern Illinois on Friday.

Lowe transferred to Kentucky this offseason after spending 2 years at Pitt. He started in 50 of his 64 appearances for the Panthers across those 2 seasons. As a sophomore, he developed into one of the ACC’s best guards, averaging 16.8 points, 5.5 assists, and 1.8 steals a game.

That made him one of the prized transfer portal recruits of the offseason. Kentucky coach Mark Pope brought in Lowe as part of a retooled backcourt.

It’s not immediately clear how much time Lowe will be forced to miss, but the setback is undoubtedly disappointing for the Wildcats. Kentucky has a neutral-site game against Michigan State at Madison Square Garden on Nov. 18. The Wildcats also have nonconference games against North Carolina, Gonzaga, and St. John’s over the course of the next month.

SEC play begins on Jan. 3 when the Wildcats visit Alabama.

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The update leaves Alabama thin in the frontcourt heading into a showdown with one of college basketball’s most dominant post presences in Zach Edey. Onyejiaka, a four-star signee from The Newman School in Boston, saw action in the Crimson Tide’s first two games as a reserve. Bristow, meanwhile, has been sidelined since rolling his ankle in practice before the season opener and has yet to make his regular-season debut.

Nate Oats said freshman center Collins Onyejiaka will be out indefinitely with a "medical condition."

He also said Keitenn Bristow is doubtful for tomorrow's game vs. Purdue.

— Blake Byler (@blakebyler45) November 12, 2025

With both players expected to sit, Alabama will turn to Aiden Sherrell, Noah Williamson, Taylor Bol Bowen, and London Jemison to handle frontcourt duties. The Tide enter the matchup 2-0, coming off a road win over No. 5 St. John’s, while Purdue also stands at 2-0.

No. 8 Alabama vs. No. 2 Purdue tips off at 7 p.m. ET Thursday inside Coleman Coliseum, with national coverage on ESPN2.

Interested in wagering on the Alabama-Purdue showdown? Here’s a look at the latest prediction market at Kalshi:

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The ninth-ranked Wildcats were down by as many as 20 points in the second half, yet they continued to battle. With 12:24 left to play, the 12th-ranked Cardinals led 78-58. Kentucky would go on a run over the next 8 minutes, and a Collin Chandler 3-pointer brought the game within 4 for the Wildcats with just over 4 minutes left to play. Louisville finished the final 4 minutes on an 8-4 run and got the win.

Freshman Mikel Brown Jr. led the way for the Cardinals with 29 points and 5 assists on 50% shooting. Cardinals guard Ryan Conwell also added 24 points.

The Wildcats were led by Florida transfer Denzel Aberdeen, who scored 26 points to go with 7 rebounds and 3 assists. He shot 50% from the field and 40% from behind the 3-point line. Chandler and Otega Oweh also added 12 points each to the Wildcats’ totals.

The Wildcats are now 2-1 on the season and will be looking to bounce back against Eastern Illinois when they host them on Friday, Nov. 14, with tipoff scheduled for 7 p.m. ET.

Louisville remains perfect on the season at 3-0 and will look to stay undefeated when it hosts the Ohio Bobcats this Saturday, Nov. 15, at 12 p.m. ET.

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Houston is the new No. 1 team in the land, overtaking Purdue. The Cougars, last season’s runner-up, are off to a 2-0 start. The Boilermakers were dinged for only defeating Oakland 87-77.

There has also been an SEC shakeup. Alabama is now the highest-ranked conference squad, sitting at No. 8 after starting the 2025-26 campaign 2-0. Nate Oats’ team picked up a 103-96 win over then-No. 5 St. John’s on Saturday in Madison Square Garden. Rick Pitino’s squad dropped to No. 13 with the early-season loss.

Defending national champion Florida began the season as the SEC’s highest-ranked squad at No. 3. The Gators, however, stumbled out of the gate, losing to Arizona in Las Vegas. UF bounced back with a lopsided home win over UNF and checks in at No. 10 in the new poll.

Here’s the full top 25, including 6 SEC teams:

1. Houston
2. Purdue
3. UConn
4. Duke
5. Arizona
6. Michigan
7. BYU
8. Alabama
9. Kentucky
10. Florida
11. Texas Tech
12. Louisville
13. St. John’s
14. Illinois
15. UCLA
16. Iowa State
17. Michigan State
18. North Carolina
19. Gonzaga
20. Tennessee
21. Arkansas
22. Auburn
23. Creighton
24. Wisconsin
25. Kansas

Others receiving votes:

NC State 87, San Diego St. 67, Indiana 45, Oregon 43, Vanderbilt 37, Ohio St. 17, Baylor 14, Southern Cal 12, Kansas St 5, Missouri 4, Mississippi 4, Mississippi St. 3, Georgia 2, Stanford 1, Oklahoma St. 1, Texas 1, Georgetown 1, Utah St. 1, Iowa 1, Virginia Tech 1.

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For those fans who experienced the glory of the Nolan Richardson era in Fayetteville, Nail’s descriptions are synonymous with those incredible Hogs teams. Included during Nail’s nearly 30-year run was Arkansas’s national championship in 1994 as well as Final Four appearances in 1990 and 1995.

Those relentless Razorback teams captured the imagination of a passionate fan base, and Nail was the radio voice behind all of those victories. During Nail’s glorious run, Arkansas won 11 regular-season or tournament titles in both the old Southwest Conference and later the SEC.

The official social media account of the Razorbacks paid tribute to Nail with this post on Sunday:

According to the Arkansas Democrat Gazette, Nail died at his home in Fayetteville after recently being placed in hospice care following his battle with cancer.

For 29 years, Nail provided the radio calls for Arkansas basketball until he retired at the end of the 2009-10 season.

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As was the case for most of his evening, Brazile was off. His 3-point try with 2 seconds remaining missed everything. No. 22 Michigan State took over possession and escaped with a 69-66 victory.

Brazile was a force in his season debut for the 14th-ranked Razorbacks on Monday. He scored 25 points, grabbed 11 boards, and made 8 of his 14 shot attempts in the Hogs’ 109-77 win over Southern.

On Saturday night, he crashed back down to earth.

Brazile picked up 2 early fouls that limited him to 8 first-half minutes. He took just 1 shot attempt from the field, which missed, and went into the break with as many turnovers (1) as points.

After a lengthy review in the closing seconds of the game gave Arkansas possession with less than 5 seconds remaining on the clock, Brazile caught an inbounds lob out beyond the 3-point line on the right wing. With a defender draped on him and little time to do much else, Brazile put up a shot that was more a prayer than anything else.

It missed. He finished 1-for-5 from the field and 0-for-2 from 3-point range, managing just 3 points and 2 rebounds. Four personal fouls limited Brazile to just 19 minutes on the floor.

Arkansas forward Nick Pringle also fouled out in 28 minutes, finishing with 6 points and 7 boards.

Darius Acuff Jr. and Meleek Thomas each scored 16 points. Acuff took 16 shots to get there while Thomas took 15. As a team, Arkansas shot just 39.3% from the floor and 25% from 3. They also missed 8 free throws in the game.

Michigan State was ice-cold from 3, only making 1 of 14 all night. Cameron Ward led the way with 18 points and 10 boards. MSU controlled the boards and won the paint battle, 46-28.

Arkansas will look to bounce back against Central Arkansas at home on Tuesday. MSU faces San Jose State before a game against Kentucky on Nov. 18. The college basketball season is just getting started, but Saturday’s result is the one that could matter when March Madness rolls around.

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The Crimson Tide guard duo was absolutely crucial for the Tide in what felt like an Elite 8 atmosphere at Madison Square Garden. Let’s start with Philon, who finished with a game-high 25 points on 10-17 shooting while turning it over just once.

But don’t discredit Holloway’s afternoon, either. The junior Alabama guard added 21 points on 9-18 shooting from the field, and that’s despite being unusually cold from 3. In what was a back-and-forth 2nd half, Holloway’s late push gave Alabama a cushion that Philon took and ran with in the final minutes.

Holloway also hit this 3 as the first half expired, giving Alabama some momentum heading to the locker room:

St. John’s is a 2nd weekend NCAA Tournament squad at minimum, folks. If it isn’t obvious already, the guard play for this Alabama team is very, very real.

