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The SEC tournament will showcase the best of college basketball this week in Nashville. That’s not up for debate.
Anyone with so much as a casual interest in the sport can attest that the SEC reigns supreme. You don’t have to peruse the national rankings. You just need to watch the games.
SEC basketball passes the eye test like never before, which means college basketball fans are in for a treat when the conference tournament begins Wednesday at Bridgestone Arena. You don’t need a rooting interest in any team – just an appreciation for basketball talent − to find the tournament attractive.
In fact, there might be more talent on display in the SEC tournament semifinals than you will see in the Final Four. My guess is NBA scouts would agree.
Nonetheless, as viewer- and scout-friendly as this tournament might be, how much will it really matter?
It certainly won’t matter as much as the NCAA tournament that follows. The best teams in the SEC – Alabama, Auburn, Florida and Tennessee – aren’t just the SEC favorites. They’re Final Four contenders.
And if you’re a Final Four contender, how much will your SEC tournament outcomes matter?
Remember last season’s SEC tournament?
Alabama lost its first game by 14 points to Florida. All it did after that was make the Final Four. Tennessee lost its first game by 17 points to Mississippi State. The Vols didn’t lose again until they came up just short of Purdue in the Elite Eight of the NCAA tournament.
Another glaring example: Auburn won the 2024 SEC tournament and lost to Yale in the first round of the NCAA tournament.
Teams will have a chance to slightly improve their seeding in this week’s SEC tournament. But the risk could outweigh the reward. And the risk could be significant for Tennessee, which isn’t blessed with a deep bench.
The Vols became shorthanded when center J. P. Estrella was lost to a season-ending injury before the first game was played. UT’s depth took another hit when Cameron Carr entered the…
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Author : Knox News | The Knoxville News-Sentinel
Publish date : 2025-03-10 09:07:00
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