A look ahead at the SEC Tourney

The SEC tournament in Nashville starts next week and since we all like to know who we need to root for in order to secure the best possible matchups, here is a breakdown of what the seeding looks like today as well as each team's remaining game(s). Teams in bold have clenched their division spots: SEC East: 1. Kentucky (13-2) -Florida 2. Vanderbilt (12-3) -South Carolina 3. Tennessee (10-5) -@ Miss. St. 4. Florida (9-6) -@ UK 5. Georgia (5-10) -@ LSU 6. South Carolina (5-10) -@ Vanderbilt SEC West: 1. Miss St. (9-6) -Tennessee 2. Ole Miss (7-7) -LSU, @ Arkansas 3. Arkansas (7-8) -Ole Miss 4. Auburn (6-9) -@ Alabama 5. Alabama (5-10)- Auburn 6. LSU (1-13)-@ Ole Miss, Georgia So here is what the tournament is shaping up to look like: Thursday March 11, 2010: [E5] Georgia/South Carolina vs. [W4]Alabama/Arkansas/Auburn [W6] LSU vs. [E3] Tennessee [W5]Alabama/Auburn vs. [E4] Florida [E6] Georgia/South Carolina vs. [W3]Arkansas/Ole Miss/Auburn

 

 Friday March 12, 2010: [E1] Kentucky vs. [E5]/[W4] Winner [W2]Arkansas/Ole Miss vs. [W6]/[E3] Winner [W1] Mississippi St. vs. [W5]/[E4] Winner [E2] Vanderbilt vs. [E6]/[W3] Winner   If I had to rank the possible matchups for Friday, it would look like this: (from best case to worst) 1. Arkansas 2. Georgia 3. Alabama 4. Auburn 5. South Carolina I don't think the west is strong enough to win this game anyway, but if they do I don't see any of those three getting past Kentucky. Auburn kept it close back in January, but it was in their house and you can bet it won't be like that in Nashville. Facing Georgia again is a strong possibility since they hold the tie breaker over USC right now and would have to lose and have USC beat Vanderbilt over the weekend to lose that #5 east seed. I'd rather see a Georgia team we beat by 12 on the road last night than Devon Downey any day of the week, so I'll be pulling for Vanderbilt this weekend. As far as Friday and Saturday go, there are obviously way too many variables at this point. If they survive, Vanderbilt and Miss. St. are pretty equal in my book, though Miss St. may have revenge in mind after their overtime loss earlier in the season. As weak as the west has been this year, I'd take most of the matchups they present over a Florida or Tennessee showdown. So basically I'm rooting for Vanderbilt this weekend, though I'm pretty confident that the Cats will come out on top next weekend. The only question at this point is who will be left in our dust on the way, and we'll find out this weekend.