Alabama is more than a few elite guards, too. We have to mention Taylor Bol Bowen’s effort on both ends, especially in the second half. The 6-10 Florida State transfer is an intriguing prospect and had a huge sequence with around 7 minutes remaining in the game, giving Alabama a lead on one end and blocking a St. John’s attempt at the rim on the other. Bol Bowen finished with 17 points, 9 rebounds, 2 blocks and 2 steals.

We’ll learn more about the Crimson Tide across their next 3 games, which just has to be the toughest stretch any team plays this season: Purdue, at Illinois and vs. Gonzaga in Las Vegas.

The post Labaron Philon, Aden Holloway fuel massive Alabama win over No. 5 St. John’s appeared first on Saturday Down South.

For Kentucky basketball coach Mark Pope, well, being summoned for jury duty could take him away from preparing for the ninth-ranked Wildcats’ upcoming matchup Monday night against No. 11 Louisville (8 pm ET, ESPN).

“I got a notice that I have to go do jury duty,” Pope said on Wildcat Wrap Up after Kentucky downed Valparaiso 107-59 on Friday night. “Apparently, I have to call in starting tomorrow every day at 4:30 pm, to see if I get assigned to jury duty – which is semi-inconvenient. But I do love this Commonwealth and love this state and want to do my part. So… we will see how this goes.”

Pope seemed in the proper civic spirit about the entire thing, given that his team is ranked inside the Top 10 and faces the cross-state battle against the Cardinals along with taking on Eastern Illinois on Wednesday and No. 22 Michigan State next Saturday.

“I think I am going to jump on Instagram Live every day at 4:30 pm and invite anybody to see what happens. ‘Am I showing up at the courthouse?’ It is going to be awesome,” Pope said with a smile. “I actually don’t know what I am hoping for. We will see. It’s going to be a great week”

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Thanks to a record-setting day from Florida’s collection of bigs, the Gators trounced the Ospreys 104-64 to earn their first victory of the 2025-26 season.

Alex Condon scored 25 points in 26 minutes to lead all scorers. He also grabbed 10 boards, dished 4 assists, blocked 3 shots, and came up with 2 steals. Micah Handlogten came off the bench to record his second double-double in as many games to open the campaign, finishing with 17 points and 13 boards. Thomas Haugh scored 12 points to go with 8 rebounds and 4 assists. Rueben Chinyelu had 8 points and 9 boards.

“We imposed our wills,” said coach Todd Golden after the game.

In the blowout win, Florida also got a chance to insert 7-foot-9 center Olivier Rioux into the game. When Rioux entered with 2:09 to go in the second half, he made history as the tallest person ever to play in a basketball game.

“I talked to the guys at halftime when we’re up 24 and I expressed to them the importance of getting off to a really good start so we can get some of the younger guys and some of the guys from down on the bench an opportunity to play,” Golden said after the game. “I think [Rioux] was pretty excited. It was pretty neat for him to finally see the floor.”

Because of Florida’s frontcourt depth, the redshirt freshman’s minutes will be sporadic this season. He played just 2 minutes Thursday night.

With a player like Condon leading the charge, the Gators have a star to anchor the frontcourt.

Condon was held to 11 points on 4-of-9 shooting in the season-opening loss to Arizona. He committed 6 turnovers and fouled out in 29 minutes. He also missed 3 free throws. On Thursday, he made 8 of his 12 shots from the field and 9 of 10 from the charity stripe. He only turned it over once and didn’t pick up a single foul.

“He wasn’t feeling sorry for himself and making excuses. He was just, ‘Let me get back to it, get back to what I know.’ I thought he did a great job of letting the game come to him, being aggressive when he needed to,” Golden said. “This is an insane All-American level type of night. We were all disappointed with how Monday went, but I thought he answered the bell.”

Florida hosts Florida State next Tuesday.

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On Wednesday, Barnes showed just that as the Volunteers announced that they will be doing a home-and-home series with Purdue. Next year’s game will be at the Mackey Arena, with the return game being in Knoxville in 2027.

There isn’t a ton of travel for the two teams, as Knoxville and West Lafayette are just over 400 miles away from each other. Despite the close proximity, the two schools have played only seven times, with Purdue winning five of the games.

The last time that the Volunteers and Boilermakers played was in the Elite Eight in 2024, with Purdue winning the game 72-65.

Both of the teams figure to be in contention for another Elite Eight appearance during this season. The Boilermakers are the preseason No. 1 team in college basketball, while the Volunteers are currently ranked 18th.

The Volunteers are 1-0 after beating Mercer 76-61 on Monday, while the Boilermakers won their season-opener against Evansville 82-51 on Tuesday night.

The post Tennessee basketball announces future series with Big Ten power appeared first on Saturday Down South.

Unfortunately, college basketball fans who subscribe to YouTube TV will have to find an alternative way to watch this game. Due to an ongoing financial dispute between Google and Disney, ESPN channels are currently not available on YouTube TV.

Saturday’s game between the Blue Devils and Longhorns is set to be broadcast on ESPN.

How to stream Texas vs. Duke basketball

Fortunately for fans still hoping to watch this game, there are alternatives to YouTube TV.

SlingTV is currently offering a “day pass” for its “Orange” package that costs just $4.99. The Orange package includes ESPN, ESPN 2, TNT and numerous other channels.

Here’s what you need to know for the Texas-Duke matchup:

• Tipoff time: 8:45 p.m. ET
• Location: Charlotte, North Carolina
• TV: ESPN via SlingTV

Anyone looking for a short-or-long-term solution could also consider signing up with FuboTV. Fubo is currently offering new customers a free trial period when they sign up.

Texas vs. Duke betting odds

Duke is a significant favorite over the Longhorns, according to the betting markets. The Blue Devils have a sure-fire top-5 pick in Cameron Boozer as well as a roster that’s filled with other potential NBA Draft selections.

Texas, meanwhile, is entering what seems to be a rebuild under first-year head coach Sean Miller. The Longhorns were predicted to finish 9th in the SEC’s preseason poll, so they appear to still be on track to contender for an NCAA Tournament bid this season.

Here’s a look at the latest betting odds for this season-opener:

Texas vs. Duke basketball history

Duke has never lost to the University of Texas in men’s basketball. The Blue Devils have won all 5 meetings in this series. That includes one March Madness win for Duke — a 74-69 result that put the Blue Devils into the Sweet 16 back in 2009.

Duke and Texas last played in 2018 in Portland, Oregon. Duke won 85-78.

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The defending national champions started the 2025-26 season with a big test and came up short. No. 13 Arizona defeated No. 3 UF 93-87 on Monday night in Las Vegas.

Todd Golden’s team got off to a strong start. The Gators opened up a 12-point lead in the 1st half, going up 32-20 in the opening period. Arizona, though, was able to get going and get the Wildcat fans in Vegas involved in the game. The Gators would lead for the last time 41-39 at the 4:23 mark in the first period.

Arizona’s Koa Peat had a sensational collegiate debut. He was the game’s high-scorer with 30 points on 11-of-18 shooting from the field and 8-of-12 at the line. Peat also had 7 rebounds and 5 assists. Guard Jaden Bradley had 27 points for Tommy Lloyd’s team, leading the way down the stretch.

The Wildcats led by as many as 9 points, including an 85-76 advantage with 2:20 to go. Florida, however, didn’t go away quietly. The Gators cut the deficit to 90-87 with 29 seconds to go, but were unable to score again.

Florida entered the season with questions of how it would replace Walter Clayton Jr., Will Richard and Alijah Martin. Transfers Boogie Fland and Xaivian Lee are the new starting guards.

Lee was 5-of-17 from the field and 3-of-11 behind the 3-point line, adding 1 free throw for 14 points with 6 rebounds and 5 assists. Fland finished in single digits, scoring 9 points on 3-of-9 field goals, going 0-for-2 from 3-point range. He added 4 rebounds and 3 assists.

Returning big Thomas Haugh did his best to keep the Gators in the game. He scored a team-high 27 points, including 16 in the 2nd half.

The Gators lost Alex Condon (11 points, 4 rebounds) and Rueben Chinyelu (4 points, 1 rebound) to foul trouble during the game. Big man Micah Handlogten led the way with 12 rebounds.

The post Florida falls to Arizona in top-15 season-opening showdown appeared first on Saturday Down South.

