Arkansas Sports 360 - ArkansasSports360.com

1/16/2012 at 3:08pm

Image by Mark Wagner

Kentucky's John Calipari has put together another roster of fabulous freshmen.

Last year's fabulous Kentucky freshmen found the Southeastern Conference road tough to hoe, winning just twice in eight road trips. That still didn't stop the Wildcats from advancing to the Final Four, where they fell to eventual champion UConn in the national semifinals.

John Calipari's newest edition of sensational freshmen have already matched last year's two-win mark on the SEC road with back-to-back, come-from-behind victories. Of course, those first-year starters such as Anthony Davis and Michael Kidd-Gilchrist are helped by a few key holdovers, including Terrence Jones, from last year's team.

But Davis, who was named the SEC's Freshman of the Week on Monday, and Kidd-Gilchrist — who also could have won the award — were instrumental in the comeback wins at Auburn and Tennessee to run UK's season mark to 17-1.

Davis, a 6-foot-10, 222-pound freshman forward was strong on both the offensive and defensive ends. He averaged 16 points, 7.0 rebounds, 4.0 blocks, plus 2.5 steals and 2.0 assists in the two wins. His eight blocks on the week moved him to within one of the single-season UK mark. Davis has scored in double figures in seven straight games and in eight of the last nine.

Arkansas will see Davis, Kidd-Gilchrist and the other UK newcomers first-hand on Tuesday at 8 p.m. ESPN will televise the game at Rupp Arena in Lexington, a place where Kentucky has yet to lose more than two years.

The shot-blocking Davis will be matched at some point against Arkansas' own shot blocking star, Hunter Mickelson, who had seven blocks against LSU and has had at least one blocked shot in all 17 Arkansas games.

Here's the latest ArkansasSports360.com SEC Hoop Power Poll:

1. Kentucky (17-1, 3-0). Kidd-Gilchist, Davis and other youngsters able to avoid road upsets.
2. Alabama (13-3, 2-1). Tide held down offensively at Starkville.
3. Vanderbilt (13-4, 3-0). Now that the national pollsters quit paying attention, Commodores are back.
4. Florida (14-4, 2-1). Gators will go as far as the guards will take them.
6. Mississippi State (15-3, 2-1). Loss to Hogs may have been a needed wakeup call. 
5. Arkansas (13-4, 2-1). Tough, and unbeaten, at home. Hogs don't travel well, though.
7. LSU (11-6, 1-2). Tigers are showing significant improvement over last year.
8. Tennessee (8-9, 1-2). Jarnell Stokes, fresh out of high school, gets his first action.
9. Ole Miss (11-6, 1-2). Rebels found a team they could manhandle on the front court in Arkansas.
10. Auburn (11-6, 1-2). Hung with Kentucky at home until the late going, and dumped Ole Miss in OT.
11. Georgia (9-8, 0-3). Like football, will fight it out with South Carolina, only this time for last.
12. South Carolina (8-9, 0-3). Cocks are competing for Darrin Horn, just not talented enough.

Top Players

The SEC announced its player of the week for the week ending Jan. 18.
Arnett Moultrie, a 6-foot-11, 249-pound junior forward from Memphis, Tenn, was named Player of the Week after averaging 19 points, 8.5 rebounds and 2.5 blocks in wins over Tennessee and Alabama. In leading the Bulldogs to the two wins, Moultrie hit 72.7 percent of his shots, while draining a career-best 10 field goals against Alabama and blocking a career-best 4 blocked shots against Tennessee. He had 25 points while also hauling in 13 rebounds against the Crimson Tide to give him an SEC-best tying nine double-doubles. In one stretch, he scored 14-straight points for MSU.
Kentucky's Anthony Davis was named Freshman of the Week after averating 16 points, seven rebounds, four blocks,, 2.5 steals and two assists in wins at Auburn and at Tennessee. Davis is a 6-10, 222-pounder out of Chicago.

THIS WEEK'S GAMES
(All times Central)
Tuesday, Jan. 17
Auburn at LSU, 6 p.m.
Arkansas at Kentucky, 8 p.m.

Wednesday, Jan. 18
Tennessee at Georgia, 7 p.m.
Mississippi State at Ole Miss, 8 p.m.

Thursday, Jan. 19
Vanderbilt at Alabama, 6 p.m.

Saturday, Jan. 21
Alabama at Kentucky, 11 a.m.
South Carolina at Auburn, 12:30 p.m.
Michigan at Arkansas, 1 p.m.
UConn at Tennessee, 3 p.m.
Ole Miss at Georgia, 3 p.m.
LSU at Florida, 5 p.m.
Mississippi State at Vanderbilt, 6 p.m.

Tagged: Kentucky Wildcats, Southeastern Conference