SEC Basketball

Down goes No. 1! The top-ranked Auburn men's basketball team suffered a 80-76 upset loss to Arkansas in overtime Tuesday night.

The Tigers fell to 22-2 after their first SEC loss and had their 19-game win streak come to an end. 

Razorbacks senior guard JD Notae led the way with a game-high 28 points to help the team improve to 19-5 and 8-3 in the in conference play. 

In addition to Notae's scoring outburst, he played some hounding defense and stuffed the stat sheet by adding five rebounds, three assists, three steals and four blocks. Au'Diese Toney added 14 points and 10 rebounds while Jaylin Williams finished with 13 points and 11 boards for Arkansas.

"They danced on our logo before the game, we watched that," Arkansas head coach Eric Musselman said in his post-game interview. "What a great win for this program, it's so awesome."

It's the Razorbacks' second win over an AP No. 1 team in program history, last accomplishing the feat in 1984 against the Michael Jordan-led North Carolina Tar Heels.

Auburn was led by star freshman Jabari Smith, who finished with 20 points and nine rebounds. Wendell Green Jr. added 19 points and Walker Kessler had a monster game with 16 points, 19 rebounds and seven blocks, but he fouled out of the game with 1:03 remaining in overtime.

The Tigers played an uncharacteristically sloppy game and struggled with their shooting. They connected on just 37.5 percent of their shots and 25 percent of their three-pointers. Auburn also shot an abysmal 8-of-17 from the free-throw line and turned the ball over 19 times, well above their season average of 11.4 entering Tuesday.

Arkansas will go for its 10th straight win on Saturday in a road matchup against Alabama. The Tigers will return to action that same day when they host Texas A&M.

Top NBA draft prospect Shaedon Sharpe will not play for Kentucky this season after joining the program in January, coach John Calipari announced Monday.

"After talking with Shaedon and his parents, we want to end all of the speculation by again saying that he will not play for us this season," Calipari said in a tweet. "He is committed to bettering himself and our team in practice this year and being better prepared to lead us next season."

The 18-year-old Sharpe was the No. 1 prospect in the 2022 high school recruiting class, per 247Sports, before reclassifying and enrolling at Kentucky last month. He is eligible for the 2022 NBA draft because he turns 19 in May.

Calipari has said he expects Sharpe to play for the Wildcats during the 2022-23 season. He is ranked as ESPN's No. 7 player in the 2022 NBA draft.

In previous years, it might be a no-brainer for Sharpe to enter the draft and reap the benefits of being a lottery pick. He would make at least $10.1 million in guarantees over his first two NBA seasons if he went with the seventh overall pick.

That said, new NCAA rules that allow college players to make money off their name, image and likeness could reap dividends. Several prominent athletes have reached deals that approach or surpass seven figures, and brands would likely want to get in on the ground floor of a player who could be the No. 1 overall pick in 2023.

Sharpe is a 6'6" shooting guard who is a bouncy athlete off the dribble and has an impressive shooting stroke; he's a Platonic ideal of a modern NBA 2-guard. If he returns to Kentucky in 2022-23 and excels, he could make more money in the long run. The top pick of the 2023 NBA draft is slotted to make $19.4 million over his first two seasons. 

Top prospect Shaedon Sharpe is reportedly eligible for the 2022 NBA draft after enrolling early at Kentucky, per Jonathan Givony of ESPN.

Kyle Tucker of The Athletic noted this still doesn't change his status:

Shaedon Sharpe being eligible for the next NBA draft is not news to Kentucky. It’s not a new development. It’s something neither Sharpe’s camp nor UK wanted out because of all the speculation it would create. As of today, whether he plays this year or not, he plans to stay at UK.

— Kyle Tucker (@KyleTucker_ATH) January 20, 2022

Sharpe was part of the class of 2022 until graduating before the start of the NBA season in October. He enrolled at Kentucky in January, although he is yet to play for the Wildcats.

The 6'5" guard told Jason Jordon of Sports Illustrated that his plan was to redshirt the 2021-22 season and play for Kentucky next season.

If he does declare for the upcoming draft, ESPN lists Sharpe as the No. 6 prospect in the class.