In the first half of Florida vs. Arizona in Las Vegas, UF’s starting center had to get the attention of the officials to inform them that the front of his jersey had been completely ripped off. Though there was obvious contact, no foul was called.

Rueben Chinyelu's Florida jersey was "completely torn off the front" against Arizona.

Brian Andreson and Grant Hill with the call for TNT Sports. pic.twitter.com/aPZFJlK0DS

— Awful Announcing (@awfulannouncing) November 4, 2025

Chinyelu’s normally wears jersey No. 9. He’ll be wearing No. 34 the rest of the night after the tear. Reporter Andy Katz noted on the TNT broadcast that the Gator staff brought 1 backup jersey and 2 pairs of shorts.

Florida trails Arizona 50-46 at the half after leading by 12 points in the early going. Chinyelu played 12 minutes in the half, logging 2 points on 1-of-4 shooting with 1 rebound.

We’ll see if Chinyelu and the No. 3 Gators can make a second-half comeback against the No. 13 Wildcats.

Looking to bet on the Gators and more? Check out the SDS guide to Florida sports betting apps so you can get in on the action today!

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That includes the season-opener for John Calipari’s Arkansas Razorbacks. The Hogs are set to host Southern in a game broadcast on SEC Network on Monday evening.

How to watch Arkansas vs. Southern

YouTube TV subscribers may not have access to the Arkansas game on Monday night, but SlingTV may be a viable alternative. SlingTV offers SEC Network to subscribers via its “sports extra” package. Other ESPN-owned channels are available under its basic package.

• Tip off time: 7 p.m. ET
• Location: Fayetteville, Arkansas
• TV: SEC Network+ (via SlingTV)

Fans may also consider FuboTV as a potential alternative to YouTube TV. Fubo is currently offering a free trial to new users.

Arkansas vs. Southern betting odds

Arkansas is a massive favorite over Southern in this matchup. The Razorbacks are entering Year 2 under Calipari with legitimate postseason expectations. Arkansas got all the way to the Sweet 16 last season and will be looking for another deep March Madness run in 2026.

Here’s a look at the up-to-date betting odds for this Arkansas game:

Arkansas vs. Southern history

Arkansas and Southern have met 3 times previously, with the Razorbacks taking all 3 matchups. The last game in this series was a 79-44 win for the Hogs back in December of 2020. The first meeting was much closer — Arkansas won 76-75 back in 1985.

The post ESPN vs. YouTube TV dispute: How to stream Arkansas vs. Southern season-opener appeared first on Saturday Down South.

This include the season opener for the Tennessee Volunteers men’s basketball team, who are slated to tip things off at 7 p.m. ET tonight against the Mercer Bears on SEC Network+. Given the current state of the ongoing dispute between ESPN and YouTube TV, Volunteer fans will have to find another way to stream their favorite team’s season opener.

How to watch Tennessee vs. Mercer

Fans may not be able to stream Tennessee vs. Mercer on YouTube TV, but SlingTV has provided a solution for those who wish to get their college hoops fill. SlingTV offers access to ESPN channels through its basic package. Customers can also access SEC Network+, which is set to broadcast Monday’s Tennessee game, for an add-on subscription fee.

• Tip off time: 7 p.m. ET
• Location: Knoxville, Tennessee
• TV: SEC Network+ (via SlingTV)

Additionally, FuboTV could be a viable alternative for fans who are looking to move on from YouTube TV. Fubo is currently offering a free trial to new users.

Tennessee vs. Mercer betting odds

The Volunteers are massive betting favorites in this matchup against the Bears, entering the season as the No. 18 team in the country and coming off an Elite 8 appearance last March. Mercer, on the other hand, is coming off a 14-19 campaign, and haven’t made the NCAA Tournament since 2014.

Here’s a look at the latest betting odds for this game:

Interested in betting on this game? Here’s a full breakdown of all the best Tennessee betting apps you can choose from in 2025!

Tennessee vs. Mercer history

Despite the massive gap in program success between these 2 squads, Mercer has actually fared very well against Tennessee all time, with the series record currently standing at 4-4. The last meeting in the series came back in 2017, where Vols handed the Bears an 84-60 beatdown in Knoxville.

The post ESPN-YouTube TV saga: How fans can still watch Tennessee’s season-opener vs. Mercer appeared first on Saturday Down South.

Unfortunately for fans who currently use YouTube TV for all their sports viewing, the current carriage dispute between Google and Disney means that YouTube TV won’t have any ESPN channels for the foreseeable future.

That includes Alabama’s season-opener against North Dakota on Monday night, which is set to be broadcast on SEC Network.

How to stream Alabama basketball

Alabama fans who currently use YouTube TV will unfortunately be unable to view the season opener for the Tide due to the carriage dispute with ESPN, but SlingTV could be a viable solution for fans hoping to watch the game.

SlingTV is currently offering a “day pass” to all new customers. The day pass costs $4.99, although an additional subscription may be required to access SEC Network+. Sling subscribers will have access to Monday Night Football with its day pass.

Here’s what you need to know for Alabama’s opener:

• Tipoff time: 8 p.m. ET
• Location: Tuscaloosa, Alabama
• TV: SEC Network+ via SlingTV

Fans could also look to FuboTV as an alternative to YouTube TV. Fubo is currently offering new customers a free trial period when they sign up.

Alabama vs. North Dakota betting odds

The Crimson Tide will enter their season opener against the Fighting Hawks as massive home favorites. Alabama is currently ranked as the No. 15 team in the country to start the season and is coming off back-to-back Elite 8 appearances, while North Dakota is coming off a 12-21 season.

Here’s a look at the up-to-date betting odds for this season opener:

Alabama vs. North Dakota history

This will be just the second time ever that the Tide have faced off against North Dakota on the hardwood, with their first meeting coming last season on December 18th. Alabama actually went on the road to face the Fighting Hawks, with the Tide walking away with a surprisingly-close 97-90 victory.

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Neither Lowe nor Aberdeen played in Kentucky‘s exhibition game last week against Georgetown. Lowe has been dealing with a shoulder injury, while Aberdeen is recovering from a leg injury. Sophomore Jayden Quiantance also did not play in the exhibition game last week as he continues rehab for a knee injury.

Starting the year with key players out is not how Kentucky envisioned the start of the year going.

Calling all Kentucky residents! Looking to bet on college basketball this season? Here’s a full breakdown of all the best sports betting apps in Kentucky!

Kentucky comes into the year ranked as the No. 9 team in the country. While a team of this level should still be able to handle Nicholls without some of its key players, it’s not about the wins and losses for Kentucky. With a team full of new players, getting the team reps and minutes playing together is the name of the game early into the season.

Lowe, Aberdeen, and Quaintance were not on Kentucky’s team last year and transferred in from other programs. It’s hard to learn the system and gel with other players when you are not on the court with them.

Kentucky’s season will start on Tuesday against Nicholls, with tipoff scheduled for 7 p.m. ET.

The post Mark Pope gives injury update on key players ahead of season-opener appeared first on Saturday Down South.

Thursday afternoon, the SEC released its preseason All-SEC teams. Nine different schools had at least 1 player featured in the 15-man, 3-team list. No institution has more than 1 player on the first-team unit. Florida is the only team with a player on each of the 3 squads. Arkansas and Florida, though, are tied for the most players on the teams (3).

You can see each of the All-SEC basketball teams below:

All-SEC First Team

• Labaron Philon Jr., Alabama

• Tahaad Pettiford, Auburn

• Alex Condon, Florida

• Otega Oweh, Kentucky*

• Josh Hubbard, Mississippi State

All-SEC Second Team

• Boogie Fland, Florida

• Malik Dia, Ole Miss

• Mark Mitchell, Missouri

• Nate Ament, Tennessee

• Ja’Kobi Gillespie, Tennessee

All-SEC Third Team

• Aden Holloway, Alabama

• Darius Acuff Jr, Arkansas

• Karter Knox, Arkansas

• D.J. Wagner, Arkansas

• Thomas Haugh, Florida

*Otega Oweh was named the SEC Preseason Player of the Year.

Florida (No. 3) is the highest-ranked SEC team in the preseason AP poll. The Gators kick off their season versus No. 13 Arizona in Las Vegas on Monday, Nov. 3 (7:00 p.m. E.T., TNT/truTV).

