The SEC Conference Tournament was largely considered a forgone conclusion for some time. The University of Florida was a serious contender for a No. 1 seed in the NCAA tournament and the rest of the SEC was stuck in neutral. However, Florida has gone 3-3 to close out the regular season, including a loss to an up-and-down University of Kentucky team in their season finale.
Florida still cruised to a regular season SEC title, but the rest of the conference is a mess. Kentucky wound up with the number two seed despite having the same conference record as the University of Mississippi and the University of Alabama. The University of Missouri and the University of Tennessee were not too far behind either, ending the season at 11-7.
The goal for most of the SEC teams was to avoid having Florida on the same side of their bracket. Unfortunately for bubble-team Alabama, they will have a potential meeting with the Gators in the semifinals. The Crimson Tide would first have to get by in all likelihood Tennessee, who will be playing in their home state as the tournament is held in Nashville, Tenn. I see Alabama being able to beat Tennessee, but they don’t have enough to stop the Florida.
The Gators have proved through the course of the year they are a high quality team. They shoot incredibly well at No. 8 in the country. Former McDonalds All-American and Rutgers transfer Mike Rosario has finally lived up to his potential. Senior guard Kenny Boynton has also had a solid season averaging almost 13 points per game. Florida should get by the University of Georgia/LSU winner with ease, and then beat Alabama to reach the finals on Saturday afternoon, March 16.
On the other side of the bracket, there are three teams in particular playing for a birth in the NCAA Tournament. Kentucky, Ole Miss and Missouri all need wins to enhance their resumes. Missouri will beat Texas A&M, who should beat bottom dwellers Auburn with ease. Ole Miss and Missouri will then face off which could potentially be a quasi-play in game. Ole Miss has 23 wins on the season, but the Rebels lack a marquee win. The best win: a 15-point victory against Missouri when they were No. 10 in the nation back in January. Missouri and Ole Miss both can score the basketball, as the teams average 77.7 and 79.1 points per game, respectively.
Missouri should beat Ole Miss in a shootout. The Tigers may have lost to Tennessee to close out the regular season, but just prior, they scored 89, 93 and 90 points twice. In conference tournaments, teams have to play on consecutive days and I see the Tigers getting hot and having their sharpshooting carry them, even though that wasn’t the case against No. 15 seed Norfolk State University in the first round of the 2012 NCAA Tournament.
Kentucky’s win over Florida to end the regular season has people thinking the Wildcats are finally playing their best basketball. However, Kentucky is extremely inconsistent. The win over Florida was only Kentucky’s second win against a ranked opponent this season. Kentucky should face off with the University of Arkansas, who should beat Vanderbilt University. Arkansas beat Kentucky in Fayetteville, Ark., but on a neutral court, Kentucky will roll behind star freshmen Alex Poythress and Archie Goodwin.
Whenever Kentucky seems to be getting into their stride, they have a setback. It’s about that time for another upset, as Missouri should top the Wildcats in the semifinals. Missouri will continue their shooting tear. Junior Phil Pressey is a dynamic point guard averaging 11.9 points per game and an impressive 7.1 assists a game. Pressey running she show will lead the Tigers to the finals.
Missouri’s run will come to a halt when Florida defeats them in the championship game. The gap between Florida and the rest of the SEC is too great. The Gators could end up with a No. 1 seed in the NCAA Tournament after winning the SEC Tournament.
The SEC will probably have three at-large teams in the tournament in Kentucky, Missouri, and Ole Miss. The Rebels could be one the last teams in, but Missouri and Kentucky should get in slightly easier. Missouri’s offensive attack gives them a real shot to make a run deep in the tournament. The SEC dominates postseason football. However, this is basketball. None of these teams appear to be title contenders or even Final Four quality teams. The lone exception could be Florida. The key work though is “could.”