SEC Notebook
By: Chris Dortch, Columnist
Editor - Blue Ribbon College Basketball Yearbook
Freshman point guard John Wall's impact on the college game in general and Kentucky's fortunes have been considerable, but if the Wildcats win the national championship, as many think they can do in coach John Calipari's first season, the efforts of another freshman, no less talented but slightly less publicized than Wall, will have been the key.
DeMarcus Cousins has become a beast in the paint, an unstoppable force and double-double machine unequaled in the college game. Nothing Calipari has accomplished so far in his remarkable debut season in Lexington compares to the job he's done getting Cousins to focus his talents and channel his emotions.
When I watch Cousins play, and see how effortless he goes about his job in the paint, I'm reminded of Calipari's comments in the summer when we spoke for the story I would write about the Wildcats in Blue Ribbon College Basketball Yearbook. Calipari had just spoken to LeBron James, who had been in Lexington to watch the ‘Cats play a few pickup games.
"LeBron told me, ‘Hey, I went up to your big man,' " Calipari said. "And he told him, ‘You've got to go inside kid. Why are you trying to be a point guard?' "
Cal knew the work he had ahead of him, trying to get Cousins in game shape and compel him to become a low-post basher, not a perimeter drifter. Cousins' production, and subsequent raves of opposing coaches, prove just how well he's been coached. He's literally getting better game by game by game.
Consider Cousins' last five conference games, during which he's averaged 19.6 points and 12.0 rebounds. Friends of mine in the Alabama media aren't surprised at Cousins' performances. They saw him enough in high school games to conclude that when the big man took a notion, he could dominate any game he played. With Cousins' size, power and agility, it was easy to predict that, if he developed a consistent aggressive mentality, he could dominate the college game, too
SEC coaches have become believers.
"Nobody has anyone to go up against him," said South Carolina coach Darrin Horn after Cousins racked up 27 points and 12 rebounds, albeit in the Wildcats' lone loss this season. "He's the best I've seen in 15 years in person."
"DeMarcus Cousins is playing as well as any post player in college basketball," Ole Miss coach Andy Kennedy said after Cousins roughed up the Rebels for 18 points and 13 boards. "I don't think there is any doubt about that. He has the whole package."
Even Calipari, who has been reluctant to over-praise his players or his team during a 21-1 start, has joined the voices in praise of Cousins.
"I have never had a big man like him," Calipari said after the Ole Miss game. "I hate to put that pressure on him. He is a skilled 6-11 player that can make free throws, pass, has a great mind for the game and is emotionally growing every day.
"I have never had a player come this far this fast. There are still things he has to improve. He is still maturing. All their mistakes are great lessons for them. I explain that these are good life lessons to learn from for the future. I keep telling him he is a special player and he is a special man."
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Another key player on Calipari's roster has begun to emerge along with Cousins. Darnell Dodson has drifted in and out of his coach's good graces this season, but recently the 6-7 sophomore has performed the way Calipari hoped he could when he signed him out of junior college.
In Kentucky's win over Vanderbilt on Jan. 30, Dodson scored 16 points on 4-of-8 three-point shooting. He made four more threes, in just five attempts, and scored 14 points against Ole Miss.
Cal signed Dodson to provide a consistent perimeter threat. Now that he's seemingly filled that role (32-of-78, .410 from behind the arc), Kentucky is going to be extremely hard to beat. The three spot had been the ‘Cats only question mark. For now, Dodson has provided an answer.
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Just when it appeared Arkansas was going down the drain and taking third-year coach John Pelphrey with it, the Razorbacks responded with consecutive victories over the Mississippi schools, both of which have been ranked in recent weeks. The Hogs have a long way yet to go at 10-11 and 3-3 in the league, but they've progressed markedly from their disastrous November, during which they lost to Morgan State, East Tennessee State and South Alabama in succession-at home.
Arkansas' recent success was fueled by point guard Cortney Fortson, who scored an incredible 33 second-half points (35 overall), against Mississippi State. But freshman forward Marshawn Powell has been a factor, too. He averaged 14.0 points and 7.5 boards in the sweep of Ole Miss and Mississippi State. For the season, Powell is averaging 15.3 points and 6.8 rebounds, and he leads Arkansas in field-goal percentage (.514) and blocked shots (29). He's the only Razorback to start all 21 games.
In a normal year, one that didn't feature the likes of Wall, Cousins or Eric Bledsoe at Kentucky, Powell's production would probably have made him the frontrunner to win the SEC's Freshman of the Year award.
"Marshawn has been one of the best freshmen in the league this year," Pelphrey said. "He's playing really good basketball right now. ... He has a chance to be an outstanding player in this league. He comes to work every day and is very coachable."
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