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Johni Broome, fresh off an SEC Player of the Year campaign with the Tigers, has been assigned to play for the Delaware Blue Coats.

Drafted 35th overall by the Philadelphia 76ers in the 2025 NBA Draft, Broome now joins the 2023 G-League Champions up north.

Broome’s college career stands as one of the most productive and extensive that the sport has seen. After starting a total of 61 games over two seasons with Morehead State, Broome opted to transfer to join Bruce Pearl and Auburn prior to the 2022 campaign.

After he routinely posted a double-double with the Eagles, Broome continued to average double-figure points in the SEC before he truly shined as a senior. In leading the Tigers to the 2025 Final Four, the Florida native averaged 18.6 points and 10.8 rebounds per game while being named an All-American in virtually every major poll.

It remains to be seen if Broome can work his way back up to joining the 76ers’ rotation on a full-time basis, as he could gain invaluable knowledge from learning behind Joel Embiid.

The Blue Coats compete out of Wilmington, Delaware and were founded in 2007 as Philadelphia’s G-League affiliate.

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Her presence will still be felt on the court this season, though. The Ramblers announced on Tuesday that they will be wearing a special patch on their jerseys all season in honor of her memory.

Sister Jean Dolores Smith spent over 30 years as the team chaplain for Loyola-Chicago, from 1994 until she stepped down earlier this year due to health complications. She gained national fame for her presence on the sidelines during the Ramblers’ magical run to the Final Four in 2018.

During that run, the Ramblers upset several higher-seeded opponents before being knocked out by the eventual national runner-up, the Michigan Wolverines, during the Final Four.

Sister Jean also held various positions during her tenure at the university, and she was well-known and highly regarded for her contributions to both the school and the community.

She passed away earlier this month at the age of 106.

Now, she’ll be honored all season long by the team and university she invested so much of her time and life in with this heartwarming gesture as the Ramblers look to put together another NCAA Tournament-worthy campaign in her honor. Loyola opens the season at home against Cleveland State on Nov. 3.

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Early Thursday afternoon, 4-star big msn Josh Irving committed to Texas A&M. Irving, a 6-foot-10, 200 lb. center from Pasadena, CA, picked the Aggies over the Kentucky Wildcats and Louisville Cardinals.

Irving is the No. 51 overall player in 247Sports’ Composite rankings of the 2026 class. He’s the No. 4 center and No. 7 player in California by the same metric.

Texas A&M now has 2 commits for 2026: Irving and Neiko Mundey, a combo guard from Landover, MD. Mundey, who committed to the Aggies back in September, is the 247 Sports’ composite’s No. 61 overall player in the 2026 class.

Together, Irving and Mundey have Texas A&M currently boasting the 20th-best recruiting class in the country. In the SEC, the Aggies rank eighth out of 11 schools with at least 1 commitment. It’s still very early in the 2026 cycle, though. At this moment, only 7 of the top 25 recruits in 247Sports’ Composite rankings — and none of the top 7 — have committed to a program.

The 2025 Aggies begin their season on Monday, Nov. 3, versus Northwestern State. Tipoff is set for 8 p.m. ET.

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Howard, a 6-foot-4 shooting guard, told On3 of his big decision on Tuesday. He was recruited by the bluest of blue blood programs, with Duke beating out bitter rivals North Carolina and Kentucky, among others, to lure Howard to Durham.

The product of Frisco, Texas, was the 12th-ranked player in the Class of 2026, according to the 247Sports Composite rankings. He was also the 4th-ranked small forward in the class and the top-ranked player from the state of Texas, according to those composite rankings.

Howard not only has serious talent himself, he comes from basketball bloodlines. He is the son of former NBA All-Star Josh Howard, who was a first-round pick of the Dallas Mavericks in 2003 and made that All-Star appearance with the Mavericks in 2007.

Duke hosted the younger Howard for an official visit in September, and Howard also took an official visit to North Carolina during September. Howard made his final official visit to Kentucky earlier this month.

Howard is the first hard commit for Duke in its 2026 recruiting class, as Blue Devils head coach Jon Scheyer earned a big recruiting victory to launch that 2026 recruiting class.

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On Monday afternoon, the AP announced their preseason All-American team. Condon, a 6-foot-11, 230 lb. forward/center, snagged the final spot on the roster. He’s the lone SEC player on the team, which features a pair of Big Ten and Big 12 players:

• Braden Smith (Purdue)*
• JT Toppin (Texas Tech)
• Yaxel Lendeborg (Michigan)
• AJ Dybantsa (BYU)
• Alex Condon (Florida)

*Unanimous selection

Condon received 16 of 57 votes to snare a place on the All-American team. Smith (57/57) and Toppin (52/57) were the only players to appear on more than 60% of ballots.

Condon averaged 10.6 points, 7.5 rebounds and 1.3 blocks per game across 37 contests (35 starts) in 2024-25. He improved his 3-point shot by nearly 4% (28.9% to 32.8%) last season. His ability to stretch the floor led him to declare for the NBA Draft shortly after Florida won the championship. but he eventually elected to return to college and continue developing his offensive game. He was the No. 29 prospect in ESPN’s NBA Draft rankings prior to opting to stay in Gainesville.

Condon and the Gators open the 2025-26 season against Arizona on Nov. 3 in the Hall of Fame Series. That neutral floor matchup, in Las Vegas, will tip at 7 p.m. ET (TNT).

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Thomas told On3 of his commitment to LSU head coach Matt McMahon and the Tigers for next season. He is a 6-foot-7 product of Montverde Academy in Florida and chose LSU over SEC rival Auburn, with Miami and Florida State also in the mix.

McMahon’s commitment from Thomas means LSU now has 3 players in its 2026 recruiting class. That class already included 4-star wings Herly Brutus, a 6-foot-5 player who is also from Florida, and Marcus Vaughns, a 6-foot-8 player who comes to Baton Rouge all the way from Australia.

Thomas showed his versatility while playing for SOH Elite in the Under Armour AAU circuit this past summer. He averaged 11.6 points, 4.5 rebounds, 2.3 assists, 1.3 steals, 0.5 blocks and just 1.0 turnovers per game. Thomas’ shooting percentages were a little low though, at just 40% from the field, 32% from 3-point territory and 70% from the free-throw line.

According to the 247Sports Composite rankings, Thomas is the 83rd-ranked player in the Class of 2026. He’s also the 33rd-ranked small forward in the class and the 13th-ranked player from the state of Florida.

LSU was 1 of just 2 SEC teams to not make the NCAA Tournament this past season. The Tigers struggled to a 14-18 overall record and a 3-15 mark in the SEC in 2024-25, but LSU will feature an almost entirely new team with 11 new players this coming season. And next season’s team just got another boost with Thomas’s commitment.

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From the mighty Gators to the closing act of Oklahoma and Mizzou, here are 5 thoughts from Day 2 of SEC Tipoff.

The Gators will have as good a starting 5 as anyone in the sport. Again.

The reigning national champions lose all 4 members of what was, at least analytically, the greatest backcourt in the history of SEC basketball. Three of those players (Walter Clayton Jr., Alijah Martin, and Will Richard) were taken in the NBA Draft. The fourth, Denzel Aberdeen, will bring his competitive fire and defense to Florida’s biggest basketball rival after transferring to Kentucky.

There are scenarios, even in the portal era, where the loss of that much talent would suggest a rebuild is in order.

Not at Florida.

The Gators return the nation’s most formidable frontcourt, led by preseason All-SEC first team selection Alex Condon and second-teamer Thomas Haugh. Micah Handlogten and Rueben Chinleyu, 2 of the best rebounders and rim protectors in the sport, round out the embarrassment of riches in the paint. Whether Haugh, an analytics darling who ranked among the 10 most efficient offensive players in the country a year ago, per Evan Miya, can build on a breakout 2024-25 while playing some at the 3 (instead of his usual 4 spot), is a mystery, but NBA scouts and Florida’s staff alike rave about what they’ve seen from Haugh in practice at his new position.

That leaves the new look backcourt.

