The SEC Tournament boasts one of the largest bracketology bubbles heading into Nashville.

The Southeastern Conference (SEC) is well-known for hogging the spots on the College Football Playoff bracket, but it has apparently turned its efforts to a larger bracket.

As the SEC descends upon Nashville for its annual men's basketball tournament, nearly every one of its 16 teams lingers in some sort of bracketology discussion, whether it's through strong showings against the conference's expected elite or for sterling endeavors abroad. In any event, the Nashville proceedings are one of the few where every game has at least some meaning to it, be it on a local or national level. 

All-Americans, draft talents, mainstays and more dominate the SEC bracket, and only time will tell who's the last team standing ...

Meet the Teams

(1) Auburn Tigers (27-4, 15-3)

Head Coach: Bruce Pearl (11th season, 239-121)
Players to Watch: Johni Broome (18.6 points, 10.6 rebounds, 2.6 blocks), Chad Baker-Mazara (12.9 points, 1.1 steals), Miles Kelly (11.6 points, 3.7 rebounds)
Last SEC Title: 2024

The Tigers have long lingered atop both the conventional and more advanced rankings all season long and now it's all about putting it together. The mere presence of Broome, a walking double-double and newly-minted SEC Player of the Year, is intimidating enough, the pace for the future is well set with freshman Tahaad Pettiford, and the transfer portal has yielded valuable complements like Baker-Mazara and Kelly. This is by far one of most talented teams that Pearl has ever had; will it yield spring glory?

(2) Florida Gators (27-4, 14-4)

Head Coach: Todd Golden (3rd season, 67-33)
Players to Watch: Walter Clayton Jr. (17.2 points, 4.3 assists, 1.4 steals), Alijah Martin (14.5 points, 4.7 rebounds, 1.9 steals), Alex Condon (11.4 points, 8.0 rebounds)
Last SEC Title: 2014 (Last NCAA Tournament Appearance: 2024)

Even with Auburn's sheer firepower, the Gators present a dangerous, complete challenge that has lived up to the well-generated hype of Golden's third season at the helm. Even when dealing with opposition like Broome, Florida is outscoring opponents by over 16 and out rebounding them by more than eight. With Condon serving as a dominant interior force and Clayton headlining a sterling backcourt picture, Florida basketball is officially back on the map, but it might have to tame the Tigers to swipe a No. 1 seed on Selection Sunday.

(3) Alabama Crimson Tide (24-7, 13-5)

Head Coach: Nate Oats (6th season, 141-61)
Players to Watch: Mark Sears (19.2 points, 5.0 assists), Grant Nelson (12.1 points, 7.9 rebounds), Aden Holloway (11.5 points, 40.2 three-point percentage)
Last SEC Title: 2023 (Las NCAA Tournament Appearance: 2024)

The Crimson Tide will have to shore up their defense if they have larger aspirations, as it's allowing over 81 points a game, an SEC-worst no doubt partly enforced by the medical loss of touted transfer Latrell Whitesell Jr. But nothing's truly lost with a talent like Sears in tow, as no one in the conference makes better use of his time atop the key and he's partly assisted by the talents of Holloway, a de facto gift from hated rival Auburn. In the paint, Nelson has helped Alabama secured a plus-6 advantage on the boards, second-best in the SEC behind only the Gators.

(4) Tennessee Volunteers (25-6, 12-6)

Head Coach: Rick Barnes (10th season, 227-106)
Players to Watch: Chaz Lanier (17.9 points, 3.9 rebounds, 40.5 three-point percentage), Zakai Zeigler (13.1 points, 7.5 assists), Igor Milicic Jr. (10.2 points, 7.3 rebounds)
Last SEC Title: 2022 (Last NCAA Tournament Appearance: 2024)

Newcomers from the portal have meshed perfectly well with the familiarity of Zeigler, who is fresh off his second SEC Defensive Player of the Year Award. The fifth-year senior Lanier is a threat all over the floor while Milicic can facilitate in a similarly reliable jack-of-all trades manner. Despite a hiccup against Mississippi, the Volunteers snuck into the last of the double-bye slots with strong victories over both Texas A&M (in College Station) and Alabama.

(5) Texas A&M Aggies (22-9, 11-7)

Head Coach: Buzz Williams (6th season, 119-71)
Players to Watch: Wade Taylor IV (15.2 points, 4.3 assists), Zhuric Phelps (14.3 points, 5.0 rebounds, 1.8 steals), Pharrel Payne (9.6 points, 5.0 rebounds)
Last SEC Title: None (Last NCAA Tournament Appearance: 2024)

Guaranteed their fifth consecutive season with at least 20 wins, the Aggies have their eyes on larger goals. What they've done is impressive as is but there's a lingering feeling that there could be more: they closed February and entered March with four consecutive losses (including a narrow defeat to Vanderbilt in College Station), but managed to take down a top-ranked Auburn by a healthy 11-point margin. Any and all progress will come down to the efforts of lifelong Aggie Taylor, who earned some solid help from portal finds Payne and Phelps.

