SEC Update

Beating Tennessee never gets old.  Kentucky defeated the auld enemie last night, taking down the Vols 80 to 70 in Rupp Arena, behind 7 (seven!) three-point shots from Kentucky's own Derek Willis.  I'm pretty sure that's the most three-point shots ever made by a 6' 9" guy from Kentucky in a single game.

The Cats have now won four games in a row, their longest winning streak since November.  Furthermore, they have first place all to themselves, because my man Avery Johnson took his Alabama Crimson Tide into Baton Rouge on Wednesday night, and whipped LSU 76 to 69.  Alabama has now won five games in a row.  Check out this streak (home teams listed first):

2/2:  Mississippi St. 80 - 82 Alabama (OT)
2/6:  Alabama 80 - 71 Missouri
2/10:  Alabama 63 - 62 Texas A & M
2/13:  Florida 55 - 61 Alabama
2/17:  Louisiana St:  69 - 76 Alabama

That is amazingly impressive.

Meanwhile, Texas A & M ended its four-game losing streak with a 71-56 pasting of Ole Miss, so the Aggies keep their title hopes alive.  And now the Aggies get UK at home on Saturday.  You will recall that last year, when UK was quite a bit better than it is now, the Aggies took the Cats to double overtime in College Station.  A & M will be expecting to win tomorrow -- Ken Pom has them favored by 72-70.  It will take a supreme effort for the Cats to win this game.  But in the meantime, we can enjoy seeing them on top of the SEC standings:

9.  Kentucky:  10-3

60.  Louisiana St:  9-4

22.  Texas A & M:  8-5
33.  Florida:  8-5
56.  S. Carolina:  8-5

29.  Vanderbilt:  7-6
62.  Alabama:  7-6
78.  Georgia:  7-6

82.  Mississippi:  6-7

87.  Arkansas:  5-8
98.  Tennessee:  5-8

95.  Mississippi St:  4-9
183.  Auburn:  4-9

169.  Missouri:  3-10