NCAA Men’s Basketball SEC Tournament Betting Preview: Tennessee Expected to Emerge From Nashville Victorious
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Behind the Big 12, the SEC has been the next-best conference in college basketball this season. Seven SEC teams are projected to earn spots in the NCAA Tournament, a few of them as high seeds, and all 14 member schools are headed to Nashville this week to crown a champion.
The Tennessee Volunteers are favored to come out on top, just like they did in 2022, but they’ll face tough challenges from the Kentucky Wildcats, Auburn Tigers, Alabama Crimson Tide, Florida Gators and South Carolina Gamecocks, all of which are projected to be in the field of 68. In addition, Mississippi State and Texas A&M are on the bubble with some work to do in the coming days.
Look below for the entire SEC bracket, key information on the top six seeds and resumes for every competitor.
(All rankings updated through March 12, odds via FanDuel.)
No. 1 Tennessee Volunteers (24–7, 14–4 SEC)
Against the Spread Record: 16–14–1
KenPom Ranking: 5
NET Rating: 5
Odds to win SEC: +175
After transferring from Northern Colorado, shooting guard Dalton Knecht has been a force this season for Tennessee.
Brianna Paciorka/USA TODAY Network
Despite a career-high 40 points from SEC Player of the Year Dalton Knecht, the Vols lost the season finale to Kentucky 85–81. That defeat put an end to Tennessee’s seven-game winning streak but it had already locked up the regular-season title before the Wildcats came to town. The double bye for the Vols advances them to the quarterfinals for a game against LSU or Mississippi State — Tennessee trounced the Tigers 88–68 but lost to the Bulldogs 77–72 early in conference play. The Vols are gunning for the second tournament championship in three years following their first outright regular-season title since 2008.
No. 2 Kentucky Wildcats (23–8, 13–5 SEC)
Against the Spread Record: 18–13
KenPom Ranking: 17
NET Rating: 19
Odds to win SEC: +400
The Wildcats’ season-ending win to even the series with Tennessee secured a double bye to the quarterfinals, where they will play the winner of Ole Miss and Texas A&M. Kentucky beat the Rebels 75–63 in February and lost to the Aggies 97–92 in overtime in January. Few teams can keep up with John Calipari’s team on offense as it ranks No. 2 in scoring average to Alabama and No. 1 nationally in three-point percentage. The last SEC Tournament championship for the Wildcats was in 2018, which was the last of four straight for UK.
No. 3 Alabama Crimson Tide (21–10, 13–5 SEC)
Against the Spread Record: 17–14
KenPom Ranking: 11
NET Rating: 8
Odds to win SEC: +500
The Crimson Tide limp into Nashville having lost three of their final five games and their porous defense surrendered over 100 points twice during that stretch in losses to Kentucky and Florida. Alabama narrowly escaped Arkansas’ upset bid in the season finale, winning 92–88 in overtime to ensure its double bye to the quarterfinals where it will face UF, Georgia or Missouri. The Tide split with the Gators and beat the Bulldogs and Tigers in their only meetings this season. Alabama may be in a bit of a slump and its defense is an issue, but Nate Oats’ team leads the country in scoring and has won two of the last three conference tournaments.
No. 4 Auburn Tigers (24–7, 13–5 SEC)
Against the Spread Record: 19–12
KenPom Ranking: 4
NET Rating: 6
Odds to win SEC: +240
The Tigers roared to a 16–2 start — 5–0 in SEC play — and though they had their issues on the road, they still finished with a top-four seed in the conference. The tail end of the schedule was forgiving for Auburn, which dispatched Mississippi State, Missouri and Georgia in March after playing the best the SEC had to offer in February. The Tigers’ tournament position is favorable as they’re poised to play South Carolina, Arkansas or Vanderbilt. Bruce Pearl’s team demolished the Gamecocks 101–61, routed the Razorbacks 83–51 and swept the Commodores, winning both meetings by 15-plus points.
No. 5 South Carolina Gamecocks (25–6, 13–5 SEC)
Against the Spread Record: 22–9
KenPom Ranking: 47
NET Rating: 49
Odds to win SEC: +5000
The Gamecocks got the short end of the stick, losing a four-way tie with Kentucky, Alabama and Auburn to fall to the fifth seed. That means South Carolina only earned a bye to the second round, where it will play the winner of Vanderbilt-Arkansas — the Gamecocks beat the Commodores 75–60 and Razorbacks 77–64. After dropping back-to-back games for the first time in February, South Carolina responded by winning four of its next five, including an 82–76 win over the Gators and a 93–89 overtime victory against Mississippi State in the season finale.
No. 6 Florida Gators (21–10, 11–7 SEC)
Against the Spread Record: 14–16–1
KenPom Ranking: 30
NET Rating: 35
Odds to win SEC: +1600
The Gators followed up a 105–87 statement win over the Crimson Tide with a 79–78 letdown loss to Vanderbilt on the road in the season finale. That was Florida’s first Quad 3 loss of the season and it came over the weekend in Nashville, where the Gators will play the winner of Georgia and Missouri later this week. UF swept the Bulldogs and Tigers, though both games against UGA and former coach Mike White were tight.
No. 7 Texas A&M Aggies (18–13, 9–9 SEC)
Against the Spread Record: 14-17
KenPom Ranking: 48
NET Rating: 46
Odds to win SEC: +5000
No. 8 LSU Tigers (17–14, 9–9 SEC)
Against the Spread Record: 13–18
KenPom Ranking: 91
NET Rating: 92
Odds to win SEC: +25000
No. 9 Mississippi State Bulldogs (19–12, 8–10 SEC)
Against the Spread Record: 14–16–1
KenPom Ranking: 39
NET Rating: 42
Odds to win SEC: +5000
No. 10 Ole Miss Rebels (20–11, 7–11 SEC)
Against the Spread Record: 14–17
KenPom Ranking: 84
NET Rating: 90
Odds to win SEC: +10000
No. 11 Georgia Bulldogs (16–15, 6–12 SEC)
Against the Spread Record: 16–14–1
KenPom Ranking: 92
NET Rating: 101
Odds to win SEC: +25000
No. 12 Arkansas Razorbacks (15–16, 6–12 SEC)
Against the Spread Record: 12–19
KenPom Ranking: 106
NET Rating: 109
Odds to win SEC: +25000
No. 13 Vanderbilt Commodores (9–22, 4–14 SEC)
Against the Spread Record: 14–16–1
KenPom Ranking: 187
NET Rating: 203
Odds to win SEC: +25000
No. 14 Missouri Tigers (8–23, 0–18 SEC)
Against the Spread Record: 9–22
KenPom Ranking: 146
NET Rating: 156
Odds to win SEC: +25000
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