(6) Kentucky Wildcats (21-10, 10-8) 

Head Coach: Mark Pope (1st season)
Players to Watch: Otega Oweh (16.2 points, 4.6 rebounds), Lamont Butler (11.9 points, 4.4 assists), Amari Williams (11.0 points, 8.7 rebounds)
Last SEC Title: 2018 (Last NCAA Tournament Appearance: 2024)

Life after John Calipari never reached the euphoric heights an early win over Duke produced but it's hard to quarrel with year one of the Pope era, which heavily relied on the efforts of transfers. UK will be on dangerous ground for this tournament: not only will the second round produce a dangerous matchup against a team with a flattening bubble, but the Wildcats recently learned that they'll have to work through Nashville without former BYU shooter Jaxson Robinson. He is about two weeks removed from season-ending wrist surgery.

(7) Missouri Tigers (21-10, 10-8)

Head Coach: Dennis Gates (3rd season, 53-43)
Players to Watch: Mark Mitchell (14.3 points, 4.7 rebounds), Caleb Grill (14.2 points, 50.0 three-point percentage), Tamar Bates (12.9 point, 41.7 three-point percentage)
Last SEC Title: None (Last NCAA Tournament Appearance: 2023)

No matter what happens in Nashville, this goes down as an undeniable win for Gates, who has the Tigers flirting with national prominence and an ironclad case for the tournament after they were fully denied a win on last year's SEC docket. While the Tigers had some trouble keeping pace defensively, they did force over 14 turnovers a game, the second-best tally in the conference, but their three-point shooting (second best success rate behind Kentucky) will be the true x-factor at keeping them in high-profile tournament games.

(8) Mississippi Rebels (21-10, 10-8)

Head Coach: Chris Beard (2nd season, 41-22)
Players to Watch: Sean Pedulla (15.1 points, 3.7 assists), Jaemyn Brakefield (11.2 points, 4.5 rebounds), Matthew Murrell (10.9 points, 3.5 rebounds)
Last SEC Title: 2013 (Last NCAA Tournament Appearance: 2019)

Bubble watchers in Nashville will pay close attention to the Rebels, whose fall-off after a 4-0 start in conference play might require a statement victory or two to make their tournament case ironclad. It's nonetheless a historic season in Oxford, which witnessed multiple victories against top five competition for the first time in program history. Mississippi forced 14.3 turnovers a game during the season, tied with Vanderbilt for most in the conference. 

(9) Arkansas Razorbacks (19-12, 8-10) 

Head Coach: John Calipari (1st season)
Players to Watch: DJ Wagner (11.1 points, 3.5 assists), Johnell Davis (11.1 points, 1.4 steals)
Last SEC Title: 2000 (Last NCAA Tournament Appearance: 2023)

Calipari and Co. put forth a solid effort in year one, but is it enough to get him back in the Big Dance to atone for his last Kentucky stand against Oakland? Wins in four of the last five games (two over ranked groups from Missouri and Mississippi State) have certainly helped the cause but the Razorbacks will have to work through at least their opener without leading scorers Adou Thiero and Boogie Fland. The transfer addition of Davis could be a difference-maker considering his previous Final Four experience with Florida Atlantic.

(10) Mississippi State Bulldogs Rebels

Head Coach: Chris Jans (3rd season, 62-38)
Players to Watch: Josh Hubbard (18.3 points, 3.3 assists), Keshawn Murphy (11.6 points, 7.5 rebounds)
Last SEC Title: 2009 (Last NCAA Tournament Appearance: 2024)

Another victim of the downright juggernaut nature of the SEC, the Bulldogs are set up fairly well thanks to a dominant 14-1 start that featured non-conference wins over Pittsburgh and Memphis. February triumphs over Mississippi and Texas A&M (the latter by 16 points) should be enough to clinch Jans' third tournament appearance in as many seasons. But the Bulldogs dropped four of their last five, including three to fellow Wednesday competition, which could leave them prone to a bid stealer.

(11) Georgia Bulldogs (20-11, 8-10)

Head Coach: Mike White (3rd season, 56-44)
Players to Watch: Asa Newell (15.1 points, 6.5 rebounds), Silas Demary Jr. (13.1 points, 4.0 rebounds)
Last SEC Title: 2008 (Last NCAA Tournament Appearance: 2015)

Unlike others attempting to claw their way out of Wednesday obscurity, the Bulldogs in fact won each of their final four games. That stretch opened with a win over Florida and came three months after UGA earned a non-conference win on neutral hardwood against St. John's. Having landed the services of a fantastic freshman like Newell, the Bulldogs are looking for progress in year three under former Florida boss White, whose NIT semifinal run in his sophomore campaign gave Athens its first form of men's postseason basketball since 2017.

