ESPN Men's Basketball

Florida had the whole spring and summer to feel good about itself.

Sure, Joakim Noah, Al Horford and Corey Brewer should be applauded for going back to school instead of leaping for the NBA draft, but that's over now. The draft has come and gone. So, too, has the summer scene, with some making cameos in New York and Indianapolis and plenty of time working out in Gainesville for all.

The campus' love for these Gators won't evaporate this month -- or anytime prior to the first game this fall -- but Florida coach Billy Donovan is done lavishing this group with praise for deeds already done.

It's time to get serious.

Florida begins practice Wednesday for a Labor Day weekend trip to the Canadian side of Niagara Falls. The Gators will play two games on the trip, but the purpose really is to get this group back on solid ground. The time to come down off that natural high is now.

"There's been so much hoopla and so much attention on them," said Donovan. "I want to get back and organize this team. I think they'll be in good shape but I want to get the four freshmen acclimated to our system, to the press and halfcourt defense and offensive strategy."

Donovan doesn't plan on keeping the Gators on the court too long. There's no interest in drilling these guys too much in late August. Still, player development will be paramount. Individual attention is a must.

There have been a few changes since we last saw the Gators cutting down the nets in Indianapolis. Assistant Anthony Grant got the head coaching job at Virginia Commonwealth. Notre Dame assistant Lewis Preston replaced him.

Role players Adrian Moss (eligibility finished) and David Huertas (transferred to Ole Miss) are gone. Signee Doneal Mack had academic issues and landed at Memphis instead.

But don't cry for the Gators -- they plucked Dan Werner from NC State after the Wolfpack signee didn't want to play for Sidney Lowe after Herb Sendek left for Arizona State. Florida also added freshmen in center Marreese Speights, forward Jonathan Mitchell and guard Brandon Powell.

Make no mistake, though. This team will center on Noah, Horford, Brewer, Taurean Green, Lee Humphrey and Chris Richard. And Donovan knows that last season's performances won't be good enough.

"There had been so many people in their ear telling them this and that," Donovan said of the higher-profile Gators. "Each player just needs to make a jump to make the team better.

"We won the national championship, but as I look back we played six out of the 64 other teams in the tournament," Donovan said. "What if we had played Memphis or UConn? Were we the best team? I don't know. We did what we had to do. If we're the same team as we were last year then we won't be good enough."

Donovan is right. Winning the national title in an elimination event doesn't always mean the best or most talented team wins. Rather, the one that plays well at the right time and catches the opportune breaks does. Florida defended, rebounded and ran its offense well during those three weeks in March. But the Gators' starting five must grow -- in a way that helps Florida, not the players' NBA prospects -- to stay ahead of a very competitive SEC.

The consensus in the SEC after talking to the majority of coaches is that 10 of the 12 teams enter the season with a shot at the NCAA Tournament. The only two where that could be a reach are Ole Miss and Auburn. There was no debate on who should win the league and have a chance to win the national title. It was Florida. There was no second choice.

"Florida is off the charts with what they've got," LSU coach John Brady said. "If I were Billy, I would drop to my knees and thank whoever for the five guys coming back like that. He's got two first-rounders that came back, maybe three. That has never happened to me at LSU."

That's not entirely true. Brady was fortunate this spring, too. Sure, he lost Tyrus Thomas to the draft, but he got Glen Davis back. Still, Brady is correct in saying that it's extremely difficult to repeat the same chemistry that both the Tigers and Gators enjoyed last season -- returnees or not.

"You never know what creeps into your team that wasn't there a year ago," Brady said. "If you're not smart about the approach, it can leave you quickly."

That's why Florida's practice sessions and the weekend trip to Canada are imperative. Most teams that are going on these trips have a new coach, a slew of newcomers or are hoping for a jolt of some sort to tip off the season. For the Gators, though, this trip allows a relatively similar team as a year ago to start fresh, to create a new identity.

If that happens, with talent that might have improved a bit, the Gators have a realistic shot to repeat.

– Andy Katz

Hot players
Throughout the summer we've been asking coaches in each conference to tell us one player that they'd want on another team. The consensus in the SEC was there are two: Alabama's Ronald Steele and LSU's Glen Davis. That makes sense. One is a point, the other is a big man. Coaches love Steele's competitive juices and his ability to lead and be a playmaker. Everyone also is in love with Davis' infectious personality. He isn't just a scorer, rebounder or a wide body. As one coach said, he changes the team's attitude. He is a must for all locker rooms.

