The wait is over for Championship Week as the Southeastern Conference and conferences throughout the country hold their respective and coveted conference championships and the automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament that goes with winning it.
In the SEC, No.1 seed Alabama, No.2 seed Arkansas, No.3 seed LSU, No.4 seed Tennessee, No.5 seed Florida and No.7 seed Missouri are in the tournament according to ESPN Bracketologist Joey “Brackets,” Lunardi. Ole Miss has work to do and the rest of the teams, Kentucky, surprisingly, Mississippi State, Georgia, South Carolina, Texas A&M and Vanderbilt have to win the tournament to get the highly desired bid to the big tournament, where, once you get in, anything is possible.
KenPom.com, a basketball analytics guru, has Alabama as the favorite to win the tournament, at 28.7%, with Arkansas next, at 22.9%, then Tennessee, at 15.5%, then LSU, at 14.2%, then Florida, at 6.7%, then Ole Miss, at 3.9%, and then Missouri, at 3.7%. Auburn self-imposed a ban from postseason play this season and will not be participating. Pearly and his Tigers set their sights on a lot more successful 21-22 season. The pieces should be in place for that to happen, particularly if Sharife Cooper returns, but even without him, the Tigers should be a quality team.
Here are my predictions for the awesome extravaganza that tips off tomorrow at 6 PM CT on the SEC Network.
Wednesday, March 10th
No.13 Texas A&M (8=9, 2-8 SEC) vs. No.12 Vanderbilt (8-15, 3-13)
6 PM CT
SEC Network
I’m going to take the Aggies to advance in game 1. The way they played Arkansas tough at Arkansas on Saturday, taking them to the wire and only losing by 7 in a game that was a lot closer than 7 points, makes me think the Aggies, which have had major pauses with their team due to the pandemic, are going to start hitting their stride tomorrow night at Bridgestone. I expect a good game, just like the athletes of A&M a little better than Vandy’s.
A&M 66, Vanderbilt 64
Thursday, March 11th, 4 games
Game 1
No.8 Kentucky 72, No.9 Mississippi State 68
11 AM CT
SEC Network
The Wildcats need to win 4 games in a row. Like them to get started at that on Thursday, but do they have the arsenal to keep that up?
Game 2
No. 5 Florida 70, A&M 64
2:30 PM CT
SEC Network
Like the Gators to advance, but in a hard fought, defensive game.
Game 3
No.7 Missouri 75, No. 10 Georgia 65
6 PM CT
SEC Network
The Tigers are a quality team, but need to win their first game to insure a bid to the big tournament.
Game 4
No. 6 Ole Miss 74, No.11 South Carolina 72
8:30 PM CT
SEC Network
The Rebels keep their hopes alive for a tournament bid, but just survive a scrappy Gamecocks team.
Friday, March 12th, Quarterfinals
Game 1
No.1 Alabama 68, Kentucky 64
11 AM CT
ESPN
The Crimson Tide doesn’t shoot as well, Kentucky plays good defense, but rides their own defense and holds their own on the boards and makes enough shots to survive and advance.
Game 2
Florida 80, No.4 Tennessee 78
2:30 PM CT
ESPN
Give me the Gators in the first upset of the tournament as they solidify their bid and Tennessee still looks pretty good for the NCAA tourney, but will be slightly sweating it out on Sunday.
Game 3
No.2 Arkansas 76, Missouri 72
6 PM CT
SEC Network
I’ll take the Hogs barely in a major collision with a talented and hard nosed Missouri team.
Game 4
No.3 LSU 78, Ole Miss 74
8:30 PM CT
SEC Network
I expect another terrific game for the nightcap Friday. Give me a Jack and water and the remote on Friday.
Saturday, March 13th, Semifinals
Game 1
Alabama 74, Florida 70
12 PM
ESPN
The Crimson Tide starts picking up its shooting against the Gators, but it’ll be a tight game. The Tide survives and advances once again.
Game 2
Arkansas 77, LSU 74
2:30 PM CT
ESPN
The Razorbacks survive a strong ——— effort from Will Wade and the Bengal Tigers.
Sunday, March 14th, the SEC Championship Game
No. 6 Alabama (21-6, 16-2) vs. No.8 Arkansas (21-5, 13-4) (nationally)
12 PM CT
ESPN, please no Dickie V. Afraid that’s going to happen. “He’s sensational! He’s fantastic! He’s superb! He’s unbelievable, Ba-by!” None of that, ESPN. Would really appreciate it.
I like Nate Oats over the hyperactive and frantic Eric Musselman. I like Coach Oats as the National Coach of the Year. Who’s done a better job? Give me Nate, the great Herb Jones, Jaden Shackelford, Jahvon Quinerly and a really good basketball team, that is imitating its football team this year, over a team that’s going to make some noise in the NCAA Tournament and will be a tough out on Sunday. I like the Oats factor and the Herb Jones’ leadership factor to prevail. If the Crimson Tide pulls this off and teams like Michigan lose, in their conference tournament, Alabama could earn a number 1 seed in the NCAA Tournament. That would be phenomenal and make for a good chance at a run in the NCAA’s with favorable matchups along the way. Give me Coach Oats and the Crimson Tide. The Crimson Tide cuts down the nets on Sunday for the first time since 1991 as Bama Golf reminded me in his comment.
Alabama 80, Arkansas 78
13 Responses
I like Arkansas or Florida to cut down the nets. Alabama looking forward to the Big Dance.
Thanks, Brownie. I disagree, think the Tide will be focused. Should be fun.
I like your pick DW however I feel the Tide must pickup their shooting and quit turning the ball over so much. I like LSU as my sleeper as I am probably biased because of Trendon Watford. I hope the Tide can pull it off because I think it has been since 1991 since they won the SEC tourney.,.
Wow, that’s a long time, Bama. Like the Tide’s players the best. Think Bama is the most talented team and has the senior leadership to get the job done though they haven’t been this good in a while.
BG, looked it up, you’re right. 1991. So kind of unchartered waters for the program. Still believe in’em this weekend.
Since Pearl and Team chose to self impose and sit out, I’m looking for UF to do well, maybe better than expected.
Definitely some very good teams and individual players to watch in this SEC Tournament. Thanks DW.
I like the pick also and as an Alabama fan it is hard to believe that has been 1 score and 10 in Abe Lincoln years since the last SEC tourney win. If I was a betting man I would probably take the field but, like you and The Monkee’s drummer and vocalist Micky Dolenz " I’m a believer".
Thanks a ton, SH. The Gators certainly could pull it off.
Great stuff, WP! Humorous as always.
I think it’s Bama or Arkansas and like your pick, Dave.
RTR!
Thanks, D! Good luck to your Blazers this week!
DW – Really like those picks, especially Bama-Arkansas in the finals. The Hogs are really playing well at the right time, while Bama seems to be coasting in a little bit (spoken by a true Auburn fan). It should be a Classic Championship Game!
Good point about Ark-Al., JBC. Yes, I struggled with it due to that fact, but I still went with the Tide because I trust Nate Oats and the leadership on the Tide. I just have a feeling they’re going to shoot the ball a lot better at Bridgestone and they play excellent defense and hit the boards well. Thanks, bud.