It’s been a wild start to SEC play, and things should only get more entertaining now that we’ve officially reached February.
There are seven fun matchups on today’s schedule, with three big rivalry games that all have NCAA Tournament implications.
Let’s get to the picks.
Season Predictions Record (straight up): 171-51
South Carolina at Georgia – 1 p.m. EST, SEC Network
These two teams feel pretty similar in terms of how they play, and this is obviously a huge game for South Carolina as it simply can’t afford to lose to non-NCAA Tournament teams.
Considering that the Bulldogs played extremely well in their previous home game against Texas, they’re worth taking the chance on here given the Gamecocks’ road struggles in recent weeks.
Prediction: Georgia 79, South Carolina 74
No. 22 Mississippi State at Ole Miss – 3:30 p.m EST, SEC Network
Ole Miss had struggled to keep its momentum going after an excellent start in league play, and it won’t get any easier here in a matchup against a Mississippi State squad that will be out for revenge.
This has been a rough stretch of games for the Rebels, and even with the Bulldogs losing their past two road games, I’ll lean towards them getting their payback after the previous loss in Starkville.
Prediction: Mississippi State 82, Ole Miss 80
No. 7 Kentucky at Florida – 4 p.m. EST, ESPN
Kentucky has started to find its groove, and they’ve built up plenty of confidence on the road at this point in SEC play.
Honestly, I’m tempted to pick the upset since the Gators should prevent the Wildcats from getting a lot of quality looks, but PJ Washington and company just have a ton of momentum at this point.
Prediction: Kentucky 65, Florida 64
Arkansas at No. 19 LSU – 6 p.m. EST, SEC Network
The Tigers continue to use their balance and versatility to overwhelm opponents in a variety of ways, and that’s not ideal for an Arkansas team that has had issues getting consistent production across the board.
It’s worth noting that the previous meeting between these was an overtime thriller in Fayetteville, but LSU may be able to take care of business in a more convincing manner here.
Prediction: LSU 88, Arkansas 78
Alabama at Auburn – 8 p.m. EST, ESPN2
Bruce Pearl’s squad managed to get back on track with a 34-point win over Missouri, but in a rivalry matchup against an improving Alabama team, this one will probably be a bit closer.
Even with the Crimson Tide putting together solid road performances over the past month, the Tigers are likely the better pick given their experience and ability to turn defense into offense in what should be a fun atmosphere.
Prediction: Auburn 84, Alabama 77
No. 1 Tennessee at Texas A&M – 8 p.m. EST, ESPN
The Vols just keep doing their thing, as they earned yet another double-digit road win in SEC play with a dominant victory at South Carolina earlier in the week.
Texas A&M is one of the worst 3-point shooting teams in the country (342nd nationally at 28.5 percent), and I just don’t know that the Aggies will have enough offense to keep up against the nation’s top team.
Prediction: Tennessee 80, Texas A&M 64
Vanderbilt at Missouri – 8:30 p.m. EST, SEC Network
After back-to-back defeats by 30-plus points, it’s impossible to know what to expect from the Commodores at this point in the season.
Missouri is coming off its own blowout defeat at Auburn, but even in a game that feels like somewhat of a toss-up due to the way both teams are playing, I’m more confident in the Tigers in this spot.
Prediction: Missouri 71, Vanderbilt 69
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