CBB Review prepares you for every conference tournament leading up to Selection Sunday on Mar. 16. Up next: The SEC Tournament.
The SEC is having one of the better seasons from a conference in recent memory. Per various proclaimed experts on brackets, they’re sending anywhere between 11 teams and 14 teams to the tournament.
2025 SEC Awards
Player of the Year: Johni Broome, Auburn
Freshman of the Year: Tre Johnson, Texas
Transfer of the Year: Chaz Lanier, Tennessee
Coach of the Year: Todd Golden, Florida
First Team:
- G: Mark Sears, Alabama (19.2 PPG, 5.0 APG, 3.1 RPG, 84.8 FT%)
- G: Walter Clayton Jr., Florida (17.2 PPG, 4.3 APG, 3.8 RPG, 1.2 SPG)
- G: Tre Johnson, Texas (20.2 PPG, 3.2 RPG, 2.8 APG, 39.5 3P%)
- F: Collin Murray-Boyles, South Carolina (16.7 PPG, 8.1 RPG, 2.4 APG, 1.5 BPG, 1.4 SPG)
- F: Johni Broome, Auburn (18.6 PPG, 10.6 RPG, 3.3 APG, 2.4 BPG)
Second Team:
- G: Zakai Zeigler, Tennessee (13.1 PPG, 7.5 APG, 3.0 RPG, 1.9 SPG)
- G: Josh Hubbard, Mississippi State (18.3 PPG, 3.3 APG, 2.3 RPG, 88.5 FT%)
- G: Jeremiah Fears, Oklahoma (16.3 PPG, 4.2 APG, 4.1 RPG, 1.5 SPG)
- G: Chaz Lanier, Tennessee (17.9 PPG, 3.9 RPG, 1.0 APG, 40.5 3P%)
- G: Otega Oweh, Kentucky (16.2 PPG, 4.6 RPG, 1.6 APG, 1.5 SPG)
2025 SEC Tournament Simulation
First Round – Wed., Mar. 12
9. Arkansas (19-12, 8-10) vs. 16. South Carolina (12-19, 2-16) – 1 p.m. EST on SECN
Despite these teams’ respective records, chaos happened last time South Carolina and Arkansas met. The Razorbacks posted arguably the worst half by an SEC team, putting up 14 points in the first 20 minutes against the Gamecocks in Columbia. South Carolina ended up winning by 19, but at one point led by 35. It’s hard to sit here and predict an Arkansas win while knowing how poorly they played just a few weeks ago against this same team. If the Hogs lose, does that knock them out of the tournament?
George’s pick: 16. South Carolina
12. Vanderbilt (20-11, 8-10) vs. 13. Texas (17-14, 6-12) – 3:30 p.m. EST on SECN
Neither of these teams enter the tournament with much momentum, with Vanderbilt having lost to Arkansas and Georgia in their past two games and Texas sporting a 1-4 record in their past five contests. Credit goes to Mark Byington for (almost certainly) getting the Vandy program back to the NCAA tournament in his first year in Nashville. And for as good as Tre Johnson is, the ‘Dores having a sort of home-court advantage should give Vanderbilt the edge in this first round matchup.
George’s pick: 12. Vanderbilt
10. Mississippi State (20-11, 8-10) vs. 15. LSU (14-17, 3-15) – 7 p.m. EST on SECN
LSU is the only team in the SEC without a single ranked win this season. Even South Carolina took down Clemson back in the non-conference portion of the schedule. Could the Tigers pick up their biggest win of the season in Game No. 32? It’s unlikely. And despite the Bulldogs entering the SEC tournament with a 1-4 record over their past five games and giving up an average of 90.6 PPG in that span, that one victory was against LSU. I don’t see the Tigers pulling off the upset, though crazier things have happened in Nashville.
George’s pick: 10. Mississippi State
11. Georgia (20-11, 8-10) vs. 14. Oklahoma (19-12, 6-12) – 9:30 p.m. EST on SECN
Georgia is quietly playing very good basketball as of late. They’ve won four in a row, including snapping Florida’s six-game winning streak. Oklahoma isn’t playing as well, but they’re certainly not bad. The Sooners have a first round talent in Jeremiah Fears, but so do Mike White and Georgia, with Asa Newell. These two teams aren’t all too different, but the momentum goes to Georgia here.
George’s pick: 11. Georgia
Second round – Thur., Mar. 13
8. Ole Miss (21-10, 10-8) vs. 16. South Carolina – 1 p.m. EST on SECN
South Carolina was up on the Rebels with under three minutes to go the last time these two teams met. Ole Miss, however, came away with the victory. Here’s to say that doesn’t happen again. There has been three instances (vs. Tennessee, Kentucky, Alabama) where the Rebels have looked like a top-tier team. The other 90% of the season, they’ve looked akin to a team on the bubble. South Carolina continues their run.
George’s pick: 16. South Carolina
5. Texas A&M (22-9, 11-7) vs. 12. Vanderbilt – 3:30 p.m. EST on SECN
Every second round game is a good one. But this might be the best. The ‘Dores are better than their 8-10 conference record suggests, while the Aggies have fallen victim to poor shooting lately, besides a huge win against Auburn. Last time the two teams met, Vanderbilt shocked A&M in College Station. Now, the two teams are in Nashville. Can the ‘Dores make magic twice? Wade Taylor IV says no.
