2026 SEC Tournament

1-6 is set (except for Bama/Arkansas at 2/3).

13-16 is set.

7-12 is TBD (???)

1. Florida (16-2)(Ls: Missouri, Barn)
2. Alabama (12-5)(Ls: VU, TX, TN, FL, UGa)
2. Arkansas (13-5)(Ls: Barn, UGa, KY, Bama, FL
4. Vanderbilt (11-7)(Ls: TX, FL, Ark, OK, MZ, TN, KY)
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
5. Tennessee (11-7)(Ls: Ark, FL, KY, KY, MZ, Bama, VU)
6. Texas A&M (11-7)(Ls: TN, Bama, FL, MZ, VU, Ark, TX)
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
7. Kentucky (10-8)(Ls: Bama, Mizz, VU, FL, GA, Barn, TXAM, FL)
7. Missouri (10-8)(Ls: OM, LSU, GA, Bama, TX, Ark, OK, Ark)
7. Texas (9-8)(Ls: MSU, TN, A&M, KY, Barn, GA, FL, Ark)
7. Georgia (10-8)(Ls: FL, OM, TX, TN, A&M, FL, OK, VU)
•••••••••••••••• Opening Round Cut Off ••••••••••••••••••••••
11. Barn (7-10)(Ls: GA, A&M, MZ, TN, Bama, VU, Ark, MSU, OK, OM)

12. Oklahoma (6-11)(Wins: OM, VU, GA, Barn, LSU, MZ)

13. Mississippi State (5-13)(Wins: TX, OK, LSU, OM, Barn)
14. South Carolina (4-14)(Wins: LSU, OK, MSU, OM)
15. Ole Miss (4-14)(Wins: MZ, GA, MSU, Barn)
16. LSU (3-15)(Wins: OM, VU, OM)
===========================
 
1. Florida (16-2)(Ls: Missouri, Barn)
2. Alabama (13-5)(Ls: VU, TX, TN, FL, UGa)
3. Arkansas (13-5)(Ls: Barn, UGa, KY, Bama, FL
4. Vanderbilt (11-7)(Ls: TX, FL, Ark, OK, MZ, TN, KY)
•••••••••••••••• Double Bye Cut Off ••••••••••••••••••••••
5. Tennessee (11-7)(Ls: Ark, FL, KY, KY, MZ, Bama, VU)
6. Texas A&M (11-7)(Ls: TN, Bama, FL, MZ, VU, Ark, TX)
7. Georgia (10-8)(Ls: FL, OM, TX, TN, A&M, FL, OK, VU)
8. Missouri (10-8)(Ls: OM, LSU, GA, Bama, TX, Ark, OK, Ark)
•••••••••••••••• Opening Round Cut Off ••••••••••••••••••••••
9. Kentucky (10-8)(Ls: Bama, Mizz, VU, FL, GA, Barn, TXAM, FL)
10. Texas (9-9)(Ls: MSU, TN, A&M, KY, Barn, GA, FL, Ark)
11. Oklahoma (7-11)(Wins: OM, VU, GA, Barn, LSU, MZ, TX)
12. Barn (7-11)(Ls: GA, A&M, MZ, TN, Bama, VU, Ark, MSU, OK, OM)
13. Mississippi State (5-13)(Wins: TX, OK, LSU, OM, Barn)
14. South Carolina (4-14)(Wins: LSU, OK, MSU, OM)
15. Ole Miss (4-14)(Wins: MZ, GA, MSU, Barn)
16. LSU (3-15)(Wins: OM, VU, OM)
 
(Unofficial SECT seeds)

TN versus Winner of Barn v Miss State
Thursday around 3pm EDT.

With a win Thursday, TN v Vanderbilt on Friday.
 

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TN’s probable path to an SECT championship:

Thursday: Barn or Miss State
Friday: Vanderbilt
Saturday: Florida (or KY/Missouri)
Sunday: Bama or Arkansas

I love the tournament, but I agree that 4 games in 4 days with 3 or 4 days rest for the 2 teams that make the finals (one of which is a travel day) is just plain stupid.
 

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TN’s probable path to an SECT championship:

Thursday: Barn or Miss State
Friday: Vanderbilt
Saturday: Florida (or KY/Missouri)
Sunday: Bama or Arkansas

I love the tournament, but I agree that 4 games in 4 days with 3 or 4 days rest for the 2 teams that make the finals (one of which is a travel day) is just plain stupid.
I used to feel the same way, but I've seen too much evidence that tells me it really doesn't matter.

