Once again, the SEC was one of the three best conferences in college basketball this year. They will likely get seven teams in the 2024 NCAA Tournament, with the possibility of eight. As a result, this SEC basketball tournament bracket is shaping up to be must-watch matchups across the board.
Tennessee and Auburn were consistently top-10 defenses throughout the year, while Kentucky, Alabama and Florida boast three of the better offenses in the country. Meanwhile, South Carolina was one of the biggest surprise stories of the year, going from being picked to finish last in the conference preseason to being part of a four-way tie for second place.
The following will include regular season standings, SEC Tournament bracket, schedule, and preview.
SEC Basketball Standings
| Teams | Conf | Ovr |
|---|---|---|
| Tennessee | 14-4 | 24-7 |
| Kentucky | 13-5 | 23-8 |
| Alabama | 13-5 | 21-10 |
| Auburn | 13-5 | 24-7 |
| South Carolina | 13-5 | 25-6 |
| Florida | 11-7 | 21-10 |
| Texas A&M | 9-9 | 18-13 |
| LSU | 9-9 | 17-14 |
| Mississippi State | 8-10 | 19-12 |
| Ole Miss | 7-11 | 20-11 |
| Georgia | 6-12 | 16-15 |
| Arkansas | 6-12 | 15-16 |
| Vanderbilt | 4-14 | 9-22 |
| Missouri | 0-18 | 8-23 |
SEC Tournament Schedule
Dates: March 13-17
TV Schedule: SEC Network (First and Second Rounds, half of Quarterfinals), ESPN (half of Quarterfinals, Semifinals, Championship)
Venue: Bridgestone Arena – Nashville, TN
Byes: Seeds 5-10 (single bye), Seeds 1-4 (double bye)
Defending Champion: Alabama Crimson Tide
SEC Basketball Tournament Bracket
First Round – March 13
- (12) Arkansas vs (13) Vanderbilt, 7 ET
- (11) Georgia vs (14) Missouri, approx. 9:25 ET
Second Round – March 14
- (8) LSU vs (9) Mississippi State, 1 ET
- (5) South Carolina vs ARK/VAN, approx. 3:25 ET
- (7) Texas A&M vs (10) Ole Miss, 7 ET
- (6) Florida vs UGA/MIZ, approx. 9:25 ET
Quarterfinals – March 15
- (1) Tennessee vs LSU/MSU, 1 ET
- (4) Auburn vs TBD, approx. 3:25 ET
- (2) Kentucky vs A&M/MIS, 7 ET
- (3) Alabama vs TBD, approx. 9:25 ET
Semifinals – March 16
- TBD vs TBD, 1 ET
- TBD vs TBD, approx. 3:25 ET
Championship – March 17
- TBD vs TBD, 1 ET
SEC Basketball Stats 2024
(1) Tennessee Volunteers
Net Ranking: 5
KenPom Ranking: 5 (25 offense, 3 defense)
Points Per Game: 80.2
Points Allowed Per Game: 67.7
(2) Kentucky Wildcats
Net Ranking: 19
KenPom Ranking: 17 (6 offense, 93 defense)
Points Per Game: 89.5
Points Allowed Per Game: 79.1
(3) Alabama Crimson Tide
Net Ranking: 8
KenPom Ranking: 11 (2 offense, 102 defense)
Points Per Game: 90.8
Points Allowed Per Game: 80.4
(4) Auburn Tigers
Net Ranking: 6
KenPom Ranking: 4 (13 offense, 6 defense)
Points Per Game: 83.5
Points Allowed Per Game: 68.5
(5) South Carolina Gamecocks
Net Ranking: 49
KenPom Ranking: 47 (44 offense, 47 defense)
Points Per Game: 72.3
Points Allowed Per Game: 66.4
(6) Florida Gators
Net Ranking: 35
KenPom Ranking: 30 (17 offense, 83 defense)
Points Per Game: 84.9
Points Allowed Per Game: 77.6
(7) Texas A&M Aggies
Net Ranking: 46
KenPom Ranking: 48 (45 offense, 46 defense)
Points Per Game: 73.4
Points Allowed Per Game: 69.5
(8) LSU Tigers
Net Ranking: 92
KenPom Ranking: 91 (95 offense, 92 defense)
Points Per Game: 76.6
Points Allowed Per Game: 74.8
(9) Mississippi State Bulldogs
Net Ranking: 42
KenPom Ranking: 39 (55 offense, 25 defense)
Points Per Game: 75.3
Points Allowed Per Game: 69.6
(10) Ole Miss Rebels
Net Ranking: 90
KenPom Ranking: 84 (52 offense, 149 defense)
Points Per Game: 75.1
Points Allowed Per Game: 73.7
(11) Georgia Bulldogs
Net Ranking: 101
KenPom Ranking: 92 (102 offense, 78 defense)
Points Per Game: 75
Points Allowed Per Game: 74.7
(12) Arkansas Razorbacks
Net Ranking: 109
KenPom Ranking: 106 (103 offense, 124 defense)
Points Per Game: 77.7
Points Allowed Per Game: 79.6
(13) Vanderbilt Commodores
Net Ranking: 203
KenPom Ranking: 187 (203 offense, 192 defense)
Points Per Game: 67.4
Points Allowed Per Game: 75.4
(14) Missouri Tigers
Net Ranking: 156
KenPom Ranking: 146 (131 offense, 189 defense)
Points Per Game: 72.6
Points Allowed Per Game: 76.6
SEC Tournament Preview
On a game-to-game basis, the regular season champion Tennessee Volunteers were the best team in this league. Their ball pressure and physicality make it hard for opposing teams to generate open shots and Dalton Knecht is one of the two best offensive players in the sport. Their likely first two opponents, Mississippi State and Auburn, will be willing to play in a half-court grind-it-out game that the Vols excel in. Tennessee is the SEC’s most consistent team thanks to their physicality and toughness, but they’re also the most talented team on their side of this bracket, making them a solid bet to be playing in the championship.
Although Tennessee has the highest floor in SEC basketball, there might not be a team in the country with a higher single-game ceiling than Kentucky. John Calipari’s team brings two likely lottery picks, Reed Sheppard and Rob Dillingham, off the bench and has scored over 100 points in six games. The Wildcats’ defense typically leaves much to be desired, but there are stretches where it looks like they are playing with the sliders turned all the way. A potential rubber match with Tennessee would be a must-watch with both fanbases packing Bridgestone Arena.
Bitter rivals Alabama and Auburn have had similar seasons with both being ranked by the metrics but lacking quality wins. Auburn is just 1-7 in Quad-1 games while Alabama is 3-9. This SEC Tournament should be a good litmus test to see where the Iron Bowl of basketball stands nationally.
Other teams to watch are South Carolina, who is looking to keep its storybook season going in Nashville, and Florida, who has the talent to make a deep run in both tournaments.
Lastly, the bubble teams. Mississippi State is poised to secure their spot with a victory over LSU. Texas A&M will likely find themselves on the right side of the cut line with a win over Ole Miss but will need a victory against Kentucky to feel completely secure. Finally, Ole Miss must secure at least two wins to secure a spot in the NCAA Tournament.
