Of course, it doesn't hurt to have a foundation of great young talent. Donovan knows that, and will go to the ends of the earth (well, New Hampshire, South Dakota and West Virginia, to name a few) to seek that talent.

Some coaches prefer to look in their own backyard. Alabama's Mark Gottfried did just that in filling the Crimson Tide's roster -- Erwin Dudley, Rod Grizzard and Terrance Meade were in-state recruits, and that threesome leads the Tide in most statistical categories.

Arkansas kept Joe Johnson home, LSU found a starter in Torris Bright out of Slidell, La., Chuck Eidson has helped South Carolina bounce back from a disappointing season and Tennessee convinced Ron Slay to come home after he spent time at Oak Hill Academy in Virginia.

Is it the home cooking? Or is it just that the SEC might be the most balanced league top to bottom in college basketball and there isn't really a bad place to play?

We'll take the main dish of competitive balance, but side orders of gumbo and hush puppies just to be sure.

Statistics through Tuesday, Jan. 25.

Player	School	Comment
Keith Bogans	Kentucky	Team's No. 3 scorer at 9.1 ppg
Torris Bright	LSU	10.0 ppg, 4.7 apg as a starter
Erwin Dudley	Alabama	Hauls down team-leading 8.4 rpg
Chuck Eidson	South Carolina	Leads SEC with 3.2 spg
Rod Grizzard	Alabama	11.1 ppg, 5.2 rpg
Donnell Harvey	Florida	11.2 ppg, 7.5 rpg, 57.5% FG
Jon Higgins	Tennessee	18 starts, third on team in mpg
Joe Johnson	Arkansas	Team-leading 15.6 ppg and 5.6 rpg
Terrance Meade	Alabama	Shooting a team-leading 45.3% on 3s
Ron Slay	Tennessee	Bang off the bench: 8.5 ppg, 4.5 rpg