George’s pick: 5. Texas A&M
7. Missouri (21-10, 10-8) vs. 10. Mississippi State – 7 p.m. EST on SECN
These two teams are both 1-4 in their past five games. So something has to give, right? And in times of uncertainty, we’ve got to look at past results. Missouri whooped the Bulldogs by 27 points, 88-61, in the regular season. Even Josh Hubbard’s 24 points couldn’t hold back a Tigers offense that was able to score at will. Missouri advances.
George’s pick: 7. Missouri
6. Kentucky (21-10, 10-8) vs. 11. Georgia – 9:30 p.m. EST on SECN
How much does Kentucky have left in the tank? After a season-ending injury to Jaxson Robinson, the Wildcats stunned onlookers with 90+ point performances against LSU and Missouri. But Georgia has what those those two teams don’t: a defense. Mike White’s team has been rolling as of late, and they won by double digits in Athens earlier this year. Dawgs on top.
George’s pick: 11. Georgia
Quarterfinals – Fri., Mar. 14
1. Auburn (27-4, 15-3) vs. 16. South Carolina – 1 p.m. EST on ESPN
The luck runs out here. Let it be known that South Carolina was extremely close to upsetting Auburn in the regular season. Like, “up with under three minutes to go” type of close. Of course, that didn’t happen, and Auburn has looked better since. South Carolina, well, they do have two conference wins. Auburn is too much of a buzzsaw. If the Gamecocks were going to beat them, it would have happened in January.
George’s pick: 1. Auburn
4. Tennessee (25-6, 12-6) vs. 5. Texas A&M – 3:30 p.m. EST on ESPN
These two teams play a very similar style of basketball. It’s physical bully ball with an emphasis on getting points ugly, but getting them nonetheless. Rick Barnes and Buzz Williams have both been around the block. They know what it takes to win the SEC Tournament. The Aggies don’t shoot the ball well at all, while Tennessee has trouble getting to the line, something that the Aggies rely on to win games. These games are always a rock fight, but the Texas A&M will emerge.
George’s pick: 5. Texas A&M
2. Florida (27-4, 14-4) vs. 7. Missouri – 7 p.m. EST on SECN
Missouri needs to figure out their defensive issues before the NCAA tournament begins. It’s hard to figure out a defense whilst in the middle of playing against Florida. While the Tigers did hand Florida a home loss in Gainesville back in January, I’m sure that Todd Golden has learned a few lessons from that humbling defeat. Plus, the Gators have Micah Handlogten back. That’s huge, literally.
George’s pick: 2. Florida
3. Alabama (24-7, 13-5) vs. 11. Georgia – 9:30 p.m. EST on SECN
Georgia is certainly good and playing at a high level right now. But having to play at such a fast-tempo for a team’s third game in three days while Alabama has almost a whole week of rest? That’s a bit unfair. (It’s set up to be unfair, I know. But the point stands.) Alabama will be hungry to try and snag one of the 2 seeds in the NCAA tournament, and Mark Sears has confidence following a buzzer beater against Alabama’s bitter rivals. Alabama ends Georgia’s run.
George’s pick: 3. Alabama
Semifinals – Sat., Mar. 15
1. Auburn vs. 5. Texas A&M – 1 p.m. EST on ESPN
These two teams played recently, with the Aggies handing Auburn a defeat in College Station. In that game, A&M was by far the more physical team. They simply wanted it more, winning the rebounding battle 41-25. That’s how you win tough games. And for Auburn, that’s how you waste the best roster in program history in the NCAA tournament. Last year’s team was phenomenal, but they let self-inflicted mistakes (Chad Baker-Mazara) cost them a run with a loss to Yale. Is it 2024 all over again? Who knows, Baker-Mazara did get ejected for throwing an elbow against Alabama just last week, so maybe it is. But not yet. Because Auburn advances to the final.
George’s pick: 1. Auburn
2. Florida vs. 3. Alabama – 3:30 p.m. EST on ESPN
What happened on March 5? Florida came into Tuscaloosa and dropped 99 points on a very average defense. Now, just over a week later, they have the opportunity to do the same in Nashville, with much higher stakes. It’s no use to use predictive metrics to predict every game in March. But KenPom has Florida as being top-12 in both offensive and defensive efficiency, while Alabama’s defensive efficiency is out of the top 30. As a matter of fact, KenPom states that Florida’s offense is better, and the Gators actually have a defense, too. When it comes to SEC basketball, Florida and Auburn are in a tier above the rest.
George’s pick: 2. Florida
Championship – Sun., Mar. 16
1. Auburn vs. 2. Florida – 1 p.m. EST on ESPN
Florida is the one school in the SEC that can make an educated argument about being better than Auburn. They went into Neville and beat the Tigers handily. Auburn has looked like the more dominant team over the course of the season, but they’ve lost their last two games. Florida is playing better more recently, and sometimes, that makes all the difference. Florida cuts down the nets in Nashville.
George’s pick: 2. Florida