Sharpe was initially considered the No. 1 prospect in the 2022 class but is now listed as No. 3 in the 2021 class behind only Chet Holmgren and Paolo Banchero, per 247Sports composite rankings.

While Homgren and Banchero have each showed their upside on the court this season, Kentucky coach John Calipari indicated Sharpe is unlikely to play this year despite being eligible.

"He's a ways away from playing games," Calipari told reporters earlier this month. "It may be a year from now. They all know. I talked to them. We don’t have a plan for him to play this year. Maybe he does, but that is not the plan and never has been."

If he did enter the draft, it would leave NBA scouts to make their evaluations based on past high school performance at Dream City Christian in Arizona as well as AAU competition.  

Marvel Allen is going to be playing college basketball for LSU starting with the 2023-24 season.  

Allen, a 5-star Class of 2023 recruit, revealed his commitment to Joe Tipton of On3 Recruits on Friday and explained why he chose the Tigers:

[Head coach Will Wade] and [assistant head coach Kevin Nickelberry] have been to two of my games already. They both flew down to see me play in person. No other coach has done that. They were just keeping in contact with me, and they were actually talking to my parents every day. Not one day went by where they didn’t talk to me or my parents. Through all the games that I didn’t play well, they still showed the same support. I just felt like it was love. Me and my family prayed over it and we felt like this was the best decision.

It’s a reality now, as a kid I would dream about playing Division 1 basketball and now I’m living it. I’m just ready to get to work.

Allen is considered one of the best players in the 2023 recruiting class. He's a 5-star prospect, the No. 4 point guard and 18th-ranked player overall, per 247Sports' composite rankings. 

Attending Calvary Christian Academy in Florida, he is a 6'4" point guard who has been one of the most sought-after prospects. He has received offers from programs such as Kansas, Ohio State, Florida, LSU and several others. 

Speaking to Eric Bossi of 247Sports, Allen explained how he views his role on both ends of the court:

As a guard you want to keep everybody happy. Sometimes I have to take the responsibility to do that and know that I may not score as much. But I know that if I do that and make an impact defensively then overall as a team we can come up with some great accomplishments and if you are looking out for your teammate, it will help you out.

Allen will bring that mindset to the Tigers as they pursue a national title with the star guard running the offense.

"I’m coming in to start," Allen told Tipton regarding his Tiger future. "I can play the one or two, it doesn’t really matter. LSU plays team ball, and they share the ball well."

LSU is enjoying an excellent 2021-22 season, going 15-1 through 16 games and currently sitting No. 12 in the Associated Press Poll.

Wade appears to have turned the program around, and adding star players such as Allen will only help the Tigers remain a national powerhouse in the future.

In a battle of SEC contenders, LSU made its case to be considered the conference's front-runner.

Thanks to a an excellent defensive effort, a balanced complement of scorers and a wild finish, the Tigers knocked off Kentucky in Baton Rouge on Monday night, 65-60.

CHAOS IN BATON ROUGE 🔥

No. 21 LSU takes down No. 16 Kentucky with a wild finish‼️ pic.twitter.com/6UhtwUQxQz

— ESPN (@espn) January 5, 2022

Things got hairy late. LSU went on a 17-3 run in the second half and held a nine-point lead with 2:25 remaining. Kentucky then went on a 8-0 run to cut the deficit to one with 27 seconds remaining.

On the very next possession, it looked as though the Wildcats registered a steal, only to immediately give the ball back to the Tigers for a dunk. Kentucky then turned the ball over again, LSU got another easy bucket and the game was over.

It was a big win for the 13-1 Tigers after last week's loss to Auburn. Kentucky (11-3) saw its four-game winning streak snapped, meanwhile.

It was a tough result for Kentucky, who was less than 100 percent. TyTy Washington Jr. was clearly hobbled throughout the game, while Sahvir Wheeler left early on after taking a hard screen and didn't return.

Regardless, it will feel like a missed opportunity in an SEC that is loaded with talent. Arkansas, Florida, Alabama, Tennessee and Kentucky all pose a threat. But at the moment, it looks like a race between LSU and Auburn.

