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6A Thursday, March 8, 2007 | The Red a Black Men ranked No. 5 going into SEC tournament Eastern division teams 1. Florida Record: 26-5, 13-3 SEC Record iJist 10 Games: 7-3 RPI: 9 Key Players: Joakim Noah (12.2 ppg, 8.1 reb), A1 Horford (13.1 ppg, 8.9 reb) Note: Florida was domi nant for most of the season, but the Gators have lost three out of their last five games. T 2. Tennessee Record. 22-9, 10-6 Record Last 10 Games: 8-2 RPI 6 Key Players: Chris Lofton (20.6 ppg), JaJuan Smith (15.3 ppg) Note: Tennessee may be the hottest team heading into the SEC Tournament as they have won four games straight, including a 10-point win over Florida. With Chris Lofton healthy again, the Volunteers are playing its best basketball this season. 3. Vanderbilt Record: 20-10, 10-6 Record Last 10 Games: 6-4 RPI: 36 Key Players: Derrick Byars (16.9 ppg, 3.3 ast), Shan Foster (15.5 ppg) Note: The Commodores have been streaky down the stretch, defeating then-No.l Florida but later losing to Mississippi State in Starkville and to Arkansas at home. Dogs lose ‘lights out’ game to Owls By JAMIE CWALINSKI jcwalinsk@randb.com A bizarre electrical power outage delayed last night’s baseball game for 21 minutes. A separate power outage at the plate stalled the Diamond Dogs' offense for the entire evening. As has been the case more often than not this season, Georgia’s anemic offense failed to support a strong effort on the mound as the team fell to Kennesaw State, 3-2. The Diamond Dogs (4-8) managed to put two across in the seventh to slice the Owls' lead to one, but the team continued to leave the tying and go-ahead Club wrestlers head to championship By NATHAN POWELL For the Red & Black Five Georgia wrestlers left for Dallas before sunrise on Wednesday to compete in the National Collegiate Wrestling Association National Championship. Jordee Williford, Clint Casteel, Shane Anderson, Mike DeNoia and Mark Feeley will represent the University club wrestling team at the championship that starts today and runs through Saturday. They will compete with 333 wrestlers from 68 col leges and universities all over Lemon returns to practice after losing mother By MEGAN HARRISON mharrison@randb.com In shorts and a practice Jersey for the first time this year, defensive lineman Michael Lemon returned to football practice Wednesday. The redshirt freshman, from Lizella, lost his mother, Phada LaDon Hollingshed Lemon, in February and has been dealing with the loss since then. Lemon returned to school Wednesday. "I’m Just trying to focus on something else," Lemon said. 4. Kentucky Record: 20-10, 9-7 Record Last 10 Games: 5-5 RPI: 12 Key Players: Randolph Morris (15.3 ppg, 7.3 reb), Ramel Bradley (14.1 ppg) Note: A strong RPI helps Tubby Smith and Kentucky’s dancing hopes as the Wildcats have lost five out of the last seven games. e 5. Georgia Record: 17-12, 8-8 Record Last 10 Games: 4-6 RPI: 61 Key Players: Takais Brown (14 ppg, 15.6 reb), Levi Stukes (12.1 ppg) Note: The Bulldogs will need to make a deep run in the SEC tournament if they want to play the NCAA Tournament. Georgia unlike last season is guaranteed at least an NIT birth. 6. South Carolina Record: 14-15, 4-12 Record Last 10 Games: 2-8 RPI 101 Key Players: Tre Kelley <19.1 ppg). Brandon Wallace (9.7 ppg, 9.2 reb) Note: Barring a miracu lous SEC tournament, the defending NIT champions likely will miss out on the “nation s oldest postseason collegiate basketball tourna ment.” Jason Butt runners stranded. Georgia left 12 men on base, including six in scoring position “We're still trying to figure it out,” head coach David Pemo said. "We've got one guy hitting over .300 (Jonathan Wyatt) and we're trying to stretch the lineup to keep him (in that spot).” The game was delayed by 21 minutes when half of the lights and the PA system at Foley Field fell victim to a neighborhood power out age Closer - turned - starter Joshua Fields and three reliever were lights out early, shutting out Kennesaw State (8-6) through the first five innings on just two hits. the country, according to the pre-tournament bracket. The National Championship in Dallas wUI take place in the Garland Special Events Center, which holds around 7,500 people. The Coliseum holds 10,523. For senior wrestlers Casteel and Williford, this tournament will end long and successful careers. This might cause some to reflect fondly on the past. Casteel got anew haircut. Sporting a mullet with shaved stripes on the sides, Casteel grinned and bounced on his toes before his last practice on Tuesday. He said he plans to stay at the University unless he must change plans to help his fami ly. According to head coach Mark Richt, Lemon is doing well and working hard on the field and in the classroom. “It looks like he is going to be able to salvage this semes ter and maybe even thrive.” Richt said, adding that pro fessors are helping Lemon at this time. "The busier you are, the less you have time to dwell on the sadness,” Richt said of the time Lemon spends on Western division teams 1. Mississippi State Record: 17-12, 8-8 SEC Record Last 10 Games: 6-4 RPI: 65 Key Players: Jamont Gordon (16.8 ppg, 7.2 rpg), Charles Rhodes (13.6 ppg) Note: Gordon, a 6-foot-4- inch, 225 pound point guard, and Rhodes, a 6-foot-8-inch, 240 pound forward, give MSU plenty of size inside and out. TEAM Ml I OU’Miss | 1 f 1,,1i 2. Ole Miss Record: 19-11 (8-8) Record Last 10 Games: 6-4 RPI: 62 Key Players: Clarence Sanders* 16.5 ppg) Todd Abemethy(lo.9 ppg, 5.8 apg) Note: Coach Andy Kennedy guided Ole Miss to an opening round bye in his first season with the pro gram. The Rebels are led by a trio of seniors in the back court: Bam