2025 NCAA Men’s Basketball Champions: The Florida Gators won their third national championship, defeating the Houston Cougars in the final.
Florida’s Tournament Run: Florida, the SEC Tournament champions, was a No. 1 seed in the NCAA Tournament. They had to overcome a number of deficits throughout the tournament to win, including a 12-point deficit in the championship game. They defeated their conference rival, Auburn, in the Final Four.
Auburn’s 2025 Season: The Auburn Tigers had a historic season, setting a school record with 32 wins and advancing to their second Final Four in program history. They were a No. 1 seed and were led by SEC Player of the Year Johni Broome. Their season ended with a loss to Florida in the Final Four.
Kentucky’s 2025 Season: The 2024-25 season was Mark Pope’s first as Kentucky’s head coach. The team was composed of several transfers and freshmen. The Wildcats reached the Sweet 16 of the NCAA Tournament, which was the program’s first time advancing past the second weekend since 2019. Their season ended with a loss to Tennessee in the Sweet 16.
Other SEC Teams in the 2025 NCAA Tournament: Alabama, Georgia, Mississippi State, Missouri, Oklahoma, Ole Miss, and Texas all made the NCAA Tournament. Alabama, Ole Miss, and Tennessee all made it to the Sweet 16, with Alabama and Tennessee reaching the Elite Eight. The conference was undeniably dominant in the 2024-25 season.
2025 SEC Tournament: Florida, the No. 2 seed, defeated No. 1 seed Auburn to win the SEC Tournament title.
2025-26 Season Schedule: Kentucky will face Florida, Tennessee, and Vanderbilt in home-and-away games. Their home schedule also includes Georgia, Mississippi State, Missouri, Oklahoma, Ole Miss, and Texas. Their road games are against Alabama, Arkansas, Auburn, LSU, South Carolina, and Texas A&M. Kentucky’s coach, Mark Pope, will face his former coach, John Calipari, when the Wildcats travel to Arkansas.
Kentucky to Face Defending National Champion Gators Twice in 2025-26 SEC Slate
