By Neil Schmidt
The Cincinnati Enquirer

TOURNAMENT TIME

• Bearcats, Wildcats pad resumes • Huggins miffed by No.3 seed • UK marches into SEC play on roll TOURNAMENT PREVIEWS & BRACKETS • C-USA: A favorite? Try any of the five champs • A-10: Road to title goes through Saint Joseph's • SEC: UK, Miss. State fight for top seed • MAC: Western Michigan should take lone bid

Team to beat

Can't pick one. It's a dead heat between Kentucky and Mississippi State. All that separates them is one spot in the RPI (UK is third, MSU fourth) and - in their lone meeting - one point on an Erik Daniels tip-in at the buzzer. "Kentucky-Mississippi State, Mississippi State-Kentucky, whatever order, they are 1 and 1A, the co-favorites," South Carolina coach Dave Odom said last week.

Dark horse

Florida. The enigmatic Gators (18-9), ranked No. 1 early this season, banded together after swingman Christian Drejer left to win four consecutive games. But their youth may prove their undoing.

Most to prove

South Carolina. The Gamecocks (21-9) stood No. 45 Sunday in the RPI, and would seem to be seventh among the SEC teams vying for an NCAA Tournament bid. The league has never gotten seven teams into the NCAAs. South Carolina has lost six of its last eight games, so it will need at least one victory to stay on the bubble.

Toughest draw

Tennessee. If it could upset a hot Alabama team, it would still have to conceivably beat Florida, MSU and UK in succession to win the tournament. Only twice has this tourney been won by a team playing four games in four days.

Weakest draw

UK. This is debatable, because its first game might be against a Georgia team that swept it in the regular season. Yet a semifinal matchup would be against one of three slumping teams - Louisiana State, South Carolina or Arkansas - and UK would get the maximum amount of rest between games.

Most likely MVP

Lawrence Roberts. MSU's 6-foot-9 junior center, a transfer from Baylor, is the main reason a team with just one returning starter is challenging for a No. 1 seed in the NCAAs. He averages 17.1 points and 10.5 rebounds.

Player on the spot

Rashad Wright. The Georgia point guard will need to be steady for a team that has had ballhandling problems. The Bulldogs (15-12), at No. 51 in the RPI, would have a heck of an argument for the NCAAs if they could beat UK for a third time, to go with victories over Georgia Tech and Florida.

Ticket information

At Georgia Dome. Call (404) 223-8200.