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Key Stats

Tari Eason, LSU: 13 points, six rebounds, three assists

Darius Days, LSU: Nine points, seven rebounds

Xavier Pinson, LSU: 11 points, four assists

Kellan Grady, KY: 13 points

Jacob Toppin, KY: 14 points, eight rebounds

Davion Mintz, KY: 16 points

---

Toppin and Grady Did Their Part

With leading scorers Oscar Tshiebwe and Washington having a tough night (13 combined points, 6-of-18 from the field), the Wildcats need other players to step up.

Toppin did his part in the first half, keeping Kentucky within striking distance while showing off his tantalizing potential.

Jacob Toppin single-handedly carrying Kentucky in the first half. Not something I expected to tweet today.

— Jeff Borzello (@jeffborzello) January 5, 2022

This is the second game, against the second-best team that Kentucky has played, where Jacob Toppin *looks* like he belongs more than anyone else.

1. Shut down Paolo Banchero vs. Duke
2. Best Wildcat on the floor against LSU.

Again, argue me if you want, but it's true

— Aaron Torres (@Aaron_Torres) January 5, 2022

JACOB TOPPIN. OH MY 😱 pic.twitter.com/44GrZUbNMS

— ESPN (@espn) January 5, 2022

There was so much going on in this sequence 😳 pic.twitter.com/aWxurQYkLi

— ESPN (@espn) January 5, 2022

He went cold in the second half, but Kellan Grady stepped up, sinking four three-pointers in the frame to drag a struggling offense throughout the final 20 minutes.

Without that duo, this game wouldn't have been close on a night that saw Kentucky shoot just 36.2 percent (21-of-58) from the field.

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Tari Eason Just Keeps Producing

LSU's leading scorer came off the bench and led the way again for the Tigers, scoring four crucial points down the stretch to help seal this win.

On a night that saw Darius Days struggle to find his stroke (3-of-12 from the field), Tari Eason and Xavier Pinson helped pick up the slack.

Eason's playmaking and defense continue to make him a crucial cog for this talented Tigers squad. He helps LSU in all phases.

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What's Next?

Kentucky hosts Georgia on Saturday at 6 p.m. ET on the SEC Network. LSU hosts Tennessee that same date and time on ESPN2.

The South Carolina women's basketball team is no longer undefeated.

The Missouri Tigers defeated the Gamecocks 70-69 in overtime during Thursday's SEC showdown in front of more than 6,000 fans:

DOWN GOES NO. 1.

Unranked Missouri defeats No. 1 South Carolina 70-69 in OT in front of 6,139 fans at home.

◻️ Hayley Frank: 21 PTS
◻️ Lauren Hansen: 21 PTS
◻️ Ladazhia Williams: 12 PTS | 12 REB

📸 @MizzouWBB pic.twitter.com/ziddSqXdNr

— The Athletic (@TheAthletic) December 31, 2021

Lauren Hansen's layup in the final seconds gave the Tigers the lead for good and propelled them to a 12-2 record on the campaign. South Carolina fell to 12-1 with its first loss of the season.

Alexa Philippou of the Hartford Courant noted it was Missouri's first win over a No. 1 team in program history.

It was all the more impressive because the victors were missing star player Aijha Blackwell and had just seven players available. Hansen (21 points and seven rebounds) and Hayley Frank (21 points) picked up the scoring slack for the short-handed squad.

LaDazhia Williams also notched a double-double of 12 points and 12 rebounds while helping counter South Carolina's strong frontcourt.

Aliyah Boston spearheaded the effort for the Gamecocks with her own double-double of 17 points and 12 boards.

South Carolina is still in position to compete for a No. 1 seed in the NCAA women's tournament despite the loss, while Missouri will remain a factor in the SEC if Thursday's conference opener was any indication.

Next up for the Gamecocks is a matchup with LSU on Jan. 6, while the Tigers will look to build on this signature win when they face Vanderbilt on Sunday.          

A COVID-19 outbreak within the Louisville Cardinals men's basketball team has forced Wednesday's game against Kentucky to be postponed. 

Louisville interim athletic director Josh Heird announced all team activities have been paused indefinitely "due to multiple positive COVID-19 tests among individuals within the program."

"Officials from Kentucky and Louisville will monitor opportunities in which the teams can reschedule the annual rivalry game," the statement said.

