The 2018 SEC Tournament has helped a few teams improve their NCAA Tournament stock, and that’s clear in updated bracket projections.
The SEC team that has benefited most has certainly been Alabama, who went from potentially being the last team in or last team out in ESPN bracketologist Joe Lunardi’s updated bracket to being a No. 9 seed.
Wins over Texas A&M and Auburn have helped the Crimson Tide move off the bubble and into a solid spot, which would give the conference eight teams in the field.
Auburn is still leading the way as a No. 3 seed despite the early exit in St. Louis, and fellow co-regular season champion Tennessee remains on that line as well. However, should the Vols march to a tournament title, that could allow them to rise even further.
The two other teams that remain in the semifinals, Kentucky and Arkansas, are both currently projected as No. 6 seeds. But just like with Tennessee, that placement could improve with wins on Saturday.
Here’s the full breakdown of Lunardi’s bracket:
- No. 3 Auburn
- No. 3 Tennessee
- No. 5 Kentucky
- No. 6 Arkansas
- No. 6 Florida
- No. 7 Texas A&M
- No. 8 Missouri
- No. 9 Alabama
The SEC Tournament semifinals tip off on Saturday at 1 p.m. EST on ESPN.