(12) Vanderbilt Commodores (20-11, 8-10)

Head Coach: Mark Byington (1st season)
Players to Watch: Jason Edwards (16.9 points), Devin McGlockton (10.4 points, 7.8 rebounds)
Last SEC Title: 2012 (Last NCAA Tournament Appearance: 2017)

Byington, formerly of James Madison, got the 'Dores back on track by more than doubling their win total from last season. Triumphs over Tennessee, Kentucky, Texas A&M, and Missouri, should impress the committee but consecutive losses to Arkansas and Georgia ended the year on a sour note and has reduced the margin for error in front of the hometown crowd to zero. Though letting up the third-most points in the conference, Vandy also forces the most turnovers next to Ole Miss.

(13) Texas Longhorns (17-14, 6-12)

Head Coach: Rodney Terry (3rd season, 60-35)
Players to Watch: Tre Johnson (20.2 points, 3.2 rebounds), Arthur Kaluma (12.7 points, 7,8 rebounds)
Last SEC Title: None (Last NCAA Tournament Appearance: 2024)

The Longhorns' first dive into SEC play was a brutal one, though they at least had the comfort of Johnson living up to his five-star billing. Texas may have to pull off a dominant run simply to secure both its present and future: wearing road jerseys on opening day of the tournament is far from a good look, no matter how powerful the conference, and Terry's goodwill is on the verge of running out.

(14) Oklahoma Sooners (19-12, 6-12)

Head Coach: Porter Moser (4th season, 73-57)
Players to Watch: Jeremiah Fears (16.3 points, 4.2 assists), Jalon Moore (16.2 points, 5.8 rebounds)
Last SEC Title: None (Last NCAA Tournament Appearance: 2021)

Another newcomer that wore out their welcome early, the Sooners might have a ticket to Dayton ready thanks to a perfect non-conference slate and winning a de facto elimination game against Texas without one of their starters. The pressure is also mounting on Moser, who has yet to lead Norman into the NCAA Tournament after his magic run at Loyola Chicago. 

(15) LSU Tigers (14-17, 3-15)

Head Coach: Matt McMahon (3rd season, 45-47)
Players to Watch: Cam Carter (16.5 points, 4.0 rebounds), Jordan Sears (12.0 points, 2.7 rebounds)
Last SEC Title: 1980 (Last NCAA Tournament Appearance: 2022)

Attempting to build on last year's NIT appearance was always going to be a challenge after Jalen Reed endured an early season-ending injury, but things got particularly dire at the end: the Tigers lost each of their final five games with only one of them being particularly close. Leaping into the tournament conversation is out of the question, no matter how packed it might be, but they might be playing for McMahon's job.

(16) South Carolina Gamecocks (12-19, 2-16)

Head Coach: Lamon Paris (3rd season, 49-48)
Players to Watch: Collin Murray-Boyles (16.7 points, 8.1 rebounds), Jamarii Thomas (13.1 points, 3.0 assists)
Last SEC Title: None (Last NCAA Tournament Appearance: 2024)

Similarly, the Gamecock faced an uphill battle with so many big names from last year's 26-win group moving on (Meechie Johnson, for example, transferred back to Ohio State). USC's showing should at least be worth to see Murray-Boyles, as the sophomore has attracted some decent draft attention. 

Schedule

(All Times ET)

Wednesday, March 12

(9) Arkansas vs (16) South Carolina, 1 p.m., SEC Network
(12) Vanderbilt vs (13) Texas, 3:30 p.m., SEC Network
(10) Mississippi State vs (15) LSU, 7 p.m., SEC Network
(11) Georgia vs (14) Oklahoma, 8:30 p.m., SEC Network

Thursday, March 13

(8) Ole Miss vs. ARK/SC, 1 p.m., SEC Network
(5) Texas A&M vs. VAN/TEX, 3:30 p.m., SEC Network
(7) Missouri vs MSU/LSU, 7 p.m., SEC Network
(6) Kentucky vs. UGA/OU, 9:30 p.m. SEC Network

Friday, March 14

(1) Auburn vs. MISS/ARK/SC, 1 p.m., ESPN
(4) Tennessee vs. TAMU/VAN/TEX, 3:30 p.m., ESPN
(2) Florida vs. MIZZ/MSU/LSU, 7 p.m., SEC Network
(3) Alabama vs. UK/UGA/OU, 9:30 p.m., SEC Network

Saturday, March 15

Semifinal 1: 1 p.m., ESPN
Semifinal 2: 3:30 p.m., ESPN

Sunday, March 16

Championship Game: 1 p.m., ESPN

Geoff Magliocchetti is on X @GeoffJMags