A Louisville spokesman told Matthew McGavic of the Louisville Report on Saturday that an unspecified player was entered into COVID-19 protocols. 

Per Mike Rutherford of CardChronicle.com, Louisville center Malik Williams didn't play against Western Kentucky on Saturday because he was in the protocol. 

Williams was the only Cardinals player unavailable for that game. 

Per ESPN's Jeff Borzello, Kentucky will attempt to find a replacement opponent for either Wednesday or Thursday. 

The Wildcats are coming off a 98-69 win over North Carolina on Saturday. They were originally scheduled to play Ohio State, but the Buckeyes had to cancel due to a COVID-19 outbreak. 

North Carolina's game against UCLA scheduled for Saturday was also canceled due to COVID-19 issues within the Bruins program. 

If the game is unable to be rescheduled, this will mark the first time since the 1982-83 season that Kentucky and Louisville haven't played in the regular season. 

Louisville's next scheduled game is at home on Dec. 29 against Wake Forest. Kentucky is currently scheduled to play Missouri at Rupp Arena on Dec. 29.    

The University of Memphis announced Saturday's men's basketball game against the University of Tennessee has been canceled because of COVID-19 issues within its program.

The matchup between the Tigers and the 18th-ranked Volunteers, dubbed the Nashville Showcase, was scheduled to take place at Bridgestone Arena.

Memphis snapped a four-game losing streak Tuesday with an impressive 92-78 upset over No. 6 Alabama. It was an important resume-building win for head coach Penny Hardaway's group.

The Tigers' matchup with the Vols was one of just three games against ranked opponents left on their schedule. Without it, they only have their two conference matchups with No. 14 Houston remaining, unless another team makes a surge from The American.

Depending how the rest of their season plays out following a 6-4 start, not getting an opportunity to take down the Volunteers could prove costly in their efforts to earn an NCAA tournament bid.

Meanwhile, UT was already on the court warming up for Saturday's game when word came down of the cancellation:

Vols walk off in disbelief after learning of the postponement of their showdown with Memphis. Team will scrimmage for the fans that are here at Bridgestone Arena @wvltrick pic.twitter.com/nJUAPSXjVA

— wvlt (@wvlt) December 18, 2021

The Vols are off to a promising 8-2 start highlighted by a win over then-No. 18 North Carolina in late November.

Tennessee's schedule gets tougher over the next few weeks as it prepares to host No. 8 Arizona on Wednesday before traveling to face the aforementioned Crimson Tide on Dec. 29.

With Saturday's cancellation, the Volunteers will continue to hold a 15-12 advantage in the all-time series between the in-state rivals.

The 2021 CBS Sports Classic has officially lost one of its games, as Ohio State and UCLA both canceled their appearances in the anticipated event because of COVID-19 health and safety protocols.

That leaves just one matchup on the schedule, but it's an exciting one: Kentucky vs. North Carolina.

The contest will take place this Saturday at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas at 5:30 p.m. on CBS.

Simply put, this is a game on the national stage, so both blue blood schools will be looking to put on a show, even though only the Wildcats (No. 21) are ranked in the AP Top 25.

The Tar Heels aren't ranked, but they have a better record this season than their opponent (8-2 vs. 7-2).

Here's a quick look at how to watch the game and what to expect.

                   

2021 CBS Sports Classic Information

Games: North Carolina vs. Kentucky

Start Times: 5:30 p.m. ET

TV: CBS

Live Stream: CBSSports.com or CBS Sports app 

               

Previews

North Carolina vs. Kentucky

Kentucky and North Carolina are both storied programs in the annals of college basketball, so anytime they face each other is kind of a big deal.

That means that even with the withdrawal of Ohio State and UCLA, this year's CBS Sports Classic is still going to be must-see TV.

Blue Blood Battle.

Kentucky and North Carolina Saturday on CBS at 5:30 p.m. ET. pic.twitter.com/6jmnXDUjg9

— Kentucky Men’s Basketball (@KentuckyMBB) December 18, 2021

The last time these two teams faced each other in this event in Cleveland, the Tar Heels emerged victorious 75-63.

Overall, UNC has a 5-2 all-time record at the Classic, but it has a losing record (1-2) against the Wildcats in the event.

For the Tar Heels, this is a chance to build on their five-game winning streak.

