The 65th edition of the SEC Basketball Tournament tips off at 12 P.M. Central Wednesday at Bridgestone Arena in Nashville. This will be the 12th time the event has been held at Bridgestone, and the competition will be prolific as the heavyweights in the conference battle for the championship and the coveted high seeding in the NCAA Tournament that goes with it while the underdogs try to shock the conference.

The No.1 seed and third-ranked Auburn Tigers are the favorite, at 2/1. No.2 seed and fourth-ranked Florida is 3/1. The No.3 seed and 5th-ranked Crimson Tide, fresh off a tremendous victory at the Jungle last Saturday, is 4/1. Fourth seeded and 8th ranked Tennessee is 6/1. No.15 Kentucky is 22/1, No.14 A&M is 25/1, as is No.21 Missouri.

Can Auburn capture both the regular season and conference championship or can Alabama, Florida, Tennessee or a Cinderella crash the Tigers’ party? Should be fun to witness.

ESPN’s Joe “Brackets” Lunardi, in his pretty darn accurate Bracketology he puts out every Tuesday and Friday mornings, has the Tigers as the No.1 overall seed in the NCAA Tournament and playing in the South region. Barring an upset in the quarters or semis, which would go along with No.1 ranked and the No.2 overall seed in the NCAA’s Duke capturing the ACC Tournament Championship, Auburn should maintain its spot as the No.1 overall seed. But this tournament, the SEC, is unpredictable, so the Tigers will need to be locked and loaded in order to be successful on Friday, Saturday and Sunday. Florida is the No.2 seed and is playing elite basketball right now. Lunardi has them as a No.1 seed in the West Regional. It has defeated both the Tigers and the Crimson Tide on the road. The Crimson Tide is presently a 2 seed in the Midwest, where Lunardi has Houston as the No.1 seed. The Tide is gunning for a possible run all the way to a championship and making the selection committee think really hard about them as a No.1 seed. It’s not extremely likely, but could be a possible scenario if the Tide can win out in Nashville and get help in the Big 12 Tournament with Houston not winning it, or in the ACC Tournament with Duke not winning that. The Crimson Tide did defeat Houston, 85-80, on Tuesday, Nov. 26th at Las Vegas in the Players Era Festival Tournament, so that’s something for the committee to definitely contemplate if the Tide wins it all in Nashvegas.

Lunardi has the SEC with 13 teams in the NCAA Tournament, but it’s fluid as always and can also depend on these conference tournament’ outcomes. These Cinderella teams in the smaller conferences can steal a bid from an SEC team by winning their respective conference tournament championships, if these lower seeded SEC teams lose early in the SEC Tournament. Auburn and Florida are 1 seeds according to Lunardi. The Crimson Tide and Tennessee are 2 seeds-Tennessee in the East region. Kentucky is a 3 seed. A&M is a 3 seed. Mizzou is a 7 seed. Ole Miss is a 7 seed. Mississippi State is an 8 seed. Georgia has vaulted to a 9 seed with their good play lately. And Vanderbilt, Arkansas and Oklahoma are each 11 seeds. OU is considered one of the ‘Last 4 in” teams according to Lunardi, so there situation is tenuous, and they’ll most likely need a victory in the first round to solidify their NCAA Tournament participation. Texas is on the third line of the “First Four Out” in Lunardi’s bracket, so they’ve got to win one if not two games in this tournament.

So, there are some really interesting scenarios set to transpire in Nashville. Vanderbilt, Oklahoma, Arkansas and Texas have work to do. Georgia may be safer, according to Lunardi, but they want to win at least one game to ensure their entry into the NCAA’s.

This is all Lunardi, and he’s not 100 percent accurate, but the guy is highly knowledgeable and is pretty close to accurate on what the committee will decide on Selection Sunday. So, I like his stuff. A lot of people do.

It’ll be electric action in Nashville with major repercussions on the line for several teams.

Here are predictions for the games and which team White’s World likes to cut down the nets on Sunday around 2:30-45 P.M. Central.