Enter Boogie Fland, the former 5-star guard and McDonald’s All-American who dazzled for 2 months at Arkansas before he was lost to an injury that cost him most of the SEC season. Razorbacks fans and cynics point to the fact that the Hogs were 0-5 when Fland was injured a year ago, only to rally and become a Sweet 16 team largely in his absence.

The data says this is unfair to Fland. In fact, Fland was having, at least statistically, the most efficient season for a first-year freshman point guard in college basketball since Nico Mannion at Arizona in 2020, and his overall analytics profile compares admirably to Duke sensation Tyus Jones, who won a national title at Duke in his freshman year in 2015.

Fland, now healthy, will start next to Xaivian Lee, a walking bucket who transfers from Princeton and who will give Florida yet another dynamic shot maker. Lee’s 37.3% assist rate in 2024-25 was among the best in college basketball, too, meaning he can use his wide bag not just to take and make tough shots, but to facilitate.

It’s unfair to compare Fland and Lee to Clayton, Martin, Richard, and Aberdeen, but Todd Golden wasn’t shy in expressing his confidence in the duo on Wednesday in Birmingham.

“I love ’em both already,” Golden said. “Boogie, really hard worker and coachable. He came in with a great mentality, allowing us to coach him and guide him. A great competitor. An incredible on-ball defender. I’m excited for him to be picking up opposing team’s point guards at the top of the paint, making plays for others. He’s a great facilitator. He does a great job of getting into the paint and making plays for others. Really unselfish.”

As for Lee, Golden sees another elite creator.

“(Xaivian) is a really fantastic offensive player,” Golden said. “Really quick and explosive with the ball in his hands. Another true point guard, but we’ll be able to play him off the ball a little bit. A guy that can score at all 3 levels.”

Collectively, the quintet should give the Gators one of the most explosive starting 5s in the sport. Again.

That gives the Gators a chance to compete for SEC and national championships. Again.

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Tennessee’s frontcourt might be the most underrated in the sport. It’s that versatile.

While most the focus on Tennessee this offseason has been about what the Volunteers look like without program stalwart Zakai Zeigler, the most compelling story to me is the way Rick Barnes has taken a weakness of his past 2 teams and transformed it into a strength.

Tennessee reached the Elite Eight in the past 2 seasons with competent, but hardly dynamic, frontcourt play. Last year’s team had only 1 frontcourt player average more than 7 points per game, and that was Igor Miličić  Jr., much more a stretch 4 who stayed on the perimeter than a post presence. Jonas Aidoo offered a bit more in 2023-24, but the Vols were thin behind him, and lacked the optionality to play big and stretch defenses with a player like Miličić.

This season, Barnes has both, with defensive specialist Felix Okpara, do-everything Cade Phillips, Vanderbilt transfer Jaylen Carey, the getting healthier JP Estrella, and freshman DeWayne Brown giving the Vols a group that can pressure a defense in a variety of ways.

Rick Barnes agreed when I asked him if this was the most versatile group he’s had at Tennessee.

“I think the versatility is that Cade can swing out and play some perimeter, too, because of his ability to guard. Getting JP back. We’re still working him back full speed. We needed that the last couple years. Felix has improved. I think his confidence, his leadership, he’s taken that to a different level. Jaylen Carey, he hurt us more than any post player we played against last year. But he’s learning to adjust what we’re doing, which is different for him. We’re excited about that. Probably the biggest surprise is DeWayne Brown as a freshman coming in. We weren’t exactly sure. We knew we wanted DeWayne, no question about that. We wasn’t sure how long it would take him to grab ahold of it. I think with JP being out, he had to go up every day pretty much against Felix. It’s helped him grow. There’s no doubt he’ll be a big part of our rotation of 5 guys.”

A versatile frontcourt that can score in a number of ways will complement star point guard Ja’Kobi Gillespie, one of the top transfers in the portal who will take over for Zeigler.

That’s an imposing group, and that’s before we discuss freshman Nate Ament, who Barnes has called “special,” a word he doesn’t use lightly and one that makes you think the Kevin Durant comparisons aren’t just Vols fans telling preseason lies.

Dennis Gates and Missouri return a ton of production. They are the sleepers in a stacked SEC.

A season ago, the SEC ranked first in the country in minutes returning, and Florida and Auburn, 2 of the most experienced teams in America, reached the Final Four, with the Gators cutting down the nets in San Antonio.

This season, the league is younger. The B1G and Big 12 are more experienced conferences, and in the SEC, only Arkansas returns more than 50% of its minutes played in 2024-25. Mizzou (38.9%) is second, though, just ahead of Vanderbilt (35%).

That returning core, led by All-SEC selection Mark Mitchell, should give the Tigers a legitimate chance to outperform their middle of the pack SEC projectioin.

“The retention, you have to protect it,” Dennis Gates said on Wednesday. “When you look at the national championship game, they had about, (Florida and Houston) had a good portion of minutes returning and 3 starters returning to give them a chance to move forward.”

Gates knows that he’ll need a jump from Mitchell, a stat-sheet stuffer who can score at all 3 levels, rebound, and guard. But he believes he’ll get it, and he can’t stop raving about Anthony Robertson II, one of the most underrated defenders in college basketball who should take a huge jump as a junior.

“We do a great job in our player development. Ant Robinson and any other young man that wants to play for us is part of our recruiting pitch,” Gates said.

Robinson is a testament to Missouri’s development program and should build on a season where he improved his offensive field goal percentage numbers by an astounding 11% from 2 and 20% from 3 and bumped his assist rate from a pedestrian 13% to a Top 10 in the SEC 25%.

If both Mitchell and Robinson take another leap in 2025-26, the Tigers, who have a deep, physical frontcourt and should defend better than preseason analytics suggest, could surprise and break through into the top 4 in the SEC.

SDS All-SEC Preseason Ballot

The SEC went with 5-man teams this season, which was a refreshing change from past years, when there were more than 5 players on preseason balloting. Limiting the team to 5 was a significant challenge, but here’s a look at our preseason ballot. Please note the decision between Tennessee’s Ja’Kobi Gillespie and Mississippi State’s Josh Hubbard was easily the most difficult. In the end, Hubbard’s SEC experience won the day.

First Team:

Otega Oweh, Kentucky (Player of the Year)

Tahaad Pettiford, Auburn

Thomas Haugh, Florida

Mark Mitchell, Missouri

Josh Hubbard, Mississippi State

Second Team:

Ja’Kobi Gillespie, Tennessee

Alex Condon, Florida

Labaron Philon Jr., Alabama

Karter Knox, Arkansas

Malik Dia, Ole Miss

SDS Preseason Awards       

The only preseason award the SEC recognizes is Player of the Year. SDS cast its ballot for Kentucky’s Otega Oweh for that honor. But that doesn’t mean we can’t have a little fun with projections and awards. Here are 4 other honors and prognostications we think merit conversation in the preseason.

Freshman of the Year: Darius Acuff Jr., Arkansas

Coach of the Year: Mark Pope, Kentucky

Defensive Player of the Year: Boogie Fland, Florida

NCAA Tournament Teams: Florida, Kentucky, Arkansas, Tennessee, Alabama, Missouri, Auburn, Vanderbilt, Mississippi State, Georgia, Ole Miss.

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On Thursday morning, TNT Sports announced its studio team for the 2025-26 college basketball season. Pearl will hold down the coaching chair for TNT while Jalen Rose (Michigan) and Jamal Mashburn (Kentucky) fill the player positions. Chris Webber (Michigan) will also join on occasion. Last, but certainly not least, Adam Lefkoe will anchor everything in the “Ernie Johnson” host role for the crew.

“Our studio shows have always had a certain DNA that is unique to TNT Sports, and we take great pride in assembling the right blend of personalities capable of extending that culture,” Craig Barry, TNT Sports’ Chief Content Officer, said in a press release announcing the news. “We believe we’ve found a distinctive balance with this college basketball team and we’re confident fans will be entertained by their perspectives, the storytelling and access they provide from their experiences in and around the game.”

Pearl is no stranger to in-studio appearances for TNT. He served as an analyst for the first round of the NCAA Tournament on Thursday last season, the day before Auburn played Alabama State. He assisted on other NCAA tournaments in the past as well. It’s clear he’s eager to take on this new challenge.

Fans reacted to Pearl’s new job in a variety of ways. There are a few haters who can’t understand why people want “more Bruce Pearl on TV,” but most of the responses have shown excitement about his gig.

