SEC Scoring Leaders Through Week 17
No. 5 Tyler Tanner: Vanderbilt | 18.5 pts | 3.5 reb | 5.2 ast | 47.5 FG%
Tyler Tanner has suddenly become one of the best point guards in the SEC this year, and he’s only a sophomore. Yet, he’s playing with the experience of a senior. While Tanner may not be one of the biggest guys on the court, he has great ball-handling skills and court vision. His ability to create shots and make plays happen on offense is superb. I don’t know exactly what Tanner plans to do after this year, but if he decides to come back for another season, watch out.
No. 4 Keyshawn Hall: Auburn | 20.8 pts | 7 reb | 2.8 ast | 45.2 FG%
Auburn’s starting forward, Keyshawn Hall, was nothing short of amazing at the start of this season. Unfortunately, that hasn’t continued. While Hall is still able to score a lot of points, he hasn’t been consistent week to week. On top of that, he isn’t a great teammate in terms of moving the ball around. What I’ve seen from Hall — especially in the past few games — is a lot of isolation possessions that often result in a foul or a turnover. Although Hall may be the “best” scorer on the team, Auburn seems to be better when he’s not on the court.
No. 3 Labaron Philon: Alabama | 21.3 pts | 3.3 reb | 5 ast | 50.3 FG%
Alabama basketball has found a good bit of success this year, and I credit much of that to Labaron Philon. Philon is playing at an elite level right now. One of the things I love most about him is that he forces you to play at his pace. He can kick it into gear and run the floor, but he can also slow things down and run the offense efficiently.
Another interesting note is that Alabama hasn’t blown out many teams this year. They’ve had a ton of close games and always seem to come out on top. I think that can also be attributed to Philon and his ability to close out games or come up big in clutch moments. Alabama may not be the best team in the SEC, but they’re shaping up to be dangerous in March.
No. 2 Josh Hubbard: Mississippi State | 21.6 pts | 2.5 reb | 3.6 ast | 41.8 FG%
Josh Hubbard did not have a great week. He scored just 11 and 13 points in his two games. Granted, he faced some tough opponents, but Hubbard is far too talented to be putting up those kinds of numbers. Yes, his team isn’t all that strong, but I would still like to see him distribute the ball more. He’s definitely lacking in assists compared to the rest of this list. Overall, it was a rough shooting week for him. Maybe he can end the season on a high note next week.
No. 1 Darius Acuff: Arkansas | 22.2 pts | 3.1 reb | 6.2 ast | 49.9 FG%
It’s rare to see the leading scorer also lead in assists, but that’s exactly what Darius Acuff is doing right now — and I love it. It shows how important it is to run an offense and get your teammates involved. Acuff has been on a tear these past few games and is showing no signs of slowing down. The Razorbacks are going to be a tough team to play in the tournament if he keeps performing at this level.
