Around the SEC West: March 3, 2009

Here are your Tuesday one-liners from the SEC West.

UM

Coaches around the SEC are bragging on the Rebels’ Terrico White...who now looks to be the odds-on favorite to win SEC Freshman of the Year honors.

LSU

I said two weeks ago, when the Tigers were still projected as a 9-seed, that LSU could grab a 4-seed if they kept winning.  Well, the Tigers are definitely getting noticed now, leaping to No. 12 in the new AP Poll.

Marcus Thornton is also getting more national recognition.

With the SEC title sewn up, Trent Johnson’s team is now playing for seeding in the NCAA tourney.

Bo Spencer and Quintin Thornton are questionable for tomorrow’s game with Vanderbilt.

Arkansas

John Pelphrey isn’t sure if Sunday’s effort against Georgia will lead to a strong regular season finish or not.

The Hogs’ first win in 31 days certainly has the players feeling better, as Stefan Walsh summed up: “Everybody in the locker room feels we have a legit shot of going down to the SEC Tournament and winning it.” (Hold on, Hoss, you beat the only SEC team with a record as poor as your own.)

Rotnei Clarke, for one, hasn’t forgotten that Ole Miss (who the Hogs play tomorrow) whipped the Razorbacks in the teams’ first meeting.

Staying focused on the Rebels is a key for Pelphrey’s young team.

Bama

After a six-year wait, Alabama fans can celebrate the return of the Iron Bowl Trophy to Tuscaloosa today.

Terrence Cody and Rolando McClain are both on the watch list for the 2009 Lombardi Award.

In basketball news, tonight’s ESPN game between Alabama and Auburn is—surprisingly—a matchup of two hot teams.

That’s a vastly different setup from when the two schools met in January.

The Tigers won that first meeting 85-71, and senior Alonzo Gee remembers it well.

Even Paul Finebaum of The Mobile Press-Register is focused on tonight’s Tide-Tigers hoops showdown.

Auburn

For the Tigers, a win tonight would give Jeff Lebo’s team a first-round bye the SEC Tournament.

One reason for Auburn’s turnaround is the quality play they’re getting from their bench of late.

A 19-point loss at Ole Miss also aided the Tigers...who are now dreaming of a possible NCAA Tournament berth.

On the football front, former Auburn great Tracy Rocker is tired of being known as a great player: “I want to be known as a great coach.”

A long-time Auburn administrative assistant is leaving the Tigers to take a high school head coaching job.