****All times Central.**** All numbers in front of the teams are SEC Tournament seeds

Wednesday

No. 16 South Carolina (2-16 SEC,12-19) vs. No.9 Arkansas (8-10, 20-11)

12 P.M.

SEC Network

Arkansas by 3 1/2, O/U: 138 1/2

I like Arkansas to move on and further solidify their spot in the NCAA Tournament. It’ll be defensive game, and a little ugly.

Arkansas 61, South Carolina 53

No.13 Texas (6-12, 17-14) vs. No. 12 Vanderbilt (8-10, 20-11)

25 minutes after Game 1, 2:30-45 ish, maybe later if there is OT in first game

SEC Network

Vandy by 2 1/2, O/U 148 1/2

I like the Dores to solidify their NCAA Tournament aspirations.

Vanderbilt 77, Texas 74

No.15 LSU (3-15, 14-17) vs. No.10 Mississippi State (8-10, 20-11)

6 P.M.

SEC Network

State by 8 1/2, O/U 147 1/2

Liking State to get it done, but closer than anticipated.

Miss. State 75, LSU 70

No. 14 Oklahoma (6-12, 19-12) vs. No.11 Georgia (8-10, 20-11)

8:30-9 approximately

SEC Network

UGA by 2 1/2, O/U 148 1/2

I like the Dawgs to enhance their resume and make them a very marketable team to the NCAA Tournament Selection Committee.

Georgia 74, Oklahoma 70

Thursday, Day 2

Arkansas vs. No.8 Ole Miss (10-8, 21-10)

12 P.M.

SEC Network

I like the Hogs to pull off what might be considered a slight upset, but not really.

Arkansas 67, Ole Miss 65

Vanderbilt vs. No.5 Texas A&M (11-7, 22-9)

25 minutes after first game

SEC Network

Give me the Dores to clinch their spot in the NCAA’s.

Vandy 78, A&M 77

Mississippi State vs. No.7 Missouri (10-8,21-10)

6 P.M.

SEC Network

I’ll take the Bullies to pull off an upset and advance to the quarters.

State 80, Missouri 78

Georgia vs. No. 6 Kentucky (10-8, 21-10)

25 minutes after State/Mizzou concludes

SEC Network

I’ll go with the Wildcats to move on in front a mass of Big Blue nation as their fans take over an SEC Tournament venue once again.

Kentucky 69, Georgia 67

Friday, Quarterfinals

Arkansas vs. No.1 Auburn (15-3, 27-4)

12 P.M.

ESPN

Arkansas will have secured their spot in the NCAA’s, but they aren’t beating Auburn, however.

Auburn 78, Arkansas 68

Vanderbilt vs. No.4 Tennessee (12-6, 25-6)

25 minutes after Game 1

ESPN

I’ll take the Commodores in an upset city victory.

Vandy 71, Tennessee 70

Mississippi State vs. No.2 Florida (14-4, 27-4)

6 PM

SEC Network

I like the Gators to keep their momentum rolling on.

Florida 78, State 70

Kentucky vs. No.3 Alabama (13-6, 24-7)

25 minutes after FL. vs. State

SEC Network

I’ll take the red hot Mark Sears and Grant Nelson and a star-studded Crimson Tide team.

Alabama 91, Kentucky 89

Saturday, semifinals

Auburn vs. Vanderbilt

12 P.M.

ESPN

The Commodores legs are going to be really tired by this point, and Johni Broome, the SEC player of the Year and possibly National Player of the year if he can beat out Duke’s Cooper Flagg, will have his way with the much smaller Commodores.

Auburn 85, Vanderbilt 73

Alabama vs, Florida

25 minutes after first game.

ESPN

Florida is just so hot right now. I like sharpshooter Walter Clayton Jr. and the Gators to advance in a

barnburner.

Florida 102, Alabama 98 OT

Championship Sunday

Auburn vs. Florida

12 P.M.

ESPN

I’m bullish on the Gators. The Tigers and Tide keep their seeds, and this should be a classic, but give me the

Gators.

Florida 92, Auburn 90 OT

Tournament MVP: Walter Clayton Jr.