Let by sophomore guard Caleb Love, who is averaging 16.2 points, 4.3 rebounds and 3.9 assists per game, North Carolina is on a roll and will be a big problem for Kentucky.

As for John Calipari's Cats, they are excited about the chance to rebound from the 66-62 loss to Notre Dame last week.

"Very excited. I feel like our whole program is excited, especially after a loss like that," freshman guard TyTy Washington Jr. told Tim Letcher of UKathletics.com. "We didn't shoot the ball well in that game. We didn't shoot the ball nearly as good as we can. We've been keying in on making shots, being shot-ready at all times."

Kentucky is led by National Player of the Year front-runner Oscar Tshiebwe.

The junior forward is averaging 16.3 points and 14.4 rebounds per game while shooting an impressive 67.8 percent from the field.

Still, the Cats won't just be relying on Tshiebwe's dominance down low.

"We're still trying to figure things out," Washington added. "You can't stuff it down to Oscar every time. Teams are going to start double-teaming. So all of the rest of us on the court, we have to step up. We've been trying different ways for us guards to get going."

Regardless of who wins, this should be one of the best games of the year.

𝐁𝐀𝐂𝐊 𝐈𝐍 𝐁𝐋𝐀𝐂𝐊 ⚫️#CarolinaFamily | @ariidavis_ pic.twitter.com/TUcsNp3ztM

— Carolina Basketball (@UNC_Basketball) December 17, 2021

And as the icing on the cake, UNC will be wearing its special black jerseys instead of its classic blue away jersey for the game.

The last time the Heels wore black jerseys was in the 2015 CBS Sports Classic vs. UCLA, which they won 89-76.

Ohio State University announced Thursday that its scheduled men's basketball game against Kentucky on Saturday has been canceled because of positive COVID-19 tests within the Buckeyes program.

The clash between No. 15 Ohio State and No. 21 Kentucky would have been part of the CBS Sports Classic at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas.

No. 4 UCLA and North Carolina are currently scheduled to play Saturday in the other CBS Sports Classic game. However, the Bruins' game against Alabama State on Wednesday was canceled due to COVID-19 protocols, as head coach Mick Cronin had been previously ruled out for the contest because of protocols.

Stadium's Jeff Goodman and Fox 56's Nicole Hutchison reported the Wildcats and Tar Heels may wind up facing off:

Everything trending to Kentucky playing North Carolina Saturday in Las Vegas, sources told @Stadium.

— Jeff Goodman (@GoodmanHoops) December 16, 2021

#BREAKING: @KentuckyMBB is planning to play @UNC_Basketball after their matchup against Ohio State was cancelled due to COVID issue inside the Buckeyes program, per sources. #BBN @FOX56News

— Nicole Hutchison (@nhutchisontv) December 16, 2021

Regarding the COVID-19 outbreak within the program, Ohio State said the following in a statement:

"The safety and well-being of the student-athletes, coaches, staff and Ohio State community is the highest priority. All team related activities have been suspended and the players and staff will continue to be tested according to Ohio State protocols in consultation with the Big Ten Conference."

Ohio State also noted the "status of future games is to be determined."

The Buckeyes are off to an 8-2 start this season and have a 2-0 mark in Big Ten play, tying them with Michigan State and Illinois atop the conference.

Ohio State would have entered the game against Kentucky on a four-game winning streak, including victories over then-No. 1 Duke and then-No. 22 Wisconsin.

The Buckeyes are led by 2020-21 First Team All-Big Ten coaches selection E.J. Liddell, who is averaging 20.6 points, 7.2 rebounds, 3.0 blocks and 2.7 assists per game.

Kentucky has also been playing well with a 7-2 record, although it lost its most recent game 66-62 to Notre Dame on the heels of a seven-game winning streak.

After head coach John Calipari's team disappointed with a 9-16 record and missed the NCAA tournament last season, it is looking the part of a tourney team.

Junior Oscar Tshiebwe has been the star for the Wildcats with 16.3 points, 14.4 rebounds and 1.9 blocks per contest.

Ohio State's next scheduled game is home against UT Martin on Dec. 21, while Kentucky is slated to play next on Dec. 22 against Louisville at home.