No. 15 Texas A&M rolling as last undefeated team in SEC play
Here are a few things to watch in Southeastern Conference basketball this week:
GAME OF THE WEEKEND: No. 15 Texas A&M at Georgia. The Aggies are the only SEC team unbeaten in conference play after edging Florida on Tuesday and are looking like the best team in the league after impressive nonconference wins over Baylor and Gonzaga. They have a productive one-two punch with Jalen Jones (17.6 points per game) and Danuel House (16.1) and the pair is surrounded by a capable supporting cast. The Aggies face a Georgia team that is coming off an 81-72 victory over Tennessee.
LOOKING AHEAD: No. 19 South Carolina had its first setback of the season on Wednesday, losing a road game to Alabama 73-50. The Gamecocks won their first 15 games of the season thanks to a balanced roster that has five players scoring in double figures, and will be tested again in the next 10 days with road games at Ole Miss and Tennessee.
NUMBERS GAME: Texas A&M's 4-0 record in SEC play marks its best start in league competition since winning their first four Big 12 games in 2006-07. The last time the Aggies won their first five league games was in 1985-86, when they played in the Southwest Conference. ... Alabama's Riley Norris sank a school-record eight 3-pointers Wednesday in a 73-50 victory over No. 15 South Carolina. ... Ole Miss guard Stefan Moody has scored at least 20 points in 11 straight games and leads the SEC with 24.4 points per game.
PLAYER TO WATCH: Vanderbilt forward Luke Kornet: After missing five games with a torn left medial collateral ligament, the 7-foot-1 junior is back on the floor and trying to revive the Commodores' postseason hopes. Kornet had a school-record 10 blocked shots and recorded the second triple-double in school history Tuesday as Vanderbilt ended a three-game skid to beat Auburn 75-57 for its first SEC victory of the season. Kornet had 11 points and 11 rebounds to go with his 10 blocks in his third game back from injury.
ON THE WOMEN'S SIDE: No. 20 Florida is in the Top 25 for the first time since the final poll of the 2008-09 season. The Gators swept the SEC weekly awards, with Carlie Needles being named player of the week and Eleanna Christinaki selected as freshman of the week. ... Arkansas' 64-59 victory over No. 13 Tennessee on Thursday marked the first time the Lady Vols had lost to Arkansas in Fayetteville since December 1996. ... No. 24 Missouri won 66-54 over No. 7 Mississippi State on Thursday. Mississippi State was the highest-ranked team Missouri had beaten since the Tigers defeated No. 4 Baylor in January 2006.
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AP Sports Writers Steve Megargee in Knoxville, Tennessee, and David Brandt in Jackson, Mississippi, contributed to this story.
