It’s been another fun week of SEC basketball action, and several teams have greatly improved their NCAA Tournament chances with important wins.
There are plenty of entertaining matchups on Saturday’s schedule, with the nation’s focus turning to the huge top-five clash in Lexington.
Let’s get to the picks.
Season Predictions Record (straight up): 187-60
Auburn at Vanderbilt – Noon EST, ESPNU
The Tigers are in an interesting spot having lost five of their last eight games, and this is pretty much a must-win game due to Vanderbilt’s struggles this season.
With the Commodores ranking 241st nationally with 13.8 turnovers per game, Bruce Pearl’s team should be able to use their pressure defense to take advantage of that while picking up the win.
Prediction: Auburn 79, Vanderbilt 70
Texas A&M at South Carolina – 1 p.m. EST, SEC Network
South Carolina simply has to keep winning if it wants to find its way into the bubble conversation, as the rough non-conference performances are still holding this team back at this point.
This game is more difficult to predict than most may think due to Texas A&M’s overall improvement in recent weeks, and while an upset wouldn’t all that surprising, the Gamecocks have been excellent at home for the most part in SEC play.
Prediction: South Carolina 77, Texas A&M 74
Florida at Alabama – 2 p.m. EST, ESPNU
Florida is the ultimate bubble team right now, and despite ranking 10th nationally in defensive efficiency, the problem continues to be a lack of consