CBB Review prepares you for every conference tournament leading up to Selection Sunday on Mar. 15. Up next: The SEC Tournament.
The SEC had arguably the best season from a conference ever last season, collecting 14 team bids to the NCAA tournament. It won’t get there this season, with the league almost assuredly sitting at 10 bids prior to the SEC tournament starting, unless Auburn or any bid-stealers make a run.
The conference was filled with chaos early in the season before dominoes started to fall into place. Despite an early conference lead from Texas A&M, losing conference records through a couple of games for both Alabama and Tennessee, and Steven Pearl collecting a 5-3 SEC record by January 28, things did return to normal. Florida, Alabama, and Arkansas earned the top three seeds in the tournament, and there are 10 teams with a clear shot to either reach 20 wins on the year or reach that mark in Nashville.
2026 SEC Awards
Player of the Year: Darius Acuff Jr., Arkansas
Freshman of the Year: Darius Acuff Jr., Arkansas
Transfer of the Year: Ja’Kobi Gillespie, Tennessee
Coach of the Year: Mark Byington, Vanderbilt
First Team:
- G: Josh Hubbard, Mississippi State (22.1 PPG, 3.6 APG, 2.5 RPG, 1.3 SPG)
- G: Tyler Tanner, Vanderbilt (19.2 PPG, 5.2 APG, 3.5 RPG, 37.7 3PT%)
- G: Darius Acuff Jr., Arkansas (22.2 PPG, 6.4 APG, 3.0 RPG, 43.7 3PT%)
- G: Labaron Philon, Alabama (21.5 PPG, 4.8 APG, 3.2 RPG, 1.2 SPG)
- F: Thomas Haugh, Florida (17.2 PPG, 6.1 RPG, 2.0 APG)
Second Team:
- G: Ja’Kobi Gillespie, Tennessee (18.0 PPG, 5.6 APG, 2.9 RPG, 81.8 FT%)
- G: Otega Oweh, Kentucky (18.2 PPG, 4.5 RPG, 2.7 APG, 1.8 SPG)
- F: Dailyn Swain, Texas (17.7 PPG, 7.5 RPG, 3.4 APG, 1.8 SPG)
- F: Mark Mitchell, Missouri (17.9 PPG, 5.2 RPG, 3.6 APG, 57.9 2PT%)
- C: Rueben Chinyelu, Florida (11.4 PPG, 11.7 RPG, 0.7 APG, 1.1 BPG)
2026 SEC Tournament Simulation
First round – Wednesday, Mar. 11
9. Kentucky (19-12, 10-8) vs. 16. LSU (15-16, 3-15) – 12:30 p.m. on SEC Network
LSU and Kentucky met once this season, with the Wildcats storming back from an 18-point deficit in the second half and hitting a buzzer-beating shot off a full-court heave to beat LSU in Baton Rouge. Flash forward to the present, and the Tigers are 1-8 in their past nine games. The Wildcats aren’t much better at 2-5, but at least Kentucky still has something to play for. It would be surprising for LSU to pull out a win.
George’s pick: 9. Kentucky
12. Auburn (16-15, 7-11) vs. 13. Mississippi State (13-18, 5-13) – 3 p.m. on SEC Network
These two teams aren’t too far apart in the conference standings. In fact, Auburn is closer to South Carolina in SEC games than they are to Texas A&M, but for some reason, the Tigers are still considered on the bubble. They can consider themselves off the bubble if they lose to Mississippi State (again) on Wednesday. Last time these teams met, Josh Hubbard scored 46 points. While that’s unlikely to happen again, the Bulldogs match up well with the Tigers.
George’s pick: 13. Mississippi State
10. Texas (18-13, 9-9) vs. 15. Ole Miss (12-19, 4-14) – 7 p.m. on SEC Network
Texas is the true “bubble” team in the SEC, needing a win here to feel safer on Sunday. The Longhorns might still get in with an 18-14 record, but it would be a sweat after a loss to a bad Ole Miss team that just lost to South Carolina at home. The Longhorns have something to play for, while the Rebels almost certainly do not.
George’s pick: 10. Texas
11. Oklahoma (17-14, 7-11) vs. 14. South Carolina (13-18, 4-14) – 9:30 p.m. on SEC Network
Both Oklahoma and South Carolina have losing conference records, and the Gamecocks actually took down the Sooners in their only meeting this season. Don’t forget, however, that these teams have looked vastly different down the stretch. Oklahoma has put together some solid wins and enters Nashville on a four-game winning streak. South Carolina? They’re 2-10 in their past 12 games dating back to the win over Oklahoma. There’s a team with clear momentum in this matchup, and it’s not the Gamecocks.
George’s pick: 11. Oklahoma
Second round – Thursday, Mar. 12
8. Missouri (20-11, 10-8) vs. 9. Kentucky – 12:30 p.m. on SEC Network
This game was played once before this season. In that matchup, Kentucky held an eight-point lead with less than five minutes to go in the contest. But the Tigers scored 15 of the game’s last 17 points en route to a 73-68 victory for Missouri. Kentucky definitely has the talent advantage in this game, but Missouri has the advantage when it comes to working together as a team and playing as a unit. Kentucky has good players, sure, but it’s been a rare occasion when they’re all working cohesively to win.
George’s pick: 8. Missouri
5. Tennessee (21-10, 11-7) vs. 13. Mississippi State – 3 p.m. on SEC Network
Tennessee and Mississippi State played each other once this season. Despite Josh Hubbard’s 31-point game, the Bulldogs never led in the contest. Tennessee expanded its lead to 23 at one point in the second half and ended up winning by nine in Starkville. Now on a neutral court, Tennessee should be roughly eight-to-nine-point favorites against the Bulldogs.
George’s pick: 5. Tennessee
7. Georgia (22-9, 10-8) vs. 10. Texas – 7 p.m. on SEC Network
What a two years it’s been for Mike White at Georgia. He’s amassed a 42-22 overall record in the past two years, coming into the SEC tournament at least, and his Bulldogs have recorded a handful of very good wins this year. Texas, however, has done so as well, including a 20-point drubbing of Georgia in January, when the Bulldogs were ranked. Texas is continuing to fight for an NCAA bid, and the Longhorns can beat this team again.
George’s pick: 10. Texas
6. Texas A&M (21-10, 11-7) vs. 11. Oklahoma – 9:30 p.m. on SEC Network
The first time these two teams met, Texas A&M won, in a result which would eventually snowball into a nine-game losing streak for Oklahoma. But the Sooners have played like a different team since breaking that losing streak, winning four of their last six and entering the tournament on a four-game winning streak. Part of those games included another loss to this Aggies squad, but with the way they’re both playing at the moment (Texas A&M is 4-6 in their last 10 games), Oklahoma would win this matchup six times out of ten, which is enough for them to move on in this simulation.
George’s pick: 11. Oklahoma
Quarterfinals – Friday, Mar. 13
1. Florida (25-6, 16-2) vs. 8. Missouri – 1 p.m. on ESPN
This is a familiar situation for both teams. On January 3, Florida lost their conference opener to Mizzou, a 76-74 Tigers win in Columbia. Anthony Robinson II led Missouri in points, rebounds, and assists in that contest. But since that day, the Gators are an astounding 16-1 in 17 games. That’s the kind of dominance that forces a team into the top five of the AP Poll. Is Missouri ready to defeat an elite team that’s playing at their best? It doesn’t look that way right now.
George’s pick: 1. Florida
4. Vanderbilt (24-7, 11-7) vs. 5. Tennessee – 3:30 p.m. on ESPN
Another iteration of an in-state rivalry that has gained more steam in recent years. Now that the Commodores have reached the level of being a good basketball team, these games between Vanderbilt and Tennessee have become heated. This season, the road team picked up a four-point win in both matchups, first Tennessee at 69-65 in Nashville, then Vanderbilt stealing an 86-82 win in Knoxville in the regular season finale. In that game, star freshman Nate Ament didn’t play for Tennessee while nursing an injury, and it’s possible he won’t be back for this one. If that’s the case, the crystal ball leans toward Vandy.
George’s pick: 4. Vanderbilt
2. Alabama (23-8, 13-5) vs. 10. Texas – 6 p.m. on ESPN+
Believe it or not, Texas actually holds the head-to-head advantage here. The Longhorns beat Alabama on the road in January, 92-88. Jordan Pope and Tramon Mark combined for 46 points in the win. But a lot can happen in two months. Alabama is reaching its potential, while Texas has lost four of five entering the SEC tournament. Maybe this game would have had a different result two months ago, and it did, but in the highest stakes in March, Alabama should take this one.
George’s pick: 2. Alabama
3. Arkansas (23-8, 13-5) vs. 11. Oklahoma – 8:30 p.m. on SEC Network
Porter Moser’s tenure as the head coach of Oklahoma might come to an end after Nashville. But in this simulation, the Sooners are giving it all they can. In the quarters, they’ll play a really good Arkansas team led by one of the best players in the nation, freshman guard Darius Acuff Jr., who led the SEC in both points and assists. That’s a tall task for most SEC teams to try and handle, let alone 17-14 Oklahoma, who’s on their third game in as many days. A well-rested Arkansas wins here.
George’s pick: 3. Arkansas
Semifinals – Saturday, Mar. 14
1. Florida vs. 4. Vanderbilt – 1 p.m. on ESPN
Let’s give some credit to Vandy. After years of average or below-average basketball as a program, they’ve reached the 20-win mark in consecutive seasons. That’s thanks to a fantastic job from Mark Byington in just two years at the helm. Tyler Tanner is a joy to watch. Are the ‘Dores ready to take down the Gators? Florida hasn’t lost since tripping up, somehow, to Auburn on January 24. Vanderbilt is a great team, ranked within the top 30 in both offensive and defensive efficiency, according to KenPom. But it’s so difficult to pick against this Florida team right now.
George’s pick: 1. Florida
2. Alabama vs. 3. Arkansas – 3:30 on ESPN
Nate Oats vs. John Calipari is a conference matchup that I hope we continue to get as fans for several years. And in this year, the two teams are just about evenly matched. In fact, the only time they played each other this year resulted in a 117-115 instant classic that Alabama took in two overtimes. But when it comes down to the postseason, one of these teams is simply a little more well-rounded. Arkansas can boast an elite offense with an above-average defense. Alabama’s defense can’t say the same.
George’s pick: 3. ArkansasÂ
Championship – Sunday, Mar. 15
1. Florida vs. 3. Arkansas – 1 p.m. on ESPN
The championship game very well might come down to a rematch of a recent game, in which Florida defeated Arkansas 111-77 in Gainesville on February 28. While that’s unlikely to happen again, there’s no denying that the Gators are playing like one of the hottest teams in the nation recently. Until someone else proves otherwise, Florida runs the SEC.
George’s pick: 1. Florida