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SEC Notebook: Huertas Says He Has To Play Hurt

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The Tampa Tribune

Published: March 12, 2009

Ole Miss junior guard David Huertas, the SEC's fifth-leading scorer (18.2 points per game), has been laboring with a bone bruise in his foot that caused him to miss a game against Arkansas and the second half against Mississippi State.

Huertas, who transferred from Florida after being part of the Gators' 2006 national championship team, gave indications he would play today against Kentucky.

"I still feel a little bit sore, a little bit in pain," Huertas said. "This is win or go home, so I've got to play."

"If David says he can go, we'll play him," Rebels coach Andy Kennedy said. "If he says he can't, then we'll have to make do."

THE FOCAL POINT

Kentucky junior Jodie Meeks, the nation's fifth-leading scorer (24.7 points per game) said his life changed on Jan. 13 when he dropped a school-record 54 points on Tennessee. He has seen every defense imaginable.

"I've gotten a lot of attention, but it can't be all about me," Meeks said. "It's about how we do as a team. It's a fresh start for us after finishing the regular season with four straight defeats. We've got to wipe the slate clean. If they need me to score, I want to do it. But what I want to do most is whatever it takes to get us back on a roll."

GEORGIA ON THEIR MIND

It sounds bizarre - Georgia (12-19, 3-13) trying to defend its SEC Tournament title - but nothing about last season's event was normal. Last season's Bulldogs were 4-12 in the league, but won four straight tournament games - and two in one day when a tornado destroyed part of the Georgia Dome's roof.

"We're really looking forward to defending our championship," said Georgia interim coach Pete Hermann, who replaced the fired Dennis Felton. "You have to play with confidence. Our players went up to Lexington and won at Rupp and beat a very good Florida team on our court. So anything can happen."

Last season's Georgia team already proved that point.

TAMPA: A GOOD SITE?

Mississippi State coach Rick Stansbury, while calling Tampa "a beautiful area," fell short of giving the city a ringing endorsement as a good host for the SEC Tournament. He was diplomatic, but he acknowledged that Atlanta, nearer to the league's geographic center, might be ideal.

"When you do something all the time, you get used to it," Stansbury said. "It will be interesting, when the tournament is done, to see the head count here in Tampa. I don't think anybody knows how the attendance will be right now.

"It's not like you can get in the car easily and drive down here from all of the conference schools. Tampa is different than Atlanta in that respect. It will be interesting to see how it plays out."

TAKING CARE OF BID-NESS

Most national pundits have the SEC earning three NCAA Tournament bids (maybe a fourth, if the right things break). That's a bare minimum standard for a major league. Since the tournament expanded to 64 teams in 1985, the Pac-10 is the only BCS conference to only receive two NCAA bids in a season - and it happened three consecutive times (1986-88).

Despite the Florida Gators' 22-9 record, an NCAA Tournament bid still appears up in the air.

Because of a weak strength-of-schedule rating, projections say Florida needs two wins in this week's SEC Tournament to assure itself a return to "March Madness" after missing last year. The Gators play Arkansas tonight. Should they win, Friday's second-round game will be against Auburn.

Coach Billy Donovan does not like looking ahead.

"Sunday selection day will get here soon enough," Donovan said before practice. "It's easy to get ahead of yourself. All that's important is we have a game today. I've always been a big believer in that you focus on what's in front of you. Then the next day you do the same."

WHAT HAPPENED?

The Arkansas Razorbacks start three freshmen, which goes a long way toward explaining their 14-15 and 2-14 records.

But the year started out amazingly well.

Arkansas, coached by former Florida assistant John Pelphrey, beat nationally ranked Oklahoma and Texas before beginning SEC play.

Since beating the Longhorns in early January to go 12-1, the Razorbacks have gone 2-14.

"You asked me what happened between the non-conference and conference season. That's a great question," Pelphrey said.

"I do think that with the success that we may have had or perceived success that we may have had in a non-conference schedule, when you start the SEC play, there is no more sneaking up on somebody, surprise."

AUBURN AT HOME

Auburn might feel a little bit at home when it plays either Florida or Arkansas in Friday's second round.

The Tigers are 2-0 at the St. Pete Times Forum. Both victories came during the 2003 NCAA Tournament. Auburn defeated St. Joseph 65-63 in overtime, and then advanced into the Sweet 16 with an upset of ACC champion Wake Forest in the second round.

FINDING ITSELF

Vanderbilt comes into today's game against Alabama having won seven of its last 10 games and three in a row.

"I think that a lot of what's made us better is that our team needed time to figure itself out," Vandy coach Kevin Stallings said. "We would have liked to have figured it out a month before we did, maybe, but we didn't

"I think that our younger guys, which is most of our team, are playing better. They're more comfortable with what we're trying to do."

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