Freshman stars beyond UK could make SEC basketball special

It had been slowly building all fall around the LSU campus. No basketball player had generated such a buzz in the land of the Bayou Bengals since that gentle giant Shaquille O'Neal arrived in Baton Rouge in 1989.

If anyone could make the Tiger faithful at least momentarily forget the football loss to Alabama, it would have to be Ben Simmons, the 6-foot-10 freak of nature from Australia that some were comparing to Magic Johnson and LeBron James before he'd played his first college game.

Then came Friday night at the Pete Maravich Assembly Center, all the hysteria producing history during the Tigers' 81-70 victory over McNeese State.

Not that Simmons necessarily saw it that way after totaling 11 points, 13 rebounds, five assists and three blocked shots, which left him third among LSU's freshmen in points scored, trailing Antonio Blakeney (22) and Brandon Sampson (18).

"Not satisfied," Simmons told several media outlets after LSU was outscored 32-11 down the stretch after building a 34-point lead.

Yet it's that 34-point lead and the depth of Simmons' stat stuffing that just might send a message to the rest of the Southeastern Conference that Kentucky is no longer the only school with talent capable of becoming the overall No. 1 pick in next summer's NBA draft.

Or as ESPN's Eamonn Brennan blogged about Simmons after the McNeese game: "Low-key. Effortless. Slightly sloppy. And deeply impressive, all the same. There is a reason the Melbourne native often draws comparisons to LeBron James, and it's not because he is (or ever will be) as good as James. It's because players this good and this big are almost never this willing and this able to pass."

Read that stat line again: 11 points, 13 rebounds, five assists, three blocks.

They are numbers eerily reminiscent of Anthony Davis's time at Kentucky, when he took the fourth-most shots on his way to Final Four MVP and overall No. 1 draft pick.

"I was very impressed," said McNeese coach Dave Simmons, who actually shares his name with Ben's father, David, a former professional player. "He's a very unselfish player, obviously has a lot of talent and really seems more interested in making those around him better. The game did not seem to go fast for him. He was very patient."

Like so many of UK's former players, Simmons is expected not to be a college player long. The SEC's preseason player of the year, he is also a preseason first-team All-American and the projected No. 1 pick in the 2016 NBA draft.

That is, he's projected as the top pick unless the Wildcats' Skal Labissiere or Jamal Murray beat him to it. Though LSU has both Simmons and junior Tim Quarterman on the coaches' All-SEC first and second teams, a total of four Wildcats are among those 17 players.

Albany coach Will Brown was so impressed with the Canadian Murray before his team's 78-65 loss to UK on Friday night that he said, "I think they have the best player in the country in Jamal Murray."

Other than Florida coach Billy Donovan's decision to leave behind his 2006 and 2007 NCAA titles for the NBA's Oklahoma City Thunder this past summer, the SEC has upgrades in both players and coaches far beyond LSU and Kentucky.

New Mississippi State coach Ben Howland went to three straight Final Fours at UCLA. New Tennessee coach Rick Barnes has taken three different schools to the NCAA tournament and guided Texas to the Final Four. Alabama's Avery Johnson once guided the Dallas Mavericks to the NBA Finals.

"There's a lot of smart coaches in this league," said Tennessee point guard Kevin Punter. "Lots of new strategies formed. Lots of detailed plays. It's a tough league that just got tougher."

But the toughest part, according to Kentucky junior forward Derek Willis, is for young phenoms such as Simmons or Mississippi State freshman guard Malik Newman to realize the older players know a little bit about the game, too.

"It's the same thing every year," Willis told the Lexington Herald-Leader of the one-and-done philosophy sweeping throughout the college game. "It's the process of learning how to fight. The transition from high school basketball to college basketball.

"(A freshmen says), 'I'm a top 10 player. I can just come out here and they're already intimidated by me. I can get 20 or 30 points a night and do whatever I want to do.' (But) now you're transitioning to college and it's not like that. Everyone is bigger and stronger than you. They've been playing this game. They know more. Even if you're talented, you have to bring something else to the table. That being fight."

That fight, that will to win, is what often hangs banners, which is why many still predict the Wildcats to reach their fifth Final Four in six years, despite losing 84 percent of their scoring from last year's 38-1 team.

But it's the magic of players such as Simmons who figure to fill up SEC arenas such as the Tigers' den, which had its largest opening-night crowd since 1992 on Friday night.

"There are fans out there, and they're ready to see a good show," Simmons said.

Across the SEC this winter, thanks in no small measure to the young guns at LSU, Mississippi State and Kentucky, the show figures to be its best in years.

Contact Mark Wiedmer at mwiedmer@timesfreepress.com.

