As the 2018 SEC Tournament gets underway in St. Louis on Wednesday, there are storylines galore that make every game intriguing.
The conference was as competitive as it has been in a long time during the regular season, and that theme is sure to continue in postseason play.
Here are some storylines to keep a close eye on heading into the two first round games.
Which team could make a run to Friday?
Since the SEC Tournament expanded to 14 teams in 2013, only one tournament (2017) has seen no double-digit seed make it to the quarterfinal round, and this season’s tournament has some contenders that continue that trend.
Could it be Ole Miss and its dynamic guards that can explode at any moment?
A Vanderbilt team led by All-SEC Second Team forward Jeff Roberson that can beat almost anyone from the perimeter?
How about South Carolina’s dynamic frontcourt duo of Chris Silva and Maik Kotsar?
Or will it be newly-crowned AP SEC Player of the Year Yante Maten and Georgia making noise after the first day?
Every team in the Wednesday slate has an argument to make it to the quarterfinal round, but only time will tell if any of them are able to live up to their potential.
How does Georgia respond to questions about Mark Fox’s job security?
Plenty of buzz has been swirling around the Georgia basketball program, as the Bulldogs didn’t quite live up to preseason expectations.
Of course, to make matters worse, they also received a decommitment from 2019 5-star guard Ashton Hagans on the recruiting trail.
This Georgia team has plenty of talent with Maten, former 5-star forward Rayshaun Hammonds, as well as experienced players in Juwan Parker, Derek Ogbeide, and Turtle Jackson, but was never quite able to put it all together at once in a consistent effort over multiple games.
The Bulldogs have a great opportunity to get a streak started against Vanderbilt, and they certainly can get off to a good start and roll off a few wins to end their season on a high note.
However, if they are unable to do that, the calls for Mark Fox’s job will only get louder.
Will Tony Madlock have a Kim Anderson moment?
Even though the situation isn’t quite the same as Kim Anderson’s Missouri team last season that defeated Auburn on a buzzer-beater, Tony Madlock can help his coaching stock rise by winning his Wednesday game against South Carolina.
Obviously, it’s highly unlikely that Madlock will be retained by the Rebels past this season, but he should be hired elsewhere as an assistant or take over as head coach of another program.
If the Rebels can win on Wednesday and make things interesting on Thursday against Arkansas, Madlock’s stock rise even further, which will definitely open up plenty of opportunities for the 20+ year coaching veteran.