Top-ranked Tennessee has racked up a program-record 16 straight victories in men’s basketball.
Kentucky has won eight consecutive contests to vault up to No. 5 in the latest Associated Press poll, while Auburn swept games last week against Missouri and Alabama by a combined 55 points.
Yet when some Southeastern Conference teams are rolling within the league, others are having to take it on the chin.
Georgia has lost six straight SEC games heading into Wednesday night’s matchup at Alabama, which will mark the halfway point of the league’s schedule. The Bulldogs are 10-11 overall and 1-7 in conference games in their first season under coach Tom Crean, who is having to keep his team physically stout and mentally upbeat for their impending stretch run.
“The mental challenge is creating energy for your team every day,” Crean said Monday. “They wouldn’t be human if they didn’t get down when they lose, and they wouldn’t be human if they didn’t second-guess themselves every once in a while. You can’t allow any of that. You can’t allow anything to zap your spirit or create doubt.