NASHVILLE, Tenn. -- Florida Coach Mike White said it's typical for freshmen who have played a lot of minutes to struggle late in the season.
But it didn't happen to KeVaughn Allen.
Allen, a 6-2 sophomore guard from Little Rock, averaged 13.0 points in the last seven games as a freshman and ended the season with a 22-point game against George Washington in the NIT.
"I was a little bit surprised at how strong KeVaughn finished for us," White said at SEC media days. "I think a lot of freshmen hit that wall three-fourths of the way through the season.
"With him, he played as well in the last three or four weeks of the season as he did all year.
"You've got to tip your hat to how he finished playing a lot more games and going through a lot more practices than he did at the high school level.
"That's another factor in why you have to think he's going to be a very, very good player."
Florida senior guard Kasey Hill said he expects Allen to improve his shooting significantly from his 39.9 percent mark as a freshman, including 31.5 percent on three-point attempts.
"He's shooting the three really, really well right now," Hill said. "I honestly don't remember too many times he's missed in practice since we started in the summer.
"We scrimmaged the other day and he hit six or seven threes. He might have scored 30 points. It was crazy."
Allen, who averaged 12.3 points last season with a high of 32 against Florida State, was picked for the All-SEC second team in a vote by a media panel.
"It doesn't surprise me, but I don't put much into a preseason vote like that," White said. "I'm not sure it means a lot to KeVaughn, either.
"I know KeVaughn and I both hope he's an All-SEC postseason guy as opposed to a preseason guy, and I anticipate he will be. He's shooting the ball better than he ever has and continues to improve every day."
Hill said Allen is popular with his Florida teammates, although he still doesn't say a lot.
"I love playing with KeVaughn," Hill said. "He's a great guy and as a player he's just so smooth, and fast and athletic.
"He can play defense, too. I think that goes unnoticed because of the way he scores."
Glasper out
Arkansas freshman guard RJ Glasper, a walk-on from Forrest City, isn't practicing and may need to undergo surgery, Razorbacks Coach Mike Anderson said.
"He tried to come back and he hurt his shoulder again," Anderson said. "So it looks like he's going to be out for a while."
Gary & Joe
Texas A&M Coach Gary Blair and UALR Coach Joe Foley -- both Arkansas Sports Hall of Fame inductees -- will have their women's teams meet for the third consecutive year when the Aggies play the Trojans on Nov. 23 at the Jack Stephens Center in Little Rock.
That's the night before Thanksgiving.
"I'm looking forward to the game," said Blair, who coached Arkansas for 10 years and is going into his 14th season at Texas A&M. "Hopefully, a lot of high school kids that won't be playing that night will come out and we can fill up that arena."
Texas A&M beat UALR 69-39 in College Station, Texas, last season after the Trojans beat the Aggies 69-60 in a first-round 2015 NCAA Tournament game in Tempe, Ariz.
"That one meant a whole lot more," Blair said of the postseason matchup.
Blair and Foley have a combined 1,455 victories -- 735 for Blair and 720 for Foley.
"Joe's one of the most underrated coaches in the game, by far," Blair said. "He does all the little things right on the practice floor before you get to the game floor. That's what makes him so good.
"Most of the kids he recruits you haven't heard of before, but he develops kids."
Willis at the point
Payton Willis, a 6-4 freshman from Fayetteville, figures into Vanderbilt's playing rotation this season, Commodores Coach Bryce Drew said.
"We only have 10 scholarship players and Payton's one of a couple guys that can play the point, so we're going to need him," Drew said. "He's doing well and working hard in practice and getting used to college life.
"He's done a really good job with the ball with his decision-making, and he's a bigger guard and uses his height very well."
Nickname for Jackson?
Texas A&M Coach Gary Blair said Aahilyah Jackson, a 5-10 freshman from Fort Smith Northside, is practicing at shooting guard and small forward for the Aggies.
"She's got a nose for the ball and plays hard," Blair said. "She's everywhere she's supposed to be."
Jackson averaged 18.7 points and 8.3 rebounds as a senior for the Lady Bears.
"She comes from a great high school program at Northside and she's one of those 'yes sir, no sir' type kids that you just love coaching," Blair said. "She's the only one out there that doesn't have a nickname yet, so I've got to figure out something for her."
Sports on 10/21/2016