With nine SEC teams in the NCAA Tournament picture right now, it should be quite a race down the stretch as we head towards March.
There are several big matchups on Saturday’s schedule, with all three top 25 teams facing upset-minded opponents.
Let’s get to the picks.
Season Predictions Record (straight up): 182-54
No. 5 Kentucky at Mississippi State – 1 p.m. EST, CBS
There are a lot of similarities between these two teams, as they both have the size and athleticism to compete with anyone in the country.
I feel like the Bulldogs are one of the toughest matchups in the conference for Kentucky, so I’ll lean towards Quinndary Weatherspoon and company earning their biggest win of the season.
Prediction: Mississippi State 77, Kentucky 75
Ole Miss at Georgia – 1 p.m. EST, SEC Network
This is another game that has upset potential, which may be a little surprising to some considering that Georgia has lost seven straight conference games.
But the Tom Crean’s team really has played well in Athens for the most part this season, and with their ability to find a ton of extra opportunities on the offensive glass, they’re worth taking a chance on here.
Prediction: Georgia 74, Ole Miss 71
Auburn at No. 21 LSU – 2 p.m. EST, ESPN2
Scoring won’t be a problem for these two, with these two highly talented teams currently ranking in the top 20 nationally in scoring offense.
Getting Austin Wiley back in the mix has been huge for Bruce Pearl’s squad, but with the Tigers 1-4 overall in road games this season, I have a little more confidence in LSU finding a way to pick up the victory.
Prediction: LSU 89, Auburn 87
Arkansas at South Carolina – 3:30 p.m. EST, SEC Network
This is yet another showdown that should be close the entire way, as the matchup between Daniel Gafford and Chris Silva should be fun to watch.
The Hogs have a ton of momentum after their third straight win, and with the Gamecocks struggling, Arkansas may be the better pick.
Prediction: Arkansas 79, South Carolina 78
Florida at No. 1 Tennessee – 4 p.m. EST, ESPN
The Gators had their chances in the previous meeting between the two teams several weeks ago, but a lack of consistent scoring was once again a main theme for this team.
In true road games this season, Florida has scored more than 62 points just once, and that’s a major concern going up against the best team in college basketball.
Prediction: Tennessee 72, Florida 58
Texas A&M at Missouri – 6 p.m. EST, SEC Network
Texas A&M has actually played decent on the road throughout SEC play, and they had a great chance to score a win at Ole Miss earlier in the week.
The problem for the Aggies is that Missouri won the previous meeting by 23 points in College Station and should be able to enforce their style of play again, so I have more confidence in the Tigers in this spot.
Prediction: Missouri 70, Texas A&M 65
Alabama at Vanderbilt – 8:30 p.m. EST, SEC Network
Alabama’s struggles at Memorial Gym have been well documented at this point, but Avery Johnson’s group just can’t afford a defeat here to a team that has yet to win an SEC game.
The Commodores played well enough to win at Arkansas, but after another disappointing loss, it’s impossible to trust them against an Alabama team that should understand the importance of this game.
Prediction: Alabama 81, Vanderbilt 79
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