The SEC tournament will showcase the best of college basketball this week in Nashville. That’s not up for debate.
Anyone with so much as a casual interest in the sport can attest that the SEC reigns supreme. You don’t have to peruse the national rankings. You just need to watch the games.
SEC basketball passes the eye test like never before, which means college basketball fans are in for a treat when the conference tournament begins Wednesday at Bridgestone Arena. You don’t need a rooting interest in any team – just an appreciation for basketball talent − to find the tournament attractive.In fact, there might be more talent on display in the SEC tournament semifinals than you will see in the Final Four. My guess is NBA scouts would agree.
Nonetheless, as viewer- and scout-friendly as this tournament might be, how much will it really matter?It certainly won’t matter as much as the NCAA tournament that follows. The best teams in the SEC – Alabama, Auburn, Florida and Tennessee – aren’t just the SEC favorites. They’re Final Four contenders.
And if you’re a Final Four contender, how much will your SEC tournament outcomes matter?
Remember last season’s SEC tournament?
Alabama lost its first game by 14 points to Florida. All it did after that was make the Final Four. Tennessee lost its first game by 17 points to Mississippi State. The Vols didn’t lose again until they came up just short of Purdue in the Elite Eight of the NCAA tournament.
Another glaring example: Auburn won the 2024 SEC tournament and lost to Yale in the first round of the NCAA tournament.
Teams will have a chance to slightly improve their seeding in this week’s SEC tournament. But the risk could outweigh the reward. And the risk could be significant for Tennessee, which isn’t blessed with a deep bench.
The Vols became shorthanded when center J. P. Estrella was lost to a season-ending injury before the first game was played. UT’s depth took another hit when Cameron Carr entered the transfer portal in late December.The attrition seemingly has had little impact during the regular season in which the Vols distinguished themselves as a national championship contender. They also earned a double bye for the SEC tournament.
Their toughness has been as apparent as their talent. That toughness was never more obvious than when they beat Florida by 20 points despite playing without two of their best players, point guard Zakai Zeigler and leading rebounder Igor Milicic.Winning by that margin was even more impressive considering the previous matchup, which Florida won by 30 points in Gainesville.
Tennessee has proved it’s talented and tough enough to win the SEC tournament. But there’s still risk in that even if it results in a No. 1 seed in the NCAA tournament.
I’m not suggesting the Vols should fret over the possibility of losing a player to injury. They could incur an injury in postseason practice. However, winning three consecutive games in what surely will be an ultra-competitive conference tournament still could take a toll.
The league prides itself in physical play. Officials seem to honor that. The way they call games sends a loud-and-clear message: “Play through contact.” The conference is so physical that “dribbles after contact” should be an SEC stat.
Three physical tournament games will be more draining than one. So, Tennessee fans shouldn’t go into mourning if the Vols make a quick tournament exit.