Florida's history doesn't show that. They have made the Final Four 6 times. Of the 6 times, they were in the SEC Tournament Final 5 times (94, 06, 07, 14, 25). They won the SEC tournament on 4 of those occasions (all but 94). I've gotten to the point where I want to win the SEC Tournament because I take that as a pretty good sign. All the Florida teams that won the NCAA tournament won the SEC tournament.

Teams that I have seen that were truly fatigued by the run in the conference tournament were teams like 2008 Georgia (and that tournament had a weird set of circumstances as well) that had no business winning a conference tournament.

But, then 1983 NC State won the national title and 2024 NC State made the Final Four.

So, even then, I think it's a little overblown.
 
I used to feel the same way, but I've seen too much evidence that tells me it really doesn't matter.

Florida's history doesn't show that. They have made the Final Four 6 times. Of the 6 times, they were in the SEC Tournament Final 5 times (94, 06, 07, 14, 25). They won the SEC tournament on 4 of those occasions (all but 94). I've gotten to the point where I want to win the SEC Tournament because I take that as a pretty good sign. All the Florida teams that won the NCAA tournament won the SEC tournament.

Teams that I have seen that were truly fatigued by the run in the conference tournament were teams like 2008 Georgia (and that tournament had a weird set of circumstances as well) that had no business winning a conference tournament.

But, then 1983 NC State won the national title and 2024 NC State made the Final Four.

So, even then, I think it's a little overblown.

There are about a half dozen mid-major or worse tournaments with automatic bids going out today. So they get about 10 days off. What that does is set up a couple of potential contenders to be upset and be eliminated by a team with no business being there that might get hot and have their game of the year. That makes the path a lot easier for most of the top teams. The NCAAT determining a real national champion is beyond flawed.
 
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There are about a half dozen mid-major or worse tournaments and automatic bids going out today. So they get about 10 days off. What that does is set up a couple potential of contenders to be upset and be eliminated by a team with no business being there that might get hot and have their game of the year. That makes the path a lot easier for most of the top teams. The NCAAT determining a real national champion is beyond flawed.

It's flawed because you should have best of 7, but there is no way possible you can set that up. It's also flawed because it's not the best 68 teams.

Beyond those thoughts, there are some things I disagree with.

First off. if you're hot, you want to go out and play again fairly soon. You don't want 10 days off unless you have injuries. So, I think the major conferences have the benefit of having some rest without the problem of having rust.

Secondly, other than the rest itself, the schools having 10 days off have no advantage (which is debatable as an advantage "rest/rust") over the major conference teams because no one has a clue who they will be playing until Sunday at 6pm. So, Northen Iowa (as an example. I see they are playing their conference championship today and winning) can practice and rest all they want, but they can't prepare because they have no idea who they will be playing or even where and when.

Finally, if you are seeded 13-16, you are likely playing an opponent who has been kept fairly close to home. Playing UConn in Philadelphia or something like that. So, you have to deal with that too. Now, usually a lot of the crowd does back you because fans of every other school are cheering against you.

Not to mention, that in this day and age, you have a payroll the mid-majors don't have, you more than likely have stolen their players, etc.

Playing on Sunday and then playing again on Thursday should not be a problem. That's a scenario where you have three days off and play on the 4th day. Now, i checked and the two #1 seeds that lost in the first round did win their conference tournament. However, Virginia had 5 days off, playing on the 6th day, before their first round game that they lost by 20. Purdue had four days of rest, playing on the 5th day, before losing their first round game. Purdue's opponent also had to play in the first four thing. I don't know much, but I'm willing to bet they didn't make any excuses for losing because the country would have laughed at them.
 
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It's flawed because you should have best of 7, but there is no way possible you can set that up. It's also flawed because it's not the best 68 teams.

Beyond those thoughts, there are some things I disagree with.

First off. if you're hot, you want to go out and play again fairly soon. You don't want 10 days off unless you have injuries. So, I think the major conferences have the benefit of having some rest without the problem of having rust.

