SEC Scoring Leaders Through Week 16
No. 5 Tyler Tanner: 18.3 pts | 3.5 reb | 5.4 ast | 47.2 FG%
Vanderbilt has truly found a diamond in the rough with Tyler Tanner. He is an elite point guard with great ball movement and a skill set that makes you respect his shooting ability. Tanner played exceptionally well Tuesday night at Auburn. He showed why he is one of the best guards in the SEC and why Vanderbilt is having such a strong season so far. Vanderbilt’s newfound success is largely a result of Tyler Tanner and the way he has played this season.
No. 4 Keyshawn Hall: 20.7 pts | 6.8 reb | 2.7 ast | 45.5 FG%
Unfortunately, Auburn is currently going through one of its worst years in recent memory. Yes, they had a generational team last season and lost almost everyone aside from Pettiford. That being said, Pettiford is still only a sophomore and may not be ready to fill a leadership role yet.
Steven Pearl brought in an experienced player in Keyshawn Hall in hopes of filling that leadership void. In my opinion, Hall has done the opposite. His scoring ability is second to none, but at the end of the day, you can’t rely on just Keyshawn to win games alone. Hall is a phenomenal talent, but Auburn would benefit much more if he started dishing the ball more and stopped playing so much isolation basketball.
No. 3 Darius Acuff: 21.2 pts | 2.9 reb | 6.3 ast | 50.3 FG%
Arkansas has been on somewhat of a hot streak recently, going 4–1 in its last five games. During that stretch, Darius Acuff has scored over 20 points in each game. He has been extremely consistent and is becoming a huge part of the Razorbacks’ success.
While Acuff is an elite scorer, he is also leading the SEC in assists — which I would argue is even more valuable right now than his scoring. In their last five games, the only one Arkansas lost came when Acuff recorded his lowest assist total. That being said, Acuff is an elite point guard with great court vision, and when he gets the ball moving and the offense flowing, the Razorbacks are a hard team to beat.
No. 2 Labaron Philon: 21.3 pts | 3.0 reb | 4.9 ast | 50.7 FG%
Last year, many of us viewed Philon as an elite three-point shooter — which he is — but it is clear he has worked on finishing at the rim. When I watch Philon this year, it almost feels like he turns the game into bully ball. He has been excellent at attacking the rim and drawing fouls.
That becomes even more effective when you have shooters around you to space the floor. So far, Philon has shown no signs of slowing down and is on pace to be in serious contention for SEC Player of the Year.
No. 1 Josh Hubbard: 21.4 pts | 2.3 reb | 3.6 ast | 42.3 FG%
Unfortunately, Mississippi State is struggling in SEC play right now, losing eight of its last nine games. It is tough to see this for a player like Hubbard because he gives his best effort every game and continues to produce statistically.
If Josh Hubbard were on a stronger team, we might be talking about him as one of the best guards in college basketball. If he is putting up these numbers with the Bulldogs, the sky’s the limit with more support around him.
