SEC Set Your TiVo will take a look ahead at each week’s key games. See bottom of the post for the Official RTC Star System.

While you are picking your teeth clean of the leftover turkey on your couch, the Southeastern conference teams are back up and running towards the Big East/SEC Challenge. RTC SEC will have detailed Big East/SEC Challenge preview before Thursday’s games. Before the multi-conference potluck, several SEC teams will be working out the final kinks in action tonight through Wednesday. Which games are appetizers for your eyes and which should be sealed in Ziploc bags and hidden in the back of your fridge?

#12 Xavier at #20 Vanderbilt – Monday, November 28, 7 PM on ESPN2 and ESPN3 (****)

Having played just four games played this season, Xavier has not been as tested as those schools who participated in late-November tournaments. The Musketeers’ best win was last Friday’s 70-56 drumming of Georgia when they used nearly their entire bench to give scoring support for injured senior guard Tu Holloway. Coach Chris Mack’s team is shooting 59.5% from the floor (42nd best in the nation) and 42.3% fro three-point range (25th best in the nation). With that kind of accuracy, Xavier has four players averaging double-figures in scoring: Holloway (15.0 PPG), junior Mark Lyons (17.8 PPG), freshman Dezmine Wells (10.5 PPG), and senior Kenny Frease (10.3 PPG).

Vanderbilt senior forward Jeffery Taylor must protect the ball better for the Commodores to have a chance against Xavier. Photo via AP Photo/Bill Kostroun.

The Commodores struggles this season have been well-documented. Xavier will be yet another difficult test for Vanderbilt’s point guards. Senior Brad Tinsley has been liability against quicker opponents and will get no rest against the Musketeer backcourt. Freshman Kendren Johnson might see more than his 15 minutes-a-game average against Xavier as long as he limits his own turnovers. And about those turnovers: Seniors Jeffery Taylor, Lance Goulbourne, and Tinsley must protect their possessions if the Commodores have any chance at pulling off the upset. As Brian Joyce told you earlier, tonight’s game may end up being one of two make-or-break games for Vanderbilt’s season.

LSU at Houston – Tuesday, November 29, 8 PM on CBS Sports Network (**)

Houston is a young, talented team that is still learning how to play. After an up-tempo victory against Arkansas, the Cougars’ defense worsened; Houston allowed Oakland to shoot 44.1% FG with six three-pointers in an 76-74 loss at home followed by a 81-80 home loss from a better-shooting TCU team (46.9% FG with nine three-pointers). The Cougars will be hosting a disappointing 3-3 LSU team who are shooting just 40.4% FG and averaging 19 fouls a game. The Tigers may have a chance to hand Houston its third straight home loss with three-point shooting — LSU is averaging seven three-pointers made per game.

Tennessee at Oakland – Monday, November 28, 9 PM on ESPNU and ESPN3 (**)

Oakland lost their first two contests of the season playing away games at Alabama and Arkansas. In their first SEC hosting gig, the Golden Grizzlies will be bombing the Vols from afar; they average 26 three-point attempts per game. The Volunteers — averaging 21 three-point attempts per game — might go bomb-for-bomb with their opponents. Hopefully none of the bombs will become sentient.

Stetson vs. #6 Florida (at Amway Center in Orlando, FL) – Monday, November 28, 7 PM on ESPN Full Court and ESPN3 (*)

Florida coach Billy Donovan goes for his 400th career win as a head coach. But we lost you at “Stetson”, didn’t we? Oh well.

The Official RTC Star System

***** – quit your job and divorce your wife if that’s what it takes to watch this game live
**** – best watched live, but if you must, tivo and watch it tonight as soon as you get home
*** – set your tivo but make sure you watch it later
** – set your tivo but we’ll forgive you if it stays in the queue until 2014
* – don’t waste bandwidth (yours or the tivo’s) of any kind on this game

Gerald Smith (39 Posts)

This entry was posted on Monday, November 28th, 2011 at 3:24 pm by Gerald Smith and is filed under microsites, sec. Tagged: florida, lsu, tennessee, vanderbilt. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.