Auburn, Georgia, Mississippi State, Tennessee and Vanderbilt win

Reported by 4SHOTHoops Correspondents

“Billy the Kid” goes for 24 as UGA thumps Arkansas

Athens, GA – With the weather conditions being as cold as they were outside Saturday night it’s a wonder the players cut generate as much heat as they could in front of a sparse crowd in Stegeman Coliseum; but that didn’t seem to bother former Dacula H.S. (GA) and 4SHOT Hoops All-Star Billy Humphrey.

“The Kid” lit up the Hogs for 24 points, including 4 three-pointers in a 82-69 win, the Dogs upped their over all record to 11-5 and their Eastern Division record to 2-1; Arkansas falls to 13-5, 2-2 in the SEC.

The lead went back and forth in the first half before Georgia behind Humphrey, Sundiata Gaines, freshman and former Columbia H.S. (GA) and 4SHOT Hoops All-Star Jeremy Price (scored 14 points and grabbed 5 rebounds) sent the Dogs on a 9-2 run and 34-27 halftime lead.

A three-pointer by the Dogs Terrence Woodbury and a 3-point play on a dunk by Price gave Georgia a 65-49 lead that they would never relinquish.

Other former Georgia high school stars that played in the game for Georgia included former Dunwoody H.S. and 4SHOT Hoops All-Star freshman Zac Swansey, who scored 3 points and former Riverdale H.S. and 4SHOT Hoops All-Star freshman Chris Barnes, who tallied 4 points and 3 rebounds.

Tolbert drops 29 as Auburn upends Ole Miss

Auburn, AL – The Auburn Tigers need everyone of senior Frank Tolbert’s game high 29 points as the Tigers rallied from a 6 point second half deficit to upend No. 18 Ole Miss 80-77 in front of a highly energetic home crowd.

In coming from the 6 point second half the Tigers behind Tolbert and sophomore DeWayne Reed outscored the Rebels 16-3 with Tolbert and Reed scoring every point. Reed would finish with a career high 20 point.

Former Peachtree Ridge H.S. (GA) and 4SHOT Hoops All-Star, freshman Zack Graham had a nice game for Ole Miss with 12 points and 7 boards. Another Mississippi freshman Chris Warren led the Rebels with 25 points, including 7 three-pointers.

Other former Georgia high school stars that played in the game for Auburn included Rasheem Barrett (Marist) who finished with 8 points and Matt Heramb (Chapel Hill) who did not score. For Mississippi another former 4SHOT Hoops All-Star, guard Trevor Gaskins (Milton) scored 8.

Gordon’s 24 helps Miss St. take a bite out of Bama

Tuscaloosa, AL - The Crimson Tide fell to 0-4 in the SEC’s Western Division loosing at home to Mississippi State 66-56. Meanwhile the Bulldogs from Mississippi upped their division record to 4-0, 13-5 overall and stretched their winning streak to 8 games.

Junior guard Jamont Gordon did most of the damage for the Bulldogs scoring a game high 24 points. Teammates Barry Stewart and Charles Rhodes also stepped up. Stewart added 16 points and Rhodes hauled down a game high 9 rebounds.

The Tide had a chance late in the game closing the gap to 59-55 on a lay-up by former Wilkinson County H.S. (GA) and 4SHOT Hoops All-Star, freshman Senario “Da Sno-Man” Hillman (Hillman finished wit h5 points) but Gordon led the Bulldogs on a 7-0 run that ended any hops the Tide had of winning the game.

Once again All-SEC performer junior Richard Hendrix led the Tide scoring 21 points.

Smith lead’s 4 double-figure scorers in Vols win over Ohio State

Knoxsville, TN – The Smith boys stepped up Saturday afternoon for the Tennessee Volunteers in front of a national television audience and a ruckus home crowd to help left the No. 6 ranked Vols to an exciting 74-69 come from behind win over Ohio State.

The Buckeyes led 46-39 early in the second half but like the weather outside Ohio State went frigidly cold; meanwhile Tennessee behind the play of JaJuan Smith, sharp-shooting Chris Lofton, Tyler Smith and Jon Diebler started heating it up and outscored Ohio State 26-6.

Ohio State is a good team and they responded by cutting the lead to 72-69 with time running out but Tyler Smith would seal the game for Tennessee by canning two free-throws with 11 ticks left on the clock.

JaJuan Smith led the Vols with 15 points. Tyler no relation, finished with 12. Evan Turner was the big gun for the Buckeyes, finishing with a game high 21 points and 10 rebounds.

Tigers loose to Vandy despite 27 from Thornton

Nashville, TN –  Junior Marcus Thornton from LSU torched Vanderbilt for 27 points and teammate Anthony Randolph hauled down 19 boards but it wasn’t enough as the Tigers fell to 0-4 in the SEC’s Western Division with a 92-76 loss at Vanderbilt.

The Commodores, coming off losses to Kentucky and No. 6 Tennessee, evened their division record to 2-2 behind the scoring of seniors Alex Gordon and Shan Foster. After trailing early Vandy went on a 20-4 run to take a 43-33 halftime lead.

Gordon and Foster opened the second half drilling a pair of three-pointers and it was lights out from there; the Commodores maintained 10-16 point margin the rest of the way and coasted home to the win.

Gordon and Foster each finished with18 points and teammate Ross Neltner added 16.