SEC men's basketball capsules

' Alabama Head coach: Avery Johnson (1st year) 2014-15 record: 19-15 (8-10 SEC) Starters returning: 2 Best player: Freshman guard Dazon Ingram may ultimately prove to be the Crimson Tide's top talent, but 6-8 junior forward Shannon Hale brings his 9.4 points and six rebounds a game to the mix to provide an anchor for a young team. Nonconference game worth watching: Vs. Oregon in Birmingham, Ala., on Dec. 21 (ESPNU) Can reach NCAA tournament if: Crimson elephants fly. The Tide should be better, but so's the rest of the league. Johnson being a first-year coach with fresh ideas and an unknown system might steal the Tide a win or two, but not enough to reach March Madness. By his third season, however, the former NBA coach and player's recruiting should have the Tide back in the Big Dance.

' Arkansas Head coach: Mike Anderson (5th year) 2014-15 record: 27-9 (13-5) Starters returning: 1 Best player: Senior guard Anthlon Bell led the Razorbacks in 3-pointers for a third straight season last year. The Memphis native has the ability to stretch defenses enough to open the inside for athletic post player Moses Kingsley. And with four starters to replace, Bell should have the green light to shoot a lot of 3s. Nonconference game worth watching: Vs. Georgia Tech in Preseason NIT on Nov. 26 in Brooklyn, N.Y. Can reach NCAA tournament if: Anderson can somehow channel the return of Corliss Williamson and Scotty Thurman to the lineup. Otherwise, the Razorbacks reaching the NIT should earn Anderson consideration for SEC coach of the year.

' Auburn Head coach: Bruce Pearl (2nd year) 2014-15 record: 15-20 (4-14) Starters returning: 2 Best player: Senior forward Cinmeon Bowers led the SEC in double-doubles last season with 14, as well as leading the league in rebounding (9.6). No Tiger since Jeff Moore during the 1986-87 season had recorded that many double-doubles for AU. Nonconference game worth watching: At Xavier on Dec. 19 (Fox Sports 1) Can reach NCAA tournament if: Pearl can coach 30 times with the genius he showed in last year's stunning SEC tourney win over LSU.

' Florida Head coach: Mike White (1st season) 2014-15 record: 16-17 (8-10) Starters returning: 3 Best player: Senior forward Dorian Finney-Smith, who might be the best player on any team in the league other than Kentucky, LSU and possibly Vanderbilt. The Gators' leading scorer (13.1), rebounder (6.2) and 3-point shooter (.426) a year ago, the 6-8 Finney-Smith should be playing in the NBA this time next year. Nonconference game worth watching: At Michigan State on Dec. 12 (ESPN2) Can reach NCAA tournament if: White can make an athletically talented Gators team a cohesive, disciplined unit, which rarely seemed the case in Billy Donovan's final season in Gainesville.

' Georgia Head coach: Mark Fox (6th season) 2014-15 record: 20-14 (12-6) Starters returning: 3 Best player: Senior guard Charles Mann is an absolute stat stuffer, having averaged 11.2 and 3.6 assists a game, and totaled 19 points in the NCAA tourney loss to Michigan State, which reached the Final Four. Nonconference game worth watching: At Baylor on Jan. 30 (ESPN2) Can reach NCAA tournament if: The Bulldogs can duplicate last year's conference mark in an improved SEC. No school nationally may have a better trio of returning perimeter players than Georgia's J.J. Frazier, Kenny Gaines and Mann.

' Kentucky Head coach: John Calipari (7th season) 2014-15 record: 38-1 (18-0) Starters returning: 0 Best player: Freshman wing Jamal Murray may be the best pure shooter of Calipari's time at UK. Blessed with NBA range, the 6-4 Canadian should be in the big leagues a year from now, right after he leads the Wildcats in scoring. Nonconference game worth watching: Though the faces certainly have changed, Duke-Kentucky in Chicago on Tuesday night (ESPN) would seem the perfect way to begin the season, since the Wildcats' lone loss of last year - to Wisconsin in the Final Four - denied the public a chance to see the Blue Devils and Wildcats play for the national championship last spring. Big Blue also travels to UCLA and Kansas, as well as hosting Louisville, so there's plenty of quality foes still to come. Can reach NCAA tournament if: As always, Cal's freshmen live up to their star power.

