e SEi
1996-97 Final SEC Standings
EASTERN DIVISION
	SEC	Pet.	All	Pet.	Post		SEC	Pet.	All	Pet.
*South Carolina	15-1	.938	24-8	.750	NCAA (0-1)	** Ole Miss	11-5	.688	20-9	.690
^Kentucky	13-3	.813	35-5	.875	Final Four (5-1)	Arkansas		.500	18-14	.563
Georgia	10-6	.625	24-9	.727	NCAA (0-1)	Alabama	6-10	.375	17-14	.548
Vanderbilt	9-7	.563	19-12	.613	NCAA (0-1)	Auburn	6-10	.375	16-15	.516
Florida	5-11	.313	13-17	.433		Mississippi State	6-10	.375	12-18	.400
Tennessee	4-12	.250	11-16	.407		LSU	3-13	.188	10-20	.333
SEC Champion, SEC Eastern Division Champion						** Western Division Champion				
# SEC Tournament Champion
WESTERN DIVISION
Posl
NCAA (0-1 NIT (3-2)
SEC TOURNAMENT RESULTS
March 6-9, 1997 - Memphis, Tenn. Thursday, March 6
(E4) Vanderbilt 73. (W5) Miss. State 67 (W4) Alabama 80, (E5) Florida 66 (W3) Auburn 67, (E6) Tennessee 54 (E3) Georgia 75, (W6) LSU 54 Friday, March 7 (Wl) Ole Miss 64, Vanderbilt 62 (El) South Carolina 72, Alabama 61 (E2) Kentucky 92, Auburn 50 Georgia 65, (W2) Arkansas 63 Saturday, .March 8 Kentucky 88, Ole Miss 70 Georgia 78, South Carolina 6.3 Sunday, March 9 Kentucky 95, Geotgia 68
SEC ALL-TOURNAMENT TEAM
Kentucky sophomore Ron Mercer was named the SEC Tournament MVP atter scoring 60 points, grabbing 18 rebounds and shooting 58.0 percent from the field in three games en route to the Wildcats' 20tn league tournament title. He was one ot thtee Wildcats to earn all-tournament team honors, joining teammates Jated Ptickett and Anthony Epps. Ole Miss' Ansu Sesay and Georgia's Ray Harrison also were selected to the team.
SEC LEADS NCAA
Despite four first-round losses by SEC teams in the 1997 NCAA Tournament, the league leads all conferences in winning percentage over the past fout yeats in the tournament. SEC teams have a 42-16 record for a winning percentage of 72.4 petcent. During the stretch, Kentucky is 15-3 in the postseason to lead the league with an 83.3
winning percentage.	
Conference	NCAA 4-Year Record
l.SEC	42-16 (.724)
2. Big East	31-19 (.620)
3.Pac-10	29-17 (.630)
4.ACC	34-22 (.607)
5. Big 12	30-22 (.577)
SEC DOMINATES FINAL FOUR
For the past five yeats, the SEC has posted more Final Fout appearances than any other conference. With multiple entties in 1994 and 1996, seven SEC teams have advanced to the Final Four since 1993. Kentucky has made thtee appearances during the five-yeat period.
Conference Teams
SEC 7
ACC 4
Pac-10 3
Big Ten 2
Big 12 2
MERCER TOPS ALL-SEC HONORS
Ron Mercer was selected as the SEC's Playet of the Year for 1997 by The Associated Press and the Coaches Poll.
Injured teammate Derek Anderson was a thitd-team pick by the AP, the only other Wildcat to make the vote of sportswriters and broadcasters. Anderson was a second-team selection in the Coaches Poll and Anthony Epps was a thitd-team pick.
Mercer finished the regular season as the SEC's leading scorer, averaging 18.3 ppg. Anderson, who suffered a season-ending knee injury on Jan. 18, had led the league in scoting prior to his injuty, averaging 18.6 ppg.
Alabama and South Carolina also placed three individuals among the 18 selections. Kentucky has now had back-to-back Players of the Yeat. In 1996, Tony Delk won the honor
THE AP POLL
First Team
Ron Mercer, Kentucky
BJ McKie, South Carolina Larry Davis, South Carolina Melvin Watson, South Carolina Ansu Sesay, Ole Miss
Second Team
Hotatio Webster, Miss. State Duane Spencet, LSU Brandon Wharton, Tennessee Pax Whitehead, Vandetbilt Etic Washington, Alabama
Third Team
Michael Chadwick, Georgia Derek Hood, Arkansas Derek Anderson, Kentucky Pat Bradley, Arkansas Ray Harrison, Georgia
Player of the Year: Ron Mercer, Kentucky
Coach of the Yeat: Rob Evans, Ole Miss Newcomer of the Year: Horatio Webster, MSU
THE COACHES POLL
First Team
Ron Mercer, Kentucky (unanimous) Etic Washington, Alabama Ansu Sesay, Ole Miss BJ McKie, South Carolina Larry Davis, South Carolina
Second Team
Derek Anderson, Kentucky
Michael Chadwick, Geotgia Duane Spencet, LSU Horatio Webstet, Miss. State Melvin Watson, South Carolina Brandon Wharton, Tennessee Pax Whitehead, Vandetbilt
Third Team
Anthony Epps, Kentucky Brian Williams, Alabama Demetrius Alexander, Alabama Derek Hood, Arkansas Pat Bradley, Arkansas Greg Stolt, Flotida