Plenty fresh faces are making themselves right at home in the Southeastern Conference this season, playing major roles for their respective teams.
Multiple freshmen are leading their teams in key statistics such as points, and some are even making names for themselves near the top of the lists of overall conference leaders.
The name most notable to LSU fans is first-year forward Anthony Randolph.
The Dallas native has been one of the few bright spots in an otherwise frustrating season, averaging 13.8 points per game – good enough for second on his team.
But Randolph’s biggest contributions might be his team-bests 8.5 rebounds and 2.5 blocks per game – fourth and second in the SEC, respectively.
Two weeks ago Randolph held another impressive freshman, Vanderbilt center A.J. Ogilvy, to just two field goals.
The matchup with Randolph was one of few stumbling blocks this season for the 6-foot-10-inch Australian.
“I expected to play a smaller role in my first year and maybe get more of an opportunity next year,” Ogilvy said. “So it’s been great to come over here and have this kind of success.”
Ogilvy averages 6.8 rebounds (a team best and ninth in the SEC) per game. Ogilvy also boasts the conference’s fifth best scoring average of 18.5 points per game – a statistic sometimes overshadowed by senior teammate Shan Foster’s SEC second-best 19.5 points per game.
“With [Foster] on the perimeter, it opens up the inside a lot for me,” Ogilvy said. “Some teams are less willing to leave him open on the perimeter because if they come double me in the post, then we can move the ball and get [Foster] some shots.”
Alabama freshman guard Rico Pickett is also benefitting off the presence of veteran teammates en route to a team-best 3.7 assists per game.
“It makes my job easy,” Pickett said. “When I can get it to them, it takes a lot of pressure off being a freshman point guard.”
Pickett, who grew up in Decatur, Ala., is enjoying the opportunity to play with and against older players he’s watched in recent years.
“It’s challenging, and it’s a lot harder because most of them are upperclassmen,” Pickett said. “But it’s fun playing against guys like that. It makes good competition and good games.”
Two other players having impressive freshman campaigns are Florida guard Nick Calathes and Kentucky forward Patrick Patterson.
Calathes’ 16.0 points, 1.5 steals and SEC-leading 5.9 assists per game are all team bests. He also chips in 4.9 rebounds per game – third-best for the Gators.
In Lexington, Ky., Patterson is arguably having the best all-around season of any SEC freshman.
Patterson’s 17.1 points, 8.1 rebounds, 1.5 blocks and 1.1 steals per game are all Wildcat bests, and his point, rebound and block numbers are all top-10 in the SEC.
“I think maybe the freshmen are starting to have more of an impact because some players are only staying two years, so you end up with less seniors and juniors on each team,” Ogilvy said.
—-Contact Jerit Roser at [email protected]