Pearl’s first day as a full-time TNT analyst will be Monday, Nov. 3.

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The former Auburn coach and Kentucky standout will join fellow analyst Jalen Rose and host Adam Lefkoe. TNT Sports will cover Big East and Big 12 basketball during the regular season. Pearl, Mashburn, Rose and Lefkoe will also be part of TNT Sports and CBS Sports’ joint coverage of March Madness.

TNT SPORTS HAS ANNOUNCED ITS STAR-STUDDED COLLEGE BASKETBALL STUDIO TEAM

@coachbrucepearl
@jamalmashburn
@JalenRose
@realchriswebber
@AdamLefkoe

TNT Sports tips off the season on Monday, Nov. 3. More: https://t.co/5xw0SCHAYf pic.twitter.com/0dEsWYNbGg

— TNT Sports U.S. PR (@TNTSportsPR) October 16, 2025

Pearl joins after his recent retirement as the Auburn head coach on Sept. 22. He led the Tigers for 11 seasons, capturing 5 SEC titles and 6 NCAA Tournament appearances, including 2 trips to the Final Four.

“I’ve long admired and deeply respected the way TNT Sports delivers the best studio shows in the industry, along with the way they treat everyone as family, and I could not be more excited to join the amazing team they’ve assembled to cover college basketball,” Pearl said in a released statement. “The product has never been in better shape on the court and I’m going to bring the same passion I displayed as a coach to broadcasting. I can’t wait for the start of the season.”

Mashburn was a consensus All-American at Kentucky who led the Wildcats to the Final Four in 1993. That same year, he was selected No. 4 overall in the NBA Draft. Mashburn played 12 seasons in the NBA and was named an All-State in 2003.

“College basketball gave me my start, and it’s where so many great basketball stories begin,” Mashburn said, via release. “I’m excited to join TNT Sports and share my perspective on what makes these young players and programs so special.”

TNT Sports will also carry the Hall of Fame Series in Las Vegas on Nov. 3, featuring matchups of Florida vs. Arizona and BYU vs. Villanova and the Players Era championships during Thanksgiving week.

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In other words, it’s not going anywhere.

The same couldn’t be said for the sixth man on that national championship team, guard Denzel Aberdeen. He entered the transfer portal on April 18, just a few weeks after helping Florida cut down the nets in San Antonio, and just 3 days after that the 6-foot-5, 195-pound Orlando native had committed to SEC rival Kentucky.

Aberdeen was adamant that he didn’t want to leave Gainesville for anywhere, let alone Lexington, but after a meeting with Golden the whole tone of his attitude toward staying changed. Even after celebrating a national championship and being a meaningful part of it, averaging 7.7 points, 1.7 rebounds and 1.4 assists last season, Aberdeen was as good as gone after that meeting with his now former head coach.

“There were some things in the meeting that happened and were said that made me decide that I have to leave,” Aberdeen told Kentucky Sports Radio, adding that he didn’t want to get into the whole ordeal too much more.

There’s where Golden came in. The young and now established head coach who turned 40 years old 3 months after winning that title with Aberdeen gave his take on what the issue was between player and program.

“We love Denzel,” Todd Golden told KSR. “Incredibly grateful for the contributions he made to our program. He was a huge part of our national championship team. He was a guy that came with us right when we got the job. That reality is, we would have loved to have Denzel back, and there were other things that were more important to him than what we had to offer at this point.”

Now, the head coach and the player will go their separate ways, starting now, and this season when they see each other they’ll be fierce foes. They won’t be on the team anymore, but Golden maintained that he understood why Aberdeen did what he did in transferring to Kentucky.

Golden understood what Kentucky gave Aberdeen basketball-wise and financially, and so he’s moving forward with what he has coming back in Gainesville to try to defend that national title that Aberdeen helped bring.

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Now under the direction of Steven Pearl, Bruce’s son who took over for his father as the head coach on the Plains, the 2025-26 Auburn Tigers just wanted to have a little fun with their new threads at SEC Basketball Tipoff on Wednesday in Birmingham. Specifically, Auburn was showing off its new Nike uniforms for the upcoming season, with this particular video featuring some Tigers players in their road blue uniforms.

They posed for the cameras and smiled pretty with their new head coach, another Pearl to carry the lasting basketball legacy at Auburn. The 1 thing Steven Pearl’s father wasn’t able to do was bring a national championship back to the Plains, coming close last year and during the 2019 run to the Final Four.

That missing piece is what Steven Pearl will hope to bring Auburn next April, but that’s serious stuff for another day. For now, it was time to model those new Nike uniforms in front of the cameras, with the regular season starting next month.

Here is the video of the Auburn players posing with their new head coach:

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In a lighthearted moment during the media preview, Pearl quipped about a decision his father, Bruce Pearl, might be second-guessing: helping Todd Golden secure his coaching position in Gainesville.

When asked about influential coaches in his development as a mentor, Steven fondly mentioned Golden as a key figure.

“He was the one that brought analytics into our program when we first got to Auburn,” Pearl said on Wednesday. “Todd had a really big impact on me as an assistant when he was at Auburn. It’s pretty well-documented that we’ve stayed in touch ever since he left Auburn to go to San Francisco.

Bruce Pearl coached Golden on the 2009 USA Team before bringing him on board as an assistant at Auburn. In 2022, it was Bruce who passionately advocated for Golden’s hiring at Florida as the successor to Mike White. Florida listened, and gained a title as a result.

“I think (Bruce Pearl) might regret that now because Todd has turned into one helluva head coach and they kicked our ass last year a couple times,” Pearl joked.

Since stepping into his role at Florida, Golden has achieved remarkable success, leading his team to clinch the 2025 national championship. Ironically, this former mentee has also secured significant victories against Auburn along the way.

Looking ahead, Steven Pearl and his Auburn Tigers are ranked as the preseason No. 20 team and will tip off their season on Nov. 3 against Bethune-Cookman. Meanwhile, defending national champions Florida are set to launch their campaign against the No. 13 Arizona Wildcats on the same day. Pearl and Golden will face off against each other for the first time on Jan. 26 in Gainesville.

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The man filling Pearl’s shoes will be a familiar face for the Tigers, though, as the program announced that his longtime assistant and son, Steven Pearl, was taking over the reins immediately after the elder Pearl announced his departure.

Many have wondered what differences the younger Pearl has with his father when it comes to coaching style, and he sat down with the SEC Network on Wednesday morning at SEC Tip Off to lay out how his coaching philosophy differs from his old man’s.

“On the sideline, I’m not going to be losing my mind as much as BP did from time to time,” Pearl said lightheartedly. “I’m going to be a little more even-keeled because I think that they’re going to respond to how I’m acting during the game. Now, they understand that if we’re not giving the right effort and energy, they know I’m going to coach them hard.”

There’s no question that Pearl seems to have some of the same qualities that made his dad such an effective coach, but there’s probably nobody who could truly replicate the intensity that the elder Pearl brought on game days.

It will be interesting to see how his team responds to his leadership this season, and how far he’s able to take another absolutely loaded Tigers’ squad into March Madness.

Auburn opens its season on Nov. 3 against Bethune-Cookman.

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A year after the SEC set records with an NCAA Tournament-record 14 programs receiving tournament bids, 7 programs reached the Sweet 16, 2 advanced to the Final Four, and Florida captured its third national championship, the league is hoping for an encore in the 2025-26 season, with a record-tying 7 SEC schools appearing in the preseason AP Top 25 and 6 teams slotted in the KenPom preseason top 25.

Day 1 of SEC Media Days featured 3 of the 5 programs picked in the top 5 of the preseason media poll, including blue-blood Kentucky (picked second) and home state heroes Alabama, whose earliest March Madness exit over the last 3 seasons was a Sweet 16 as the tournament’s No. 1 overall seed in 2023. Here are 5 thoughts from Day 1 of a full day of hoops in Birmingham.

Nate Oats and Alabama are flying under the radar — but that backcourt can beat anyone

Does Alabama need to get healthy?

Absolutely. Latrell Wrightsell Jr. has been cleared for 5-on-5, and seemed optimistic he’d play when Alabama hosts North Dakota on November 3.