Hot team
How could it be any other squad than Florida? Every coach loves the Gators' starting five and they still can't get over how the core of the team was able to stay away from the lure of the NBA. Florida's O-Dome also is the hot place to go to a game. Opposing teams don't like going to Gainesville anymore since the environment is crazed from 30 minutes before tip. The way the students hang over one side of the court and the rocking that goes on from their enthusiasm really is unmatched. Cameron's Crazies literally might hang over the court but the O-Dome's students can be just as intimidating and creative.

Hot sleeper
Mississippi State's youth brigade should mature and the expectation is that Charles Rhodes will be a star. No one will be shocked if the Bulldogs make a play for an NCAA Tournament berth. The hiatus from the bubble should be a one-year deal.

Hot spot
Going to Tennessee wasn't feared in the past, but Bruce Pearl's enthusiasm and the product on the court made a trip to Knoxville like a dental experience last season.

Hot underpubbed star
Hard to believe that a player on Florida would get this honor, but the coaches in the league don't think Al Horford gets his due. He does all the little things for this team -- as well as a few rather high-profile things, like score. If Horford weren't on the roster, the expectation among the league's coaches is that the Gators wouldn't be close to as good as they are.

Hot conference
Come on, forget about the ACC, Big East and the like. The SEC returns two Final Four teams that have a chance to go back to the main event. Add perennial power Kentucky to LSU and Florida and rising forces in Alabama and Tennessee, and the SEC should have five legit regulars in the Top 25 possibly for years to come.

– Andy Katz

In June, Rajon Rondo didn't flinch when asked if Kentucky can challenge for the top of the SEC. He knew Ramel Bradley was coming back.

Rondo talked about Bradley on the eve of the NBA draft (when Rondo was selected by the Boston Celtics at No. 21 after Phoenix traded the pick). He was so confident in his former backcourt mate that we needed to ask the question to Bradley.

Can he handle this kind of responsibility after averaging 7.9 points a game last season -- fourth-highest among the guards behind Rondo's 11.2, Joe Crawford's 10.2 and Patrick Sparks' 9.7? Rondo and Sparks are gone, so he doesn't have a choice.

"I've been waiting for this chance for a long time," Bradley said by phone, literally as he was waiting to play in a game in New York City last week. "It's my turn to step up. I'm up for the challenge."

Putting the Wildcats down would be a mistake. They do return one of the top big men in the SEC in Randolph Morris, have scoring guards in Bradley and Crawford, a perfect glue guy in Bobby Perry and an impact wing coming into the program in Derrick Jasper out of Paso Robles, Calif.

But someone must lead this crew and the soft-spoken Morris isn't the guy. It's hard to anoint Crawford, since he wanted out of Kentucky at one point. Perry simply doesn't star enough to be the BMOC. So, that's why there really is no one else but Bradley. That's fine. He wants to be the guy.

"We depended on Rajon a lot," Bradley said. "We depended a lot on his defense. He could change the game with a defensive play. We weren't a good rebounding team and yet if we boxed out, he would get the rebound (a team-high 6.1 boards a game for the 6-foot-1 guard).

"We're not going to replace him, but I'll be more of a leader and I'll make shots," Bradley said.

Bradley offered up another interesting tidbit. The Wildcats won't be as deep, but according to Bradley, "that's a good thing." When the Wildcats were struggling in November in Kansas City, Tubby Smith spoke about trying to find the right mix of players. He was at a loss.

"Coach Smith will go with fewer guys and that's better for us because he tried to go with more last year and that didn't work," Bradley said. "(Fewer players) will work better for us and we'll have better chemistry.

"We'll know who to depend on," said Bradley.

Who will that be?

"Me, Joe, Randolph, Bobby, [senior forward] Sheray [Thomas] and Jasper," Bradley said. "I've gained 18 pounds and I'm really, really ready. I know there is a lot of pressure on me. But that's what I want. I've been waiting for this. I'm ready to show everybody what I can do."

* * *

The SEC doesn't have a policy against transfers moving within the conference. Sure, they have to sit out a season like everyone else, but they can play without losing a year of eligibility, which has been used in other conferences.

Two teams this season will get a big boost from a player coming from a conference rival.

Arkansas gets a point guard from Mississippi State in Gary Ervin. Vanderbilt will get significant minutes from Ross Neltner, a former LSU forward.

Ervin was a bit disgruntled at Mississippi State, even though he started 33 of 34 games for the Bulldogs. He is from New York but chose to keep his playmaking skills in the South rather than transfer back to the Northeast. He was third in the SEC in assists (4.7 a game) and seventh in assist-to-turnover ratio (1.58 to 1) as a sophomore.

