After years of being known as a football-only conference, the SEC has really improved as a basketball conference over the last few years. The SEC is no longer Kentucky and everyone else, as Tennessee and LSU are also ranked in the top ten, and as many as nine teams could make it to the NCAA Tournament. That is going to make the SEC Conference Tournament a very intriguing affair. The tournament will take place over five days from March 13 to March 17 in , and you can bet on all the games at BetDSI.
SEC Tournament Odds
SEC Tournament Favorites
Tennessee – If you’re like me and you put a lot of stock in Ken Pomeroy’s ratings, Tennessee is probably going to be the favorite coming into the conference tournament. The Volunteers will win a share of the conference title with a win on the road against Auburn on Saturday, and they have lost just three times all season. They are a veteran team with a very good big man in Grant Williams and quality guards in Admiral Schofield, Jordan Bone, and Lamonte Turner. Tennessee is going to have a nice home court advantage with the tournament in Nashville too, and the Vols have to be feeling good after dominating Kentucky last weekend.
LSU – The Tigers have been one of the most fortunate teams in college basketball this year. They have squeaked out a lot of wins, beating both Kentucky and Tennessee in one-possession games, and they beat Florida in overtime by a single point on Wednesday. LSU has not been exceptional if you look at advanced numbers, but the Tigers are set to finish the year as the top team in the conference and earn the No. 1 seed. That would give them a favorable path in the tournament, as they would avoid both Kentucky and Tennessee until a potential final.
Kentucky – John Calipari just earned his 300th win as the head coach of the Wildcats, and Kentucky has the talent to win it all. However, there is a significant injury concern as Reid Travis has missed the last couple weeks with a knee injury, and if he is out, that means PJ Washington has to play a more conservative game. Washington has emerged as Kentucky’s top scoring option and has been a dynamite shooter, so if Travis is out, I would recommend staying away from the Wildcats.
SEC Tournament Contenders
Auburn – Bruce Pearl’s bunch is incredibly frisky, but the Tigers need to get the No. 4 seed to feel good about their chances. They are currently in a battle with South Carolina for the No. 4 slot, but while Auburn has to host Tennessee, South Carolina gets to host a very bad Georgia team. The No. 5 seed has to play an extra game, while the No. 4 seed receives a double bye, so the difference is massive. If Auburn does end up earning the No. 4 seed in the SEC Tournament, they have a good chance at playing spoiler.
Florida – If you’re looking for a real longshot to win the conference tournament, take a gander at Florida. The Gators might be 17-13, but they have great advanced numbers, and they play very good defense. You can likely get them at 10-1 or more to win the SEC Conference Tournament, and those are decent odds on a team that has went into Baton Rouge and knocked off LSU.
