Southeastern Conference Preview

The following preview is provided by Blue Ribbon. For the most thorough preview available of the upcoming season, order the 2002-03 Blue Ribbon College Basketball Yearbook, on sale now at 1-800-775-2518.   Blue Ribbon Forecast No. East Division Team  '01-02 Conf. Rec. (Overall) 1. Florida  10-6 (22-8)  2. Georgia  10-6 (21-9)  3 Kentucky  10-6 (20-9)   4. Tennessee  7-9 (15-16)  5. South Carolina  6-10 (18-14)  6. Vanderbilt  6-10 (16-14)  Georgia F Jarvis Hayes Jonathan Daniel/Getty Images No. West Division Team  '01-02 Conf. Rec. (Overall) 1. Alabama  12-4 (26-7)  2. Mississippi State  10-6 (26-7)  3. LSU  6-10 (18-14)   4. Ole Miss  9-7 (20-10)  5. Auburn  4-12 (12-16)  6. Arkansas  6-10 (14-15)  Florida SG Brett Nelson Ezra Shaw/Allsport

All-Conference Team Did You Know? G: Brett Nelson SR, Florida F: Jarvis Hayes JR, Georgia F: Erwin Dudley SR, Alabama F: Matt Bonner SR, Florida C: Mario Austin JR, Mississippi State Player of the Year Jarvis Hayes JR, Georgia Newcomer of the Year Antwain Barbour JR, Kentucky Top Backcourts 1. Alabama 2. Georgia 3. Florida Top Frontcourts 1. Mississippi State 2. Alabama 3. Florida 2002-03 Conference Tournament March 13-16, Louisiana Superdome, New Orleans, LA 2001-02 Champions Georgia, Kentucky, Florida (Eastern Division) Alabama (West Div. and overall) Mississippi State (Conf. tournament) 2001-02 NCAA Tournament Postseason Record 11-9 (.550) NCAA Kentucky (Sweet 16) Alabama (Second rd.) Georgia (Second rd.) Miss. St. (Second rd.) Florida Ole Miss NIT S. Carolina (Runnerup) LSU (Second rd.) Vanderbilt (Second rd.) Former Kentucky center Jason Parker's next trip to Rupp Arena should be interesting. The troubled, 6-8 sophomore, who sat out all last season after tearing the ACL in his knee twice, was kicked off the team in late summer by Wildcat coach Tubby Smith. No reason was given, other than the standard "violation of team rules." Days later, Parker transferred to South Carolina, Kentucky's SEC Eastern Division rival. Three years ago, Parker nearly committed to Wake Forest when the Gamecocks' Dave Odom was coaching there. Odom was confident that Parker's transgression at Kentucky was something the player could get past. Parker will have to sit out this season and will have two years of eligibility remaining starting in 2003-2004   The only new coach in the league this year is Arkansas' Stan Heath, who parlayed one great season at Kent State into one of the top jobs in the country. After winning 30 games and guiding the Golden Flashes to the NCAA Tournament's Elite Eight, Heath headed south to replace Nolan Richardson, who was relieved of his duties after a series of public relations debacles during which he invited his bosses to buy out his contract. Be careful what you wish for   A year ago, the SEC tied its record for NCAA Tournament bids with six. It was the fourth straight year the league sent half its members to the Big Dance. Kentucky made its 11th straight trip to the tournament and Florida went for a school-record fourth time in a row   The SEC is the only conference in the nation to have all of its teams ranked at least one week in the Associated Press Top 25 since 1997-98. Of the power conferences, the league that has come the closest to matching that accomplishment is the Big East, which has had 10 of its 14 schools ranked.   Alabama sophomore Lucky Williams and freshman Kennedy Winston are sidelined indefinitely while the school investigates whether they received improper benefits before enrolling. Williams has been suspended for the first 14 games "based on the receipt of pre-college expenses prior to his enrollment at the University of Alabama. Williams incurred those expenses as an international student while pursuing his high school education in the United States," the school said. Winston, expected to fill the void left by forward Rod Grizzard, may have received improper benefits while playing on a traveling team last summer.

 

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