Goodbye February, hello March. The most wonderful time of the year is upon us as we approach not only the SEC Tournament but also the NCAA Tournament. The fun begins on March 9 as the SEC Tournament tips off between the lower four seeds and will conclude on Selection Sunday on March 13 when a champion will be crowned.
At one time, this tournament was an NCAA Tourney warm-up for the Kentucky Wildcats, who won the event each year from 2015-2018 until the Auburn Tigers took the crown in 2019. After the event was cancelled in 2020 due to the novel coronavirus, Alabama earned the banner in 2021 en route to a Sweet 16 appearance in the “Big Dance”.
In 2021, the Crimson Tide was the most dominant team in the SEC, winning all but two conference games and beating Mississippi State, Tennessee and LSU in the tournament to add the tournament championship to their SEC regular-season championship. It was their first title since 1991.
While it isn’t possible for Alabama to earn a top-four seed in the conference tournament, the Tide still has a chance to finish as the No. 5 seed, leading to a relatively easy path to a championship as opposed to entering the tournament as a lower seed.
Alabama is leading the conference with 80.5 points per game. They are on a bit of a hot streak as of late, which is certainly helpful as we near tournament play. The Crimson Tide can easily make the semifinals or the finals at the event, especially if they can limit turnovers and heat up from distance as we know they are capable of doing.
While the road to the conference title will likely run through Auburn or Kentucky, Tennessee and Arkansas are heating up, as well, adding to the threat the Tide may face during the tournament.
While the Crimson Tide has posted wins against the Volunteers and Razorbacks, already, Auburn and Kentucky represent an obstacle that Alabama hasn’t been able to circumvent, as of yet. Can the Tide get over the hump and take down its in-state rival and the conference’s only blue-blood when it matters?
I believe they have the talent, capability and resolve to accomplish all that they aspire to. Mental mistakes have been the downfall, and that will need to change if Alabama wants to make a statement and repeat as SEC Tournament champions.
Here is the full schedule of the SEC Tournament from Tampa Bay, FL.
First Round (March 9)
Game 1: No. 12 seed vs. No. 13 seed, 5 p.m. CT, SEC Network
Game 2: No. 11 seed vs. No. 14 seed, 7 p.m. CT, SEC Network
Second Round (March 10)
Game 3: No. 8 seed vs. No. 9 seed, 11 a.m. CT, SEC Network
Game 4: No. 5 seed vs. Game 1 winner, 1 p.m. CT, SEC Network
Game 5: No. 7 seed vs. No. 10 seed, 5 p.m. CT, SEC Network
Game 6: No. 6 seed vs. Game 2 winner, 7 p.m. CT, SEC Network
Quarterfinals (March 11)
Game 7: No. 1 seed vs. Game 3 winner, 11 a.m. CT, ESPN
Game 8: No. 4 seed vs. Game 4 winner, 1 p.m. CT, ESPN
Game 9: No. 2 seed vs. Game 5 winner, 5 p.m. CT, SEC Network
Game 10: No. 3 seed vs. Game 6 winner, 7 p.m. CT, SEC Network
Semifinals (March 12)
Game 11: Game 7 winner vs. Game 8 winner, 12 p.m. CT, ESPN
Game 12: Game 9 winner vs. Game 10 winner, 2 p.m. CT, ESPN
Championship (March 13)
Game 13: Game 11 winner vs. Game 12 winner, 12 p.m. CT, ESPN
Stay tuned to Roll Tide Wire for continued coverage of the Crimson Tide.
Contact/Follow us @RollTideWire on Twitter, and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Alabama news, notes, and opinion. You can also follow Layne Gerbig on Twitter @LayneG_29.