His familiarity with the league should be an easy transition for him at Arkansas.

"I don't believe I've had a true point guard since I've been here," Arkansas coach Stan Heath said. "He's the first true point guard. He will give us great leadership. He gets the easy basket.

"For me, it's real exciting," Heath said. "He's a proven guy who has played in our league. He'll bring toughness and give us a great identity."

Heath said Ervin's summer has been sensational. He's worked without hesitation. Any of the issues Heath was concerned about such as attitude (this was his rap) haven't surfaced in Fayetteville.

"I've been really pleased with him," Heath said.

Neltner played in 30 games for LSU as a sophomore as a reserve behind then-SEC player of the year Brandon Bass and SEC freshman of the year Glen Davis.

Neltner had an impact on the Commodores last season during practice before he tore his left shoulder in February. He was cleared to play last month.

"He's a skilled, tough player who can defend and rebound for us," Vanderbilt coach Kevin Stalling said. "He'll be a big key for us."

– Andy Katz

2005-06 Standings
Team	League record	Overall record
EAST
Tennessee*	12-4	28-6
Florida*	10-6	33-6
Kentucky*	9-7	22-13
Vanderbilt	7-9	17-13
So. Carolina	6-10	23-15
Georgia	5-11	15-15
WEST
LSU*	14-2	27-9
Arkansas*	10-6	22-10
Alabama*	10-6	18-13
Mississippi State	5-11	15-15
Mississippi	4-12	14-16
Auburn	4-12	12-16

* -- NCAA Tournament

Leading returning scorers
Player (Team)	2005-06 PPG
Glen Davis (LSU)	18.6
Chris Lofton (Tennessee)	17.2
Shan Foster (Vandy)	15.9
Ronald Steele (Alabama)	14.3
Jermareo Davidson (Alabama)	14.3

– Andy Glockner

The top SEC story lines

Alabama: Mark Gottfried isn't debating that he has three top-level SEC players in point Ronald Steele and forwards Jermareo Davidson and Richard Hendrix. His point is that, outside of those three sophomores, forward Alonzo Gee and Brandon Hollinger are the only ones who have played significant minutes. "We've got eight guys in uniform that haven't really ever sweated before in that jersey," Gottfried said. ... Gottfried said former Tide forward Kennedy Winston, who left early and didn't get drafted, advised Davidson to stay in school. Davidson declared for the draft and then withdrew after his sophomore season. If he had done it again after his junior year, he would have been done as far as college eligibility. Gottfried said Davidson is on track to graduate in the spring and was savvy enough to know he wasn't guaranteed of being a first-round pick in June.

Arkansas: Expect freshman Patrick Beverly to come in and have an immediate impact. Arkansas coach Stan Heath has been extremely impressed with reports on his play. ... Junior college transfer Sonny Weems is now eligible, giving the Razorbacks another integral part of their team. ... The consensus in the league is that sophomore forward Charles Thomas will be one of the better big men in the league. ... Heath said there will be more of a conscious effort to get the big men involved. Don't be surprised if Thomas and/or Weems leads the Hogs in scoring.

Auburn: With no seniors, the Tigers will be one of the youngest teams in the SEC this season. ... Look out for Quan Prowell, a 6-8 transfer from Furman. He was considered one of the Tigers' top players in practice last season and should have a huge impact. ... Junior guard Daniel Hayles left the program to deal with family issues. ... Jeff Lebo isn't running from anyone, with games against Texas A&M, Pitt, South Alabama, Oklahoma State and possibly Missouri State or Wisconsin in the South Padre Island tournament. ... If you're looking for a leader, the Tigers might have found one in 6-7 sophomore forward Korvotney Barber.

Florida: The Gators were desperate for a big-time game. Florida really wanted to play North Carolina but couldn't get dates or a site (home or road) worked out. The Tar Heels usually have their schedule filled, too, which doesn't make picking up a game late in the spring easy. So, the Gators struck a deal to play Ohio State, with the series starting at home on Dec. 23. Florida already was slated to play Kansas in Las Vegas on Thanksgiving weekend. The Gators also have their usual series with Florida State, so that's at least three games against likely NCAA Tournament teams.

Georgia: The consensus among SEC coaches is that Georgia will be much improved. The guards on this squad, notably Levi Stukes, Channing Toney and Sundiata Gaines, are considered some of the best in the SEC. ... Quite simply, Dennis Felton is a winner and the expectation is that this program will ascend sooner than later. ... No one would be surprised if the Bulldogs are still emotionally reeling after the death of guard Kevin Brophy in an auto accident.