Former McDonald’s All-American and Miami transfer Jalil Bethea may take longer to recover from a left foot injury suffered in September, but Nate Oats expects him back when league play begins in January.

Still, when the pieces come together, Alabama will field one of the most formidable, if not the very best, backcourts in college basketball. Even without All-American Mark Sears and Chris Youngblood (who is shining for Oklahoma City in exhibitions), Oats loves the composition of his backcourt.

“Our backcourt, we feel confident in,” Oats said from the podium Tuesday. “We have some guys that were out last year, Houston Mallette and Latrell Wrightsell Jr., and I think they really add something to the team. They’re smart, they’re tough, they’ve played a lot of basketball. You add (First-Team preseason All-SEC selection) Labaron Philon back, great freshman year, decided to come back. (Aden) Holloway, I think he made a big jump from his freshman to sophomore year. I think he’s going to make a bigger jump. He looks really good in practice.”

The questions are in the frontcourt, but even without Cliff Omoruyi to protect the rim, the Crimson Tide should be more skilled. Aiden Sherrell, a former 5-star recruit, is as versatile a big man as Oats has ever had — rangy, athletic, an explosive leaper, a capable shooter and passer. London Jemison, a bouncy wing who can play the 2, 3, or 4, should help Alabama guard better. Finally, Florida State transfer Taylor Bol Bowen won’t replace Grant Nelson’s offense or leadership, but his 7-2 wingspan does give Alabama a potent rim protector, as evidenced by an impressive 7.1% block rate that ranked among the top 100 in America a season ago.

Alabama has been picked to finish in the top 3 in the SEC in each of the last 3 seasons. That makes this season’s fourth place projection motivating.

“Yeah, I think anyone thinking there will be a drop off is in for a surprise,” Wrightsell told SDS on Tuesday. “With our backcourt and 3 bigs who are perfect fits to play with us, we know what we’re capable of doing.”

An undervalued Nate Oats team? Buy stock now.

Cal says Arkansas has a long way to go, but the ceiling is immense

John Calipari opened his 16th trip to SEC Media Days referencing his team’s scrimmage this past Sunday in Hot Springs.

“I’m not going to say it was a debacle,” Calipari said with a smile. “But what’s the next word up from debacle? We’ve got a long ways to go.”

That might be true.

But this Arkansas roster might be the most talented in the SEC. The dynamic freshman duo of Darius Acuff Jr. and Meleek Thomas couldn’t be any different from a personality standpoint. Thomas is confident — some might even say loud.

“When he scores, he lets you know about it,” Arkansas junior DJ Wagner told SDS.

Acuff is quieter, a mature-beyond-his-years guard who lets his play do the talking.

The duo, along with the constantly improving Wagner, will give Arkansas one of the nation’s most versatile backcourts. Throw in Karter Knox, a 6-6 swing with a 6-10 wingspan and lottery upside, and you have a deep group that can guard and score.

The frontcourt will be better, too. Malique Ewin is a great rebounder who was a top-100 effective field goal percentage player a season ago at Florida State. Trevon Brazile won Calipari over with his effort a season ago and while he’s no longer considered a likely NBA Draft pick, he has outstanding athleticism, rebounds, and plays terrific defense. Nick Pringle will give Arkansas a force on the glass off the bench.

In other words, the Razorbacks will have a lot of ways to win.

Will they be able to make shots? Knox is the best returning shooter (35%), which likely explains the gap between what humans think of Arkansas (top 15 in the AP Poll) and computers (29th in KenPom, 20th in Evan Miya). But if Acuff and Thomas (and DJ Wagner, who Calipari insists can shoot better than the 30% he’s shot in his career from beyond the arc) can open up defenses, there’s SEC title potential in Fayetteville.

Doubt a Chris Beard team at your own risk

On paper, Chris Beard’s third Ole Miss team figures to take a step back from his second, which won 24 games and reached the Sweet 16, losing an epic game to Michigan State.

Just don’t tell Chris Beard that.

“Our objective is to build a program that can sustain success,” Beard said on Tuesday. “It is not to be a one-hit wonder in Mississippi.”

There are data-driven doubts. Two reclamation projects, AJ Storr, on stop 4 in 4 years, and Koren Johnson, on stop 3, need to find themselves and play better basketball. Beard pushed back on the narrative on Storr a bit Tuesday.

“I believe in AJ Storr. Not to put all the pressure of the world on his shoulders. Truth-telling program. I think AJ has a chance to re-establish himself as one of the best players in college basketball.”

That may be true.

But Storr hasn’t been one of the better players in the sport since Year 1 at St. John’s. Is that player, who shot 40% from 3 and posted an efficient 51.2 eFG%, still in there somewhere?

If anyone can squeeze the best out of Storr’s prodigious talent, it’s Beard.

On the bright side, Beard returns Malik Dia, one of the most productive frontcourt players in America, to lead the team. Dia, an honors student on top of being a decorated player, was perhaps the most impressive young person in a building full of them on Tuesday. Dia loves the idea of playing for a team many are doubting.

“We’re projected No. 8 in the league and that just gives us fuel. I think we’re a really motivated team. What you can expect is that we’ll play hard. We know there are people who don’t think we are going to play in the NCAA Tournament. That’s fine. Our guys all have a lot of stories. They have a lot to prove. If we come together because of that, we’ll be an elite team. You can say we won’t be one. You can say ‘It’s Ole Miss.’ But I think bringing a lot of underdogs together, we have a chance to be special.”

A group of underdogs coached by Chris Beard? Sign me up.

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Yes, Mark Byington and Vanderbilt are as good as the analytics suggest

One of the most surprising things from the preseason analytical rankings has been the high placement of Vanderbilt, who was an afterthought much of the offseason but finds itself situated in the top 25 of KenPom (19th), Bart Torvik (21st), and EvanMiya (24th).

It begins with player retention. The Commodores retained sharpshooting Tyler Nickel (the best returning 3-point shooter in the SEC), glue guy Devin McGlockton, and impressive point guard Tyler Tanner.

“The players we have coming back were priority No. 1 for us,” Byington said Tuesday. “They are unbelievable people, really good basketball players, and they care about winning. I don’t know how many kids do (care about winning) right now. Having those guys that will sacrifice and do different things because they care about winning, that was the most important thing we did this spring.”

Throw in a top-25 portal haul that includes TCU guard Frankie Collins, Louisville wing Mike James, Oklahoma shooter Duke Miles, and North Carolina big man Jalen Washington, and you have a Commodores team that is not only more talented than last year’s NCAA Tournament team but should be among the best offensive teams in the country.

Byington also thinks Vanderbilt being a bigger team will help it weather the grind of SEC play and, potentially, avoid the late-season fade that plagued the program a year ago, when the Commodores lost 7 of their final 10 games.

“You look at our size, our length. We’ll play bigger, not just at the center position. We’ll also play bigger at the guard spots and the other 4 positions. I just thought we had to make sure that while we’re not trying to be everyone else, we had more size, which was something we couldn’t overcome last season. You’ll see a big improvement from length and everything else with our team.”

If the added size helps Vanderbilt guard even a little better than a year ago (79th in KenPom defensive efficiency), a second weekend is distinctly possible.

Denzel Aberdeen is a different type of competitor who’ll change the culture in Lexington

The angry BBN supporter will read that headline and ask what was wrong with a culture that helped Mark Pope reach the Sweet 16 in season 1 at his alma mater. The short answer is “not much.”

But when you ask Mark Pope about Denzel Aberdeen, who transferred to Kentucky from rival Florida fresh off helping the Gators win the national championship last season, you understand that yes, Aberdeen was primarily brought in to change the way Kentucky competes.

“Denzel Aberdeen, everybody at Florida knows this too — beautiful, just a pure competitive spirit, which kind of our whole team feels they are embodying right now. His love of competition. The fearlessness about how he competes, how he’s willing to step on the floor and he’s not afraid of taking an L, but he’s going to fight you to the death to win everything,” Pope said. “If we put him out there to play Tiddlywinks or a game of Uno, I think our guys would lose their mind watching him compete.”

It helps that Aberdeen is a fine player. He guards at a high level and is a better 3-point shooter than he ever gets credit for, shooting 35% on relatively high volume over the last 3 seasons as a role player at Florida.

