Fleser: Kentucky no secret anymore

The Wildcats of coach Mickie DeMoss, the former Tennessee assistant, have been ranked as high as 14th in the preseason national polls.

With the high rankings comes a stronger response from the opposition. DeMoss saw enough of that at Tennessee. She said that her players must see it for themselves.

"You can tell them about it all you want, but the kids have to experience it,'' said DeMoss, last season's SEC coach of the year. "We've tried to simulate that in practice.

"Even if a team is coming after you, you can combat that."

The battle got a little tougher with top reserve Eleia Roddy's season-ending knee injury and top recruit Arnika Brown leaving during summer school.

But this team was long on toughness last season in going 22-9, finishing fourth in the SEC, making the NCAA tournament and forging what DeMoss described as a "belief" in their ability to win. There was no better example than a 66-63 victory over Tennessee on Jan. 26.

Think the Lady Vols might recall that result before the rematch on Feb. 11 in Knoxville? If the Wildcats do, DeMoss believes that it will be for the right reasons.

"I don't think any of my players are living in that game,'' she said at SEC Media Days. "It's in perspective."

Moving On: LSU won't be caught flat-footed without departed SEC and national player of the year Seimone Augustus.

Not after seeing 6-foot-6 junior center Sylvia Fowles in Birmingham, Ala., this week and hearing that she's added three inches to her vertical jump.

Lady Tigers coach Pokey Chatman described Fowles as "scary."

"I say that as a compliment,'' Chatman said. "She understands she can totally dominate a game. She can totally change the complexion of a game on both ends."

In the absence of Augustus, who departed as the school's second all-time leading scorer with 2,702 points, LSU will run its offense through the post and Fowles.

She will have help. Shooting guard Quianna Chaney has lost 18 pounds. Point guard Erica White was a co-captain this summer for the gold medal-winning U.S. under-20 team. Chatman said senior forward Ashley Thomas has increased her shooting range.

"We knew Seimone wasn't going to stay at LSU forever,'' Chatman said. "We have some pieces that can help us meet the challenge."

Tennessee Gators: Six of Florida's players are from the state of Tennessee. The total comprises half of the team's roster.

Although Florida coach Carolyn Peck is from Jefferson City, attended Vanderbilt and was a graduate assistant at Tennessee, she said the Tennessee contingent is not necessarily by design.

"I think it's coincidental,'' she said.

Peck said the Gators were recruiting guard LaToya Bullard of Memphis and Jessica Jackson of Collierville when they saw guard Sha Brooks of Jackson.

What a find Brooks turned out to be, making second-team All-SEC and the league's All-Freshman team last season. She went to Florida without visiting the campus beforehand.

"As you're watching one, you find another one,'' Peck said. "(Tennessee) happened to be where the talent was."

Listening to Brooks this week, it was no coincidence that she matched her career high with 25 points in a 95-93 overtime upset of Tennessee on Feb. 26 in Thompson-Boling Arena.

"I really wanted to beat Tennessee,'' she said, "especially not being recruited by Tennessee."

Recruiting: Top junior prospects Caroline Doty and Alicia Manning paid an unofficial visit to the Lady Vols practice on Saturday. Doty is a 5-foot-10 guard from Fort Washington, Pa. Manning is a 6-1 wing player from Woodstock, Ga.

All In The Conference: Former Vanderbilt guard Katie Antony will play for LSU this season. Guard Lindsey Moss will sit out this season at Georgia after transferring from Tennessee.

Georgia coach Andy Landers said transfers within the conference once were prohibited.

"When the rule changed, I'm not sure people knew the rule changed,'' he said.

Landers thinks such transfers will be the exception rather than the rule.

In the case of Moss, who is from Alpharetta, Ga., Landers said, "When it's all said and done, she wanted to be closer to home."

It's worth noting that Antony is from Anacoco, La.

Notebook: In the hopes of enhancing its NCAA tournament profile, South Carolina has beefed up its non-conference schedule, adding Oklahoma and Stanford. ... If Arkansas plays like it's been practicing, the Lady Razorbacks should be better. "Our drills are five times quicker than they've ever been," Arkansas coach Susie Gardner said. ... Both South Carolina and Vanderbilt are singing the praises of new strength and conditioning coaches. ... Auburn junior college transfer Tamela McCorvey, who was recruited by Tennessee, will start at guard for the Tigers.