SEC Men's Basketball Tournament: team-by-team outlook
The SEC Men’s Basketball Tournament tips off in Nashville Wednesday night.
For the upper echelon of the league, which includes defending regular season champion Tennessee, the five-day event is more of a primer for the NCAA Tournament next week. For the rest of the league, it is a chance to improve seeding and even clinch a spot in the big dance.
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A few of those teams will get the tournament started at Bridgestone Arena later tonight with Vanderbilt and Arkansas tipping off at 7 p.m. ET and Missouri and Georgia facing off in the night cap at around 9:30 p.m. ET.
Two of those four teams will move on to Thursday to play South Carolina and Florida while Ole Miss and Texas A&M meet in a battle of two teams that started strong but faltered by the end of the season. Mississippi State and LSU, who were neck-and-neck for the 8-seed heading into the final weekend of the regular season, will clash in the early game.
The top four seeds will make their tournament debuts on Friday as Tennessee, Kentucky, Alabama and Auburn will get automatic berths in the quarterfinals and chance to reach the semifinals on Saturday.
The tournament will conclude with the championship game on Sunday at 1 p.m. ET on ESPN.
Here is a team-by-team outlook.
1-seed Tennessee
Overall record: 24-7
vs. SEC: 14-4
Key players: guard Dalton Knecht (21.4 ppg), guard Zakai Zeigler (6.0 apg), forward Jonas Aidoo (7.6 rpg)
Up next: plays Game 3 winner at 1 p.m. ET on Friday (ESPN)
Outlook: Tennessee wrapped up the SEC title last week, its first outright championship in 16 years but following it up with a strong showing in Nashville could potentially help its chances at getting one of the four 1-seeds in the NCAA Tournament. The Vols have a good shot to win their second SEC Tournament in three years and are poised for a deep run in the NCAA Tournament behind SEC Player of the Year Dalton Knecht and a strong support cast that includes the league's defensive player of the year in Zakai Zeigler and All-SEC First Team selection Jonas Aidoo.
2-seed Kentucky
Overall record: 23-8
vs. SEC: 13-5
Key players: guard Antonio Reeves (20.2 ppg), Reed Sheppard (4.5 apg), forward Tre Mitchell (6.9 rpg)
Up next: plays Game 5 winner at 8 p.m. ET on Friday (SEC Network)
Outlook: Kentucky is riding a wave of momentum into the postseason. The Wildcats, who feature one of the top offenses in college basketball, were struggling through the middle part of SEC play because of their defense but closed out the season winning seven of their last eight games, including five-straight. Paced by Antonio Reeves, Kentucky has five players averaging double scoring figures, including SEC Sixth-Man of the Year Rob Dillingham (15.0) and SEC Freshman of the Year Reed Sheppard (12.7).
3-seed Alabama
Overall record: 21-10
vs. SEC: 13-5
Key players: guard Mark Sears (21.1 ppg), guard Aaron Estrada (4.5 apg), forward Grant Nelson (5.7 rpg)
Up next: plays Game 6 winner at 10:30 p.m. ET on Friday (SEC Network)
Outlook: Alabama won both the SEC regular season and tournament championship last season and were position to repeat in the regular season again but losses to Tennessee and Florida down the stretch knocked the Crimson Tide out of contention. Alabama has the talent to get to Sunday for the second-straight year, spearheaded by All-SEC First Team guard Mark Sears who has scored 20-plus points in 13 of his last 14 games. Having Latrell Wrightsell Jr. back should help, too. The Crimson Tide went 2-2 late in the season while Wrightsell was out with an injury. They are 9-0 when he scores in double figures.
4-seed Auburn
Overall record: 24-7
vs. SEC: 13-5
Key players: forward Johni Broome (16.3 ppg), forward Jaylin Williams (12.9 ppg), guard Tre Donaldson (3.2 apg)
Up next: plays Game 4 winner at 3:30 p.m. ET on Friday (ESPN)
Outlook: Another team that was in contention for first place in the final SEC standings near the end of the regular season, Auburn closed out its last three games in relative comfort. A second half lead, along with its chances at winning the league, slipped away at Tennessee on Feb. 28. The Tigers feature one of the best bigs in the conference in 6-foot-10 forward Johni Broome. The All-SEC First Team selection leads the team in scoring, rebounding and blocks.
5-seed South Carolina
Overall record: 25-6
vs. SEC: 13-5
Key players: guard Meechie Johnson (14.4 ppg), guard Ta'Lon Cooper (4.3 apg), forward Collin Murray-Boyles (5.7 rpg)
Up next: plays Game 1 winner at 3:30 p.m. ET on Thursday (SEC Network)
Outlook: South Carolina probably had the best feel-good story of any SEC team this season. The Gamecocks, who won just four conference games last season, had a remarkable turnaround under second-year head coach Lamont Paris. Paris was named SEC Coach of the Year for his efforts as he has South Carolina set for the NCAA Tournament after missing out the previous six years. Meechie Johnson has been one of the catalysts in the Gamecocks' resurgence. He and teammate Ta'Lon Cooper were named to the All-SEC Second Team.
6-seed Florida
Overall record: 21-10
vs. SEC: 11-7
Key players: guard Walter Clayton Jr. (17.0 ppg), guard Zyon Pullin (5.0 apg), forward Tyrese Samuel (7.5 rpg)
Up next: plays winner of Game 2 at 10:30 p.m. ET on Thursday (SEC Network)
Outlook: Speaking of teams that were better than expected, Florida impressed in head coach Todd Golden's second season after reaching the NIT a year ago. The Gators started SEC play 1-3 before winning 10 of their next 13 and even working themselves into an outside chance at winning the league. The group is led by a number of transfer portal additions, including leading scorer Walter Clayton Jr., Zyon Pullin and Tyrese Samuel. A bad loss at Vanderbilt in its last outing though revealed Florida's on-going battle with inconsistency.
