By Chris Marler
It’s March, finally. The Big Dance doesn’t start until next week, but with conference tournaments starting, as well as several underway, it’s Christmas come early to sports fans, basketball fans, and degen – I mean dedicated gamblers everywhere.
Some of the best moments in March are when fans rally to watch a player have his one shining moment and captivate everyone during a tournament run. Steph Curry at Davidson, Jimmer Fredette at BYU, that white kid with the mustache at St. Peter’s. Fans love to see an underdog story and love to see someone go unconscious from three point land.
This is a rare season in the SEC where there is a ton of star power, yet there aren’t a ton of lottery picks in that group. It may seem contradictory, but don’t be mistaken—this league is filled with elite players capable of dominating March, even if they aren’t projected as top first-round NBA Draft picks.
Here’s a shortlist of SEC players who can end up being fan favorites and tournament heroes this week and the NCAA Tournament.
Josh Hubbard – G, Mississippi State
- Hubbard scored 16 or more in 11 straight games, including a 38 point performance against Alabama.
Chaz Lanier – G, Tennessee
- Lanier finished 4th in the SEC in scoring with 17.9 ppg and hit nine threes at Texas A&M.
Mark Sears – G, Alabama
- Averaged 23.5 ppg in March over the last two seasons, 24.2 ppg in the NCAA tournament where he hit 21 threes, and was 47.7% from deep.
Wade Taylor IV – G, Texas A&M
- Taylor has been in college since roughly 1991 and is dangerous from deep. He hit three or more 3s seven times in 18 SEC games, including a 7-for-10 performance against South Carolina.
Koby Brea – G, Kentucky
- Brea led the SEC in 3 Point Percentage at 44%.
Caleb Grill – G, Missouri
- Grill finished second in the SEC in 3-Point percentage at 42.3%. Scored 20+ points in a third of his SEC games, including 25 against Alabama and 28 on the road last time he visited Nashville.
Miles Kelly – G, Auburn
- One of my favorite bets all season was Miles Kelly over ten points OR over two 3s, parlayed with an Auburn win. Kelly hit at least two 3-Pt FGs in 11 of 18 SEC games and scored ten or more points in 14 of the 18.
Walter Clayton – G, Florida
- Clayton is arguably the best scorer in the league. He can always get a bucket and scored double digit points in 27 of Florida’s 31 games, including 20 or more in nine games as well.
Tahaad Pettiford – G, Auburn
- Pettiford isn’t a starter and is only a freshman, but he’s an absolute assassin. He was at his best in big games averaging 15.9 against ranked teams.
Tyler Nickel – G, Vanderbilt
- You will know his name if Vandy wins two games over the next two weeks, trust me. Nickel, who wears number five, hit two or more threes in 20 games this season. He also shot a ridiculous 45.1% from deep in SEC play this year.
