John Clay's Sidelines

(AP photo/Phil Sandlin)

SEC basketball from Saturday:

Kevin Brockway of Gainesville Sun on Floriday’s 69-57 win over Mississippi State:

Florida is proving during its current five-game winning streak that it can win games in different ways.

On an afternoon when leading scorer Kenny Boynton was held to just 2 points and the Gators were badly out-rebounded (34-26), No. 14 Florida still had more than enough to beat No. 18 Mississippi State 69-57 at the O’Connell Center.

Rachel George of the Orlando Sentinel on the Florida win:

The Gators pushed the pace throughout the game to help contain Mississippi State guard Dee Bost, who ranks fifth in the SEC in scoring with 16.0 points per game. It allowed UF to take advantage of the Bulldogs’ short bench, with MSU (17-5, 4-3) using seven players. Bost and Arnett Moultrie each scored 12.

“The game couldn’t be played where we were running and getting up and down the floor when he wanted to,” Donovan said. “We needed to get up and down the floor.”

Brandon Marcello of the Clarion-Ledger on the State loss:

State was within striking distance for most of the game. The Bulldogs out-rebounded the Gators 34-26 and attempted 14 free throws to the Gators’ seven (their first made free throw came with 1:13 remaining).

State was 8-for-14 at the free throw line.

“When you’re on the road fighting against a real quality team like Florida, you have to take advantage of all those situations,” Stansbury said. “You’ve got to go to the free throw line, knock down free throws. And you all know we didn’t do that consistently, the way you have to do on the road.”

Mike Griffith of the Knoxville News-Sentinel on Tennessee’s 64-49 win over Auburn:

The Vols won despite shooting a season-worst 34.5 percent from the field, hitting as many shots from the free-throw line (20 of 25) as they did from the floor (20 of 58).

UT’s 53 rebounds were a season-high, and the Vols forced the Tigers into the worst shooting night by an opponent (30.4) this season, blocking a season-high eight shots along the way.

Evan Woodbery of the Mobile Press-Register on the Auburn loss:

Auburn shot only 30 percent and limped through an embarrassing first half that created an impossibly large hole. Auburn showed bursts of fight in the second half, but could never muster enough offense to cut the lead to fewer than 9.

“If we could have put any kind of pressure on them, then it’s anybody’s game,” Barbee said. “But our offense held us back from being able to really see what they’re made of…It’s just disappointing. Offense is about confidence, about a belief in yourself, and we don’t play with that individually a lot. It’s hard to win when your offense holds you back like it does.”

Hugh Kellenberger of the Clarion-Ledger on Ole Miss’ 66-62 win over South Carolina:

Terrance Henry’s 3-pointer from the corner with 17.5 seconds remaining sealed a 66-62 victory for the Rebels at home against the Gamecocks.

Coming out of a timeout with 24.8 seconds to play, Ole Miss freshman point guard Jarvis Summers drove hard to the rim and created the opportunity.

“Their players were really pushed up (away from the basket) and Jarvis made a great read,” coach Andy Kennedy said. “A strong spin. And when he spun, Terrance’s man supported. T was open, knocked down a big shot.”

Michael Casagrande of the Anniston Star on Alabama’s 72-66 win over Arkansas:

Struggling veterans Tony Mitchell and JaMychal Green broke out of their own respective downturns to spark the final surge against the Razorbacks. The top two offensive threats scored seven straight points late in the second half to give Alabama the lead for good.

Green had 10 of his 14 after halftime while Trevor Releford had a game-high 18. Mitchell chipped in 11 and Andrew Steele came off the bench to score a career-high 11 and dish out six assists — a season high for any Alabama player.

Jeff Lockridge of the Tennessean on Vandy’s 84-77 win over MTSU:

His signature shot is the 3-pointer, but Vanderbilt guard John Jenkins continues to show he can beat opponents off the dribble.

The junior scored the last 10 of his game-high 26 points by driving to the basket, and the Commodores closed strong to hold off upset-minded Middle Tennessee State 84-77 on Saturday at Memorial Gym.

“It was just kind of Jenkins’ day,” MTSU Coach Kermit Davis said. “I didn’t think we overplayed him. He just went off the dribble.”

David Climer of the Tennessean on the Vandy win:

Granted, the Commodores will not be safe at home when the NCAA bracket is filled. Be that as it may, the fact that Vanderbilt “gutted it out,” to quote Coach Kevin Stallings, against a quality nonconference opponent that had nothing to lose is noteworthy. Perhaps it’s an indication that the Commodores will not succumb yet again to March Badness.

And let’s face it: That is the elephant in the room where Commodores basketball is concerned. For all the good things Stallings has done in the past nine years of his 13-year tenure at Vanderbilt, those quick postseason exits have left a mark.