The SEC was by far the best conference in men’s college basketball last season. While that’s not quite the case this year, the SEC is still loaded with a national championship front-runner and a big group of teams that can dream about making the second weekend of March Madness.
The Florida Gators won the national championship last season, and now they’re trying to go back-to-back. After a slow start, Florida has been rolling lately behind one of the country’s great front courts, led by returning stars Thomas Haugh, Alex Condon, and Rueben Chinyelu. The Gators lost their guards from last season (including NCAA tournament MOP Walter Clayton Jr.), and new-look backcourt of Boogie Fland and Xaivian Lee will have to deliver to get Florida to where it wants to go.
The rest of the SEC is ready to rock. The Alabama Crimson Tide have one of the country’s great guards in Labaron Philon, plus an emergent freshmen star in Amari Allen on the wing. Arkansas has been led by Darius Acuff, who has quickly become one of John Calipari’s most productive guards ever. Vanderbilt has been reborn behind guards Tyler Tanner and Duke Miles. Somehow, Kentucky spent $22 million on its roster to only finish No. 9 in the conference.
The 2026 men’s SEC tournament is coming to Nashville’s Bridgestone Arena to kick-start March Madness. The championship game will give out an automatic bid to the NCAA tournament on the day of Selection Sunday. There’s so much at stake in this conference tournament. Find the full bracket and schedule below:
SEC men’s tournament 2026 scores and schedule
First Round — Wednesday, March 11
Second Round — Thursday, March 12
Quarterfinals — Friday, March 13
Semifinals — Saturday, March 14
Championship — Sunday, March 15