7-seed Texas A&M
Overall record: 18-13
vs. SEC: 9-9
Key players: guard Wade Taylor IV (18.0 ppg), guard Tyrece Radford (15.5 ppg), forward Andersson Garcia (9.4 rpg)
Up next: plays 10-seed Ole Miss at 8 p.m. ET on Thursday (SEC Network)
Outlook: Texas A&M looked well on its way from the bubble to a spot in the NCAA Tournament after knocking off Tennessee as part of a three-game win streak in early February. The Aggies followed it up with five-straight losses, though and are now in need of another deep SEC Tournament run. There is potential for that, especially with leading scorer Wade Taylor IV and the league's top rebounder in 6-7 Andersson Garcia and history is on the side of Buzz Williams' team. Texas A&M has reached the championship game in the last two SEC Tournaments.
8-seed LSU
Overall record: 17-14
vs. SEC: 9-9
Key players: guard Jordan Wright (15.1 ppg), guard Trae Hannibal (3.0 apg)
Up next: plays 9-seed Mississippi State at 1 p.m. ET on Thursday (SEC Network)
Outlook: LSU weathered the storm midway through SEC play to get back to .500 heading into the postseason. The Tigers won just one game between Jan. 20 and Feb. 13 but went 5-2 to end the regular season with wins over South Carolina and Kentucky. Vanderbilt transfer Jordan Wright is a big reason for the success. He averaged 15.1 points per game and leads the team in rebounding (5.0) and steals (1.7). Trae Hannibal scored 24 in LSU's 84-80 win at Missouri last Saturday, which clinched the eighth seed over Mississippi State.
9-seed Mississippi State
Overall record: 19-12
vs. SEC: 8-10
Key players: guard Josh Hubbard (16.8 ppg), forward Cameron Mathews (2.9 apg), forward Tolu Smith (8.2 rpg)
Up next: plays 8-seed LSU at 1 p.m. ET on Thursday (SEC Network)
Outlook: Mississippi State had its chances to get a higher seed in the tournament. The Bulldogs went 11-2 in the non-conference but began its SEC slate 2-4. They rattled off a five-game win streak through February but missed on resume-boosting opportunities late, including a home loss to Kentucky at the buzzer and an overtime defeat at South Carolina. Josh Hubbard and Tolu Smith are a good combination, but Mississippi State will need more than that to extend its stay in Nashville.
10-seed Ole Miss
Overall record: 20-11
vs. SEC: 7-11
Key players: guard Matthew Murrell (16.3 ppg), guard Jaylen Murray (4.0 apg), guard Allen Flanigan (6.1 rpg)
Up next: plays 7-seed Texas A&M at 8 p.m. ET on Thursday (SEC Network)
Outlook: Ole Miss couldn't have asked for a better start to first-year head coach Chris Beard's tenure, but SEC play offered a rude awakening. Fresh off of a 13-0 start that catapulted the Rebels into the top 25, they lost eight of their last 10 games to finish four game below .500 in the the league. Matthew Murrell, who leads the team with more than 16 points per game, will look at avenge a loss to Texas A&M just five days after the last meeting between the two teams.
11-seed Georgia
Overall record: 16-15
vs. SEC: 6-12
Key players: guard Noah Thomasson (12.8 ppg), guard Justin Hill (3.3 apg), center Russel Tchewan (6.8 rpg)
Up next: plays 14-seed Missouri at 9:30 p.m. ET on Wednesday (SEC Network)
Outlook: Similar to Ole Miss, Georgia appeared to have turned a corner in Mike White's second season leading the program. The Bulldogs were off to their best start in years and opened SEC play 3-1 with a win over South Carolina and a close loss to Tennessee. It came crashing down after that. Georgia lost six-straight games and then four of its last five.
12-seed Arkansas
Overall record: 15-16
vs. SEC: 6-12
Key players: guard Tramon Mark (16.7 ppg), guard Davonte Davis (2.1 apg), forward Trevon Brazile (5.8 rpg)
Up next: plays 13-seed Vanderbilt at 7 p.m. ET on Wednesday (SEC Network)
Outlook: Arkansas reached the Sweet 16 last season but this year has been a struggle. The Razorbacks were ranked in the top 15 at one point and were picked to finish second in the SEC in the preseason but never found the late-season momentum past Eric Musselman teams have.
13-seed Vanderbilt
Overall record: 9-22
vs. SEC: 4-14
Key players: guard Ezra Manjon (14.2 ppg), guard Tyrin Lawrence (1.4 spg), forward Ven-Allen Lubin (6.2 rpg)
Up next: plays 12-seed Arkansas at 7 p.m. ET on Wednesday (SEC Network)
Outlook: Vanderbilt used the SEC Tournament to make its NCAA Tournament argument before being sent to the NIT last season. Barring a miracle run down the road from their home floor, the Commodores aren't in position for either, though beating Florida last week provided a much-needed morale boost.
14-seed Missouri
Overall record: 8-23
vs. SEC: 0-18
Key players: guard Sean East II (17.9 ppg), forward Noah Carter (4.8 rpg)
Up next: plays 11-seed Georgia at 9:30 p.m. ET on Wednesday (SEC Network)
Outlook: Missouri is coming off of a historic season for all the wrong reasons. This time a year ago, the Tigers were gearing up for the NCAA Tournament. Now, they're trying to win their first game in nearly two and a half months before the curtains close on a forgettable season.
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