Updated SEC Tournament Tracker: A shake-up in UK’s potential bracket
We have known for some time that the only path for the Kentucky Wildcats into the 2021 NCAA Tournament involves the Cats winning the SEC tourney.
Having dug a massive hole by starting the season 5-13, John Calipari’s Wildcats, now 8-15, 7-9 SEC, have long been out of contention for an NCAA Tournament at-large bid.
After last year’s Southeastern Conference Tournament was canceled after only two games (won by Arkansas and Georgia) due to the coronavirus pandemic, this year’s event is slated to return March 10-14 at Bridgestone Arena in Nashville.
The SEC announced Tuesday that seating capacity at this season’s league tourney will be capped at 20 percent (some 3,400 fans) due to COVID-19 restrictions.
There will be no tickets offered for public purchase. Teams competing in the SEC Tournament will be provided “a very limited number of tickets for sale to their fan base,” the SEC said in a statement.
Due to the coronavirus, fans over the age of 2 will be required to wear a cloth face covering or mask (that covers both the nose and mouth) at all times.
This year’s SEC Tournament will be a 13-team affair. Auburn has self-imposed a postseason ban on its men’s basketball program as a result of alleged NCAA rules violations uncovered during the FBI investigation of corruption in college hoops.
If the SEC tourney started today, this is how things would shape up for Kentucky and the other 12 participating schools:
The top four seeds: 1. Alabama (15-2 SEC); 2. Arkansas (12-4); 3. LSU (10-6); 4. Florida (9-6).
Remaining seeds: 5. Tennessee (9-7); 6. Missouri (8-7); 7. Mississippi (9-8); 8. Mississippi State (8-9); 9. Kentucky (7-9); 10. Georgia (7-10); 11. South Carolina (4-11); 12. Texas A&M (2-7); 13. Vanderbilt (3-12).
Kentucky’s opening game if the tournament started today: The No. 9 Wildcats would face No. 8 Mississippi State in the first game of the second round on Thursday, March 11.
UK’s history vs. potential opening-game opponent: After beating MSU 78-73 in double overtime on Jan. 2, Kentucky leads the all-time series with Mississippi State 92-18 and has won 15 straight over the Bulldogs.
The Wildcats’ path through their bracket: If Kentucky beat Mississippi State, it would face No. 1-seed Alabama in the first quarterfinal on Friday, March 12.
Also on the Wildcats’ side of the bracket as things stand now would be No. 4 Florida, No. 5 Tennessee, No. 12 Texas A&M and No. 13 Vanderbilt.
Winning four games to win the SEC Tournament: As an eight seed, Kentucky would have to win four games to claim the tourney title.
Since the SEC Tournament was revived in 1979, teams required to win four games have won the championship five times:
▪ 1985 Auburn
▪ 2000 Arkansas
▪ 2008 Georgia
▪ 2009 Mississippi State
▪ 2019 Auburn
SEC Tournament records of current coaches (ranked by number of wins):
John Calipari, Kentucky, 23-4; Bruce Pearl, Auburn, Tennessee, 13-10 (7-4 at Auburn since 2014-15; 6-6 at Tennessee 2005-06 through 2010-11); Rick Barnes, Tennessee, 6-4; Frank Martin, South Carolina, 5-7;
Ben Howland, Mississippi State, 3-4; Mike White, Florida, 3-4; Cuonzo Martin, Missouri, Tennessee, 3-5 (1-2 at Missouri since 2017-18; 2-3 at Tennessee from 2011-12 through 2013-14);
Eric Musselman, Arkansas, 1-0; Tom Crean, Georgia, 1-1; Buzz Williams, Texas A&M, 1-1; 11. Nate Oats, Alabama, 0-0; Kermit Davis, Mississippi, 0-2; Jerry Stackhouse, Vanderbilt, 0-2; Will Wade, LSU, 0-2.
Current NET rankings for SEC teams:
(Through games of March 3)
7. Alabama
12. Arkansas
23. Tennessee
27. Florida
28. LSU
39. Missouri
57. Mississippi
67. Kentucky
71. Auburn
79. Mississippi State
93. Georgia
117. Vanderbilt
123. South Carolina
145. Texas A&M
Kentucky’s SEC Tournament history
All-time SEC Tournament record: 134-26.
All-time SEC Tournament coaching records (ranked by number of wins): Adolph Rupp 57-6, John Calipari 23-4, Tubby Smith 20-5, Rick Pitino 17-1, Joe B. Hall 10-6, Eddie Sutton 6-2, Billy Gillispie 1-2.
Titles won: 31.
Titles won by coach: Adolph Rupp 13, John Calipari 6, Rick Pitino 5, Tubby Smith 5, Joe B. Hall 1, Eddie Sutton 1 — *.
* — On the court, Eddie Sutton’s UK teams won two SEC Tournaments (1986 and 1988). However, Kentucky’s 1988 SEC Tournament title was subsequently vacated due to NCAA rules violations.
First UK title won: 1933.
Most recent UK title won: 2018.
This story was originally published March 3, 2021 at 12:01 AM.