But just as Florida brought in Alijah Martin, a fiery competitor with Final Four experience, to inject added fire to last year’s Florida roster, Pope plucked Aberdeen from the hated Gators to do the same in Lexington.

Aberdeen gets it, too.

“I definitely watched guys like Alijah Martin, Will Richard, Walter Clayton Jr., who I played with last year. I took a lot of stuff from that. They are great leaders. They are great competitors. There’s a reason they are in the league right now. I’m so happy for them. But yeah, I definitely watched them, watched their leadership, and I wanted to bring that over here to Kentucky. I wanted to show my new teammates the ropes, and just how hard you have to play to win the national championship, and that playing that hard starts in practice. You try to win championship 9 every day in practice.”

Denzel Aberdeen is a different type of competitor. Kentucky might be different this year, too.

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Expectations are high for the senior heading into 2025-26 as the SEC’s preseason player of the year. But a turf toe injury sidelined him for 10 weeks and limited his availability for preseason practice until his return on Monday.

It’s good timing: the Wildcats host No. 1 Purdue in an exhibition on Oct. 24 and Georgetown on Oct. 30 before opening the season against Nicholls on Nov. 4.

“If you’re going to have a guy miss the first couple weeks of practice, he really has been out for almost 10 weeks now, he’s the guy to do it,” Pope said during SEC Tip-Off in Birmingham on Tuesday.

The Wildcats’ second-year head coach said that he is working to get Oweh gradually up to speed. From the sounds of it, Oweh’s anxious to get going.

“He actually was in practice a couple days ago in his first live scrimmage, really his first possession of live scrimmage, we’re all kind of walking on eggshells. He got a steal, raced down the floor, outside the free throw, dunked it,” Pope recalled.

That’s par for the course for someone like Oweh, Pope noted, mentioning that the New Jersey product has a “competitive motor” that “you cannot turn off.”

“He’s been through this. He understands it. He knows what he’s in for. He understands the pressure of the moment. He understands everything that Kentucky is. He embraces it. He can’t get enough of it,” he said.

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Before Oats arrived in Tuscaloosa in 2019, the Crimson Tide’s deepest run in the NCAA Tournament was an Elite Eight appearance in 2004. They’ve been there in 2024 and 2025 under Oats, including a Final Four berth in 2024.

And one look at the Tide’s nonconference schedule in 2025-26 will show that they’ll be battle-tested when SEC play comes around.

After opening the season at home against North Dakota, Alabama will face four straight top 25 opponents: at No. 5 St. John’s (Nov. 8), No. 1 Purdue (Nov. 13), No. 17 Illinois in Chicago (Nov. 19), and No. 21 Gonzaga in Las Vegas (Nov. 24). Thirteenth-ranked Arizona in Birmingham (Dec. 13) is also on tap.

For Oats, the tougher the non-league schedule, the better.

“To me, the thing you’re trying to do is be most prepared come March,” Oats said, via AL.com. “So to me, at this level, you should be the most prepared team come January for SEC play. I don’t think playing 13 cupcakes prepares you for SEC play.”

Alabama will start the season ranked No. 15. Last year’s team went 28-9 and was a No. 2 seed in the NCAA Tournament. The Tide beat Robert Morris, Saint Mary’s, and BYU before falling to top-seeded Duke in the East regional finals.

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The Gators, led by junior big man Alex Condon and sophomore guard Boogie Fland, headline a deep group that also features Kentucky and Tennessee rounding out the top three.

Kentucky, with preseason SEC Player of the Year Otega Oweh, was a close second in the voting, while Tennessee checked in at No. 3 behind the strong tandem of Ja’Kobi Gillespie and freshman forward Nate Ament. Alabama and Arkansas rounded out the top five.

Auburn, Missouri and Ole Miss landed in the middle of the pack, while new league members Texas and Oklahoma came in at No. 9 and No. 12 respectively. Georgia, LSU and South Carolina filled out the bottom three spots in the poll.

Florida’s placement comes after the Gators surged late last season with a national title, and return key pieces of their production under head coach Todd Golden. With three players earning preseason All-SEC honors, Florida heads into the year with as much balance and depth as any team in one of the best conferences in basketball.

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Florida, Kentucky, and Alabama all showed out with multiple names on the list — no real surprise given the recruiting wins and returners they’ve stacked.

Florida’s Alex Condon lands on the first team alongside Mississippi State sharpshooter Josh Hubbard, Auburn’s electric Tahaad Pettiford, Alabama’s phenom Labaron Philon Jr., and Kentucky’s Otega Oweh, who also grabbed preseason SEC Player of the Year honors. Oweh’s been hyped all offseason, and this just adds fuel to what’s shaping up to be a big year in Lexington.

The Gators are especially well-represented — with Boogie Fland and Thomas Haugh also making the second team, Todd Golden’s crew has a real shot at being in the thick of the SEC race. Tennessee, meanwhile, gets some love too with Nate Ament and Ja’Kobi Gillespie both earning Second Team nods.

By the time you get to the third team, you’re reminded how deep this league really is. Malik Dia, Aden Holloway, Karter Knox, Jaland Lowe, and D.J. Wagner could all easily make a case for higher honors by March.

Once again, the SEC looks loaded after relentless competition in the conference last season.

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Gators head coach Todd Golden hit the transfer portal hard after losing the bulk of his title-winning guard rotation to graduation. Boogie Fland (Arkansas), AJ Brown (Ohio) and Xaivian Lee (Princeton) should make up a dynamic group of replacements on the perimeter. Together, with Rueben Chinyelu, Thomas Haugh, Alex Condon and Micah Handlogten, they will be competing for the SEC and national championships once again.

The SEC’s other top 10 team, the No. 9 Kentucky Wildcats, are entering their second season under head coach Mark Pope. The former BYU coach took Kentucky to the Sweet 16 for the first time since 2018-19 last season. Like Golden, he loaded up his roster through the transfer portal. Jaland Lowe (Pittsburgh), Jayden Quaintance (Arizona State) and Kam Williams (Tulane) have fortified the operation around Otega Oweh — the Preseason SEC Player of the Year — and raise the Wildcats’ ceiling from a year ago.

Arkansas (No. 14), Alabama (No. 15), Tennessee (No. 18) and Auburn (No. 20) are the other SEC teams in the AP poll. Texas, sitting fourth in “others receiving votes,” tops a list of 6 more SEC schools in that category. You can see the full AP poll — with first-place votes in parenthesis — below:

• No. 1 – Purdue (35)
• No. 2 – Houston (16)
• No. 3 – Florida (8)
• No. 4 – UCONN (2)
• No. 5 – St. John’s
• No. 6 – Duke
• No. 7 – Michigan
• No. 8 – BYU
• No. 9 – Kentucky
• No. 10 – Texas Tech
• No. 11 – Louisville
• No. 12 – UCLA
• No. 13 – Arizona
• No. 14 – Arkansas
• No. 15 – Alabama
• No. 16 – Iowa State
• No. 17 – Illinois
• No. 18 – Tennessee
• No. 19 – Kansas
• No. 20 – Auburn
• No. 21 – Gonzaga
• No. 22 – Michigan State
• No. 23 – Creighton
• No. 24 – Wisconsin
• No. 25 – North Carolina

SEC teams receiving votes: Texas, Ole Miss, Missouri, Vanderbilt, Mississippi State, Oklahoma

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On Monday morning, South Carolina forward Chloe Kitts announced she will miss the 2025-26 campaign with a torn ACL.

Kitts, a senior from Oviedo, FL, averaged 10.2 points and a team-high 7.7 rebounds per game in 2024-25. Her absence puts more pressure on sophomore forward Joyce Edwards and Mississippi State transfer Madina Okot on the Gamecocks’ interior. Guards Tessa Johnson and Raven Johnson will have more on their shoulders as well.

South Carolina went 35-4 last season. Head coach Dawn Staley’s only losses — to UCLA, Texas and UCONN — came to teams ranked No. 7 or higher in the AP poll. Over the past 4 years, the Gamecocks are 144-7 with 4 Final Four appearances and 2 national titles. With nearly a month to adjust to this news, she could still have South Carolina looking like a championship contender when they match up with USC, Texas and others, in late November and early December.

The Gamecocks kick off their season versus Grand Canyon on Nov. 3 (7:00 p.m. E.T., SEC Network+).

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