' LSU Head coach: Johnny Jones (4th year) 2014-15 record: 22-11 (11-7) Starters returning: 2 Best player: Ben Simmons. Yes, the 6-10 native of Australia is as good as advertised. Or as teammate Keith Hornsby noted last month, "He's a bigger Magic Johnson." If LSU makes a deep NCAA run due to the rookie's magical passing, expect that quote to be used early and often. Nonconference game worth watching: Vs. Oklahoma on Jan. 30 (ESPN) Can reach NCAA tournament if: If LSU will allow the freshman Simmons to lead the way. Think Johnson leading Michigan State to the Elite 8 as a pure freshman and you have some idea of his talent. ' Mississippi State Head coach: Ben Howland (1st year) 2014-15 record: 13-19 (6-12) Starters returning: 4 Best player: Freshman guard Malik Newman will get all the early praise, but senior guard Craig Sword is the Bulldogs' best all-around player and MSU's leading returning scorer (11.3 ppg). Nonconference game worth watching: Vs. Miami in Puerto Rico on Thursday (ESPN2) Can reach NCAA tournament if: Newman is as good as advertised, senior guard Sword can stay healthy all season and Howland still possesses the golden touch that guided UCLA to three straight Final Fours from 2006 to 2008.

' Missouri Head coach: Kim Anderson (2nd year) 2014-15 record: 9-23 (3-15) Starters returning: 3 Best player: Junior guard Wes Clark averaged 10.1 ppg before being lost the final month of the season with an elbow injury. Quick and aggressive, he has the ability to be competitive athletically with the SEC's best backcourt players. Nonconference game worth watching: Vs. Illinois in St. Louis on Dec. 23 (ESPN2) Can reach NCAA tournament if: The tourney selection committee begins selecting the worst teams from each league instead of the best. The Tigers may not win five games within the conference.

' Ole Miss Head coach: Andy Kennedy (10th year) 2014-15 record: 21-13 (11-7) Starters returning: 3 Best player: Senior guard Stephan Moody would be the best returning player on most major college basketball teams after averaging 16.6 points, 3.4 rebounds, 2.4 assists and 1.7 steals a game during his first season with the Rebels. Nonconference game worth watching: At Memphis on Dec. 18 (ESPN News) Can reach the NCAA tournament if: The Rebels can get a second straight sensational season from Moody and the role players continue to look for him. Throw in Sam Finley, of whom Kennedy noted, "Sam is a guy who is a little like Moody," and it's almost difficult to see the Rebs not making the NCAA field.

' South Carolina Head coach: Frank Martin (4th year) 2014-15 record: 17-16 (6-12) Starters returning: 4 Best player: Duane Notice is the team's leading returning scorer (11.7 ppg), but Sindarius Thornwell does a little bit of everything for the Gamecocks and does it all well. Nonconference game worth watching: Vs. Memphis on Jan. 2 (ESPNU) Can reach the NCAA tournament if: Their play on the court mirrors their potential. With 78.7 percent of their scoring returning, 75.4 percent of their rebounding back and a defense that ranked as high as fourth nationally in opponent field-goal shooting, the Gamecocks could be a Top 20 team by the end of the year.

' Tennessee Head coach: Rick Barnes (1st year) 2014-15 record: 16-16 (7-11) Starters returning: 3 Best player: Armani Moore. The senior wing can play everything from point guard to power forward, particularly on defense, and always puts his teammates first. He's not talented enough to take the Volunteers to March Madness, but he's a perfect example for his younger teammates on how you play winning basketball. Nonconference game worth watching: Vs. Gonzaga in Seattle on Dec. 19 (ESPNU) Can reach the NCAA tournament if: Barnes can find a time machine that allows the Big Orange Nation to wake up two years from now, when the longtime coach will have recruited a capable lineup. But there's next to no chance of the Vols getting there this year.

' Texas A&M Head coach: Billy Kennedy (5th year) 2014-15 record: 21-12 (11-7) Starters returning: 3 Best player: With a returning trio of Danuel House, Alex Caruso and Jalen Jones, the Aggies could pick almost anyone and impress their opponents. But 6-7 guard/forward Jones has the versatility needed to take A&M from the NIT to the NCAA tourney. Nonconference game worth watching: Vs. Iowa State on Jan. 30 (ESPN) Can reach the NCAA tournament if: The Aggies finally play every game the way they play during their best games, such as when they lost in overtime to Kentucky last season. This team has depth, talent and experience and an underrated coach in Kennedy. The Aggies just need to realize they're good enough to reach the Sweet 16.

' Vanderbilt Head coach: Kevin Stallings (17th season) 2014-15 record: 21-14 (9-9) Starters returning: 5 Best player: 6-10 junior Damian Jones. Some people thought Jones could have been a first-round draft pick if he'd turned pro last spring. Now the rest of the SEC coaches will wish he had. Though still somewhat uneven offensively, Jones can alter a game on defense and the boards. Nonconference game worth watching: At Purdue on Dec. 22 (Big Ten Network) Can reach the NCAA tournament if: Every Commodore knows his role. Vandy has enough talent to make a deep NCAA tourney run if everyone plays hard and smart, which is almost always a given with Stallings-coached teams.

-Mark Wiedmer

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