ATLANTA — One of the stars of the 1986 LSU Final Four team, Ricky Blanton, will be one of 12 former Southeastern Conference greats making up the 2002 class of the Chick-fil-A SEC Basketball Legends which will be honored at the SEC Men’s Basketball Tournament this week at the Georgia Dome.
Blanton played on the 1986 NCAA Final Four team, the lowest seeded team (11th) to ever reach the Final Four. As a sophomore, he was forced to play center for the Tigers, bulking up in the process, but neutralizing several of the big names in the game. Blanton was an All-SEC selection in 1988 and 1989 and first-team All-Tournament in 1988.
He ranks 12th all-time at LSU in scoring with 1,501 points, averaging 18 points a game over his final two seasons, after sitting out the 1986-87 season with a knee injury. Blanton also ranks 12th all-time at LSU in rebounds.
Each Legend will be recognized at halftime of his institution’s first game at the tournament and will be honored as a group during pregame festivities before the first semifinal game on Saturday.
Joining Blanton as Legends are: Alabama-Leon Douglas; Arkansas-Ron Brewer; Auburn-Bobby Cattage; Florida-Chip Williams; Georgia -Dominique Wilkins; Kentucky-Cotton Nash; Ole Miss-Joe Gibbon; Mississippi State-Jeff Malone; South Carolina-Skip Harlicka; Tennessee-Tony White; Vanderbilt-Roy Skinner.