Doyne, Sanders and Abernethy. ♦ 3. Arkansas Record: 18-12, 7-9 Record Last 10 Games: 5-5 RPI: 49 Key Player: Patrick Beverley (14.3 ppg, 4 4 rpg) Note: The Razorbacks beat Mississippi State and Vanderbilt to lock up the third seed in the West. Beverley, the high-scoring freshman, has emerged as the Hogs number one option on offense. Then the lights went out, curbing Georgia's momen tum. The Owls came out swing ing after the delay, putting two on what was left of the scoreboard against Nick Montgomery on two hits, an error and a hit batter. Citing that all three of Kennesaw’s runs were unearned. Pemo was pleased with his seven-man attack on the hill. "Obviously, we gave up no earned runs, so we must have done something right,” he said. “Everyone's fighting for innings, and I'm proud of all of them." Three of Georgia’s losses on its current four-game skid have come by one run. Asked if he was excited about the tournament, he said, “Yeah, I’m pumped." Head coach Mike Kemling said of the tournament, “It means a lot, not just for their personal goals, but also for the sport in Georgia as a whole.” Georgia wrestling has made annual trips to nation als over the years. Kemling has sent at least three wrestlers to the tourna ment in the past four sea sons. This year's group of five is the second-largest group ever to have gone to a tourna ment. the field and in classes. Lemon said he was taught by his mother to be responsi ble and watch out for his younger brother, Marquez, 15, from a young age, so the extra care is not something he is pressured about. “I think he has a lot of comfort in knowing Marquez, his younger brother, is back in school,” Richt said. However, with the already huge changes in their lives, Lemon said his younger brother will remain in Lizella and not come live with him. SPORTS 4. Auburn Record: 17-14, 7-9 Record Last 10 Games: 4-6 RPI: 103 Key Player: Josh Dollard (12.5 ppg, 6 7 rpg) Note: Auburn had its first winning record of Jeff Lebo's three-year stint as head coach. The Tigers feature no seniors and have no starters taller than 6-foot-7. 5. Alabama Record: 20-10, 7-9 Record Last 10 Games: 5-5 RPI: 42 Key Players: Richard Hendrix (14.6 ppg, 8.8 rpg), Jermareo Davidson (14.2 ppg, 8.4 rpg, 2.36 bpg) Note: Alabama limped to a disappointing record in the conference. The Crimson Tide's success in the tourna ment hinges on the availabili ty of point guard Ronald Steele (tendinitis in knee). 6 LSU Record 16-14. 5-11 Record Last 10 Games. 3-7 RPI: 93 Key Players: Glen Davis (17.8 ppg, 10.4 rpg). Tasmin Mitchell, So. F- 14.7 ppg, 6.0 rpg Note: The Tigers are 1-9 on the road this season and tied for first in SEC in scor ing defense (62.0 ppg). At neutral sites LSU is 1-1. Lawrence Conneff L6i LIVING HHHgy jffp v-'"'.J > "••• m hmk m The Lodge of Athens IWftirltjSmn I (EE IK otrik* 9 www.ihfilodgfiflffl'thfi nf.cflM Experience great for former walk-on By JOSH MOYNIHAN For The Red & Black While only playing in six games over a two-year span and scoring a total of two points, one former walk-on mens basketball player has become one of the team's biggest fans. Sam Greavu, of Gainesville, came to the University in the fall of 2004 looking to earn a spot on the men's basketball team. He made the team and joined the family that is Georgia basketball. His most memorable moment came during his freshman year. After begin ning conference play with four straight losses, the team beat Vanderbilt. The win was memorable especially because a player had skipped class earlier in the week, causing the team to be up at 6 a.m. the next morning to run. "We were all really excit ed about the win, and we tried to reason getting out of running in the post-game talk. But Coach Felton was not letting that happen,” Greavu said. The team finished Greavu's freshman year 8- 20, but rebounded his soph omore year 15-15. Despite its .500 record during Greavu’s sophomore year, the team was not invit ed to a postseason tourna ment, which Greavu men tioned as his biggest disap pointment. Greavu's playing days would end after the 2005-06 season, and his experience with the team shifted from the court to the stands. Greavu has made all but one of the'Bulldogs’ home games this year and consid ers himself “one of their biggest fans.” Even though this year’s team went 8-8 in conference play, Greavu likes the team's chances in the SEC Tournament, which starts today. "Even without Mercer, I believe the team can take on any team in the SEC,” Greavu said. No matter what happens this season, Greavu believes ijji V jfe Wmm. iHk, SPECIAL PHOTO I Th Kid * Bi.aci ▲ Sam Greavu, of Gainesville, played for the Georgia basketball team 2004-2006 and now con siders himself one of the Bulldogs’ biggest fans. MEN’S BASKETBALL Georgia (17-12, 8-8 SEC) vs. Auburn (17-14,7-9) When 7:30 tonight Where Georgia Dome Atlanta TV: Lincoln Financial Sports Radio: WSB-AM 750 and WPUP-FM 103.7 the team is headed in the right direction. “I think Coach Felton knows where he is going.” Greavu said. Fans can look at the team’s record over the past few years to see the direc tion the team is going. The Bulldogs already have more than doubled their win total from two years ago. “Within the next few years, I believe Georgia bas ketball is going to be a feared team in the SEC,” Greavu said. As for Greavu’s own future, he plans to graduate with a degree in exercise sci ence and enter the field of physical therapy. He still plays a little pick up basketball with friends and high school teammates sometimes, but school is Greavu’s top priority. Greavu warns future players attempting to walk on to be aware of severe time constraints. “It is a lot harder than most people think," Greavu said.