Secondly, other than the rest itself, the schools having 10 days off have no advantage (which is debatable as an advantage "rest/rust") over the major conference teams because no one has a clue who they will be playing until Sunday at 6pm. So, Northen Iowa (as an example. I see they are playing their conference championship today and winning) can practice and rest all they want, but they can't prepare because they have no idea who they will be playing or even where and when.

Finally, if you are seeded 13-16, you are likely playing an opponent who has been kept fairly close to home. Playing UConn in Philadelphia or something like that. So, you have to deal with that too. Now, usually a lot of the crowd does back you because fans of every other school are cheering against you.

Not to mention, that in this day and age, you have a payroll the mid-majors don't have, you more than likely have stolen their players, etc.

Playing on Sunday and then playing again on Thursday should not be a problem. That's a scenario where you have three days off and play on the 4th day. Now, i checked and the two #1 seeds that lost in the first round did win their conference tournament. However, Virginia had 5 days off, playing on the 6th day, before their first round game that they lost by 20. Purdue had four days of rest, playing on the 5th day, before losing their first round game. Purdue's opponent also had to play in the first four thing. I don't know much, but I'm willing to bet they didn't make any excuses for losing because the country would have laughed at them.

Having a week and a half to install or prepare new twists creates a decided advantage for those teams over whichever teams that just finished playing in their conference tournaments and having to immediately hit the road. Especially over teams that might have pulled off an upset or two before reaching their conference championship game.

The NCAAT is all about TV advertising dollars and Las Vegas. It’s a ridiculous way to determine a national champion after 32-35 games.
 
Having a week and a half to install or prepare new twists creates a decided advantage for those teams over whichever teams that just finished playing in their conference tournaments and having to immediately hit the road. Especially over teams that might have pulled off an upset or two before reaching their conference championship game.

The NCAAT is all about TV advertising dollars and Las Vegas. It’s a ridiculous way to determine a national champion after 32-35 games.

The NCAA touranment has been around since 1939. I don't think those things were in consideration at the time.

But, regardless, how would you determine a national champion if not having a tournament
 
The NCAA touranment has been around since 1939. I don't think those things were in consideration at the time.

But, regardless, how would you determine a national champion if not having a tournament

1939? Wasn’t that 60 fewer teams? Also in 1939 the NIT was a more prestigious post season tournament.

I’d reduce the field by about half, invest in competent refs, and make it a double elimination format. And maybe use the NIT for the mid-majors and middling P-4/5/6 teams that have no business impacting the national championship.
 
It's flawed because you should have best of 7, but there is no way possible you can set that up. It's also flawed because it's not the best 68 teams.

Beyond those thoughts, there are some things I disagree with.

First off. if you're hot, you want to go out and play again fairly soon. You don't want 10 days off unless you have injuries. So, I think the major conferences have the benefit of having some rest without the problem of having rust.

Secondly, other than the rest itself, the schools having 10 days off have no advantage (which is debatable as an advantage "rest/rust") over the major conference teams because no one has a clue who they will be playing until Sunday at 6pm. So, Northen Iowa (as an example. I see they are playing their conference championship today and winning) can practice and rest all they want, but they can't prepare because they have no idea who they will be playing or even where and when.

Finally, if you are seeded 13-16, you are likely playing an opponent who has been kept fairly close to home. Playing UConn in Philadelphia or something like that. So, you have to deal with that too. Now, usually a lot of the crowd does back you because fans of every other school are cheering against you.

Not to mention, that in this day and age, you have a payroll the mid-majors don't have, you more than likely have stolen their players, etc.

Playing on Sunday and then playing again on Thursday should not be a problem. That's a scenario where you have three days off and play on the 4th day. Now, i checked and the two #1 seeds that lost in the first round did win their conference tournament. However, Virginia had 5 days off, playing on the 6th day, before their first round game that they lost by 20. Purdue had four days of rest, playing on the 5th day, before losing their first round game. Purdue's opponent also had to play in the first four thing. I don't know much, but I'm willing to bet they didn't make any excuses for losing because the country would have laughed at them.
I’m with you. That time off for the smaller conferences is generally tougher than having 3-5 days between games.
 
Wednesday (all games are on the SEC Network):

12:30pm - LSU (16) versus KY (9)
3:00pm - Miss State (13) versus Auburn (12)
7:00pm - Mississippi (15) versus Texas (10)
9:30pm - USCjr (14) versus Oklahoma (11)
 

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