Kentucky: You can criticize Kentucky coach Tubby Smith all you want about the (relative) lack of star players, but the other coaches in the league are convinced that Bobby Perry is one of the best glue guys around. ... There were all sorts of rumors about changes to the Kentucky staff in the offseason, but they apparently were taken out of context. When Smith said there would be changes, he was referencing attitudes not personnel. Assistant David Hobbs has been doing well after battling an illness late last season and assistants Reggie Hanson and Scott Rigot are still in play as the top recruiters.

LSU: John Brady has sung the praises of Magnum Rolle as Tyrus Thomas' replacement as a shot blocker. We know all about the return of Glen Davis. But if there is one player ready to bust out for the Tigers, it would be Tasmin Mitchell. Mitchell came in just as hyped but wasn't as featured as Davis or Thomas at times. Expect that to change this season, according to Brady. Mitchell averaged 11.4 points a game last season and that is expected to climb. "Tasmin can score the ball and had his share of 20-point games," Brady said. ... Brady also expects transfers Dameon Mason (Marquette) and Terry Martin (Texas Tech) to be key members off the bench. There's no rule that either one can't start, either. "They'll both be impact guys with their length, quickness and athleticism."

Mississippi: Kenny Williams' arrival at Ole Miss is directly tied to Bob Huggins, since Williams signed with Kansas State under Jim Wooldridge. Huggins didn't have a spot for him, though, so Huggins released him to good friend Andy Kennedy. Williams will help the Rebels more than he would have K-State. ... The Rebels return four starters and Kennedy said he's been impressed by the attitude of Dwayne Curtis, Bam Doyne, Todd Abernethy and Jeremy Parnell. ... Kennedy said he fully expects folks to pick the Rebels for the bottom of the SEC West, but he's determined to change the perception of the program. ... Kennedy isn't messing around with the schedule, playing Connecticut in Hartford the first weekend of the season.

Mississippi State: The Bulldogs will have nine freshmen and sophomores. ... Regarding Charles Rhodes, Mississippi State coach Rick Stansbury said, "I've always said the best players should be your hardest workers and he is." ... The Bulldogs, who were willing to move a game to play Pitt before the Panthers pulled out of an event in New York, still have a challenging slate of games including dates at Clemson, Miami, Missouri and George Mason and home games against Winthrop, Charlotte and Loyola Marymount, according to Stansbury. ... The Bulldogs are practicing this week for a Labor Day weekend trip to Vancouver.

South Carolina: Chad Gray, who was expected to fill in for Renaldo Balkman, was denied admission to South Carolina, essentially because he went to multiple high schools. That's one of the red flags for some incoming freshmen in the SEC, especially if one of the schools is on the diploma-mill list put out by the NCAA. There were apparently a few poachers trying to get Gray away from South Carolina, but Gray is committed to trying to get enrolled at South Carolina and the plan as of last week was for him to go to a local junior college and re-apply in December for a second-semester admission. While Gray attempts to get eligible, the Gamecocks likely will look to redshirt freshman Dominique Archie to fill Balkman's role as the rebounder and finisher inside.

Tennessee: The Volunteers will miss C.J. Watson's leadership. According to coach Bruce Pearl, that's why point guard will be the thinnest position on the Vols. Tennessee, coming off a No. 2 seed in the NCAA Tournament, will be expected to return to the NCAAs and be a contender in the SEC East. What's Pearl's take on the situation? "My job is to keep them hungry and humble," Pearl said. "We've got a good freshmen class that is hungry and we won't be complacent. We're bigger and we're deeper. If we had the same team coming back, then we might be complacent," Pearl said. "But we've got new guys coming in here ready to play." ... Pearl gets return games against Texas and Oklahoma State, as well as Memphis (and the Vols also are in the NIT Season Tip-Off with Gonzaga, North Carolina and Indiana), so the schedule is strong enough.

Vanderbilt: Vandy only has 10 players on scholarship, so Kevin Stallings isn't fooling around when he says the Commodores can't afford an injury. "Anything could be significant for us," Stallings said. ... The key to the team won't be guards Shan Foster or Derrick Byars. Instead, the Commodores desperately need forward Alan Metcalfe to be a force. "He hasn't done much yet, but he's 6-11 and weighs 265, and can run, catch and finish. He just needs confidence." The wings, though, are as good as any in the SEC. ... Vandy will be one of those teams that is right there on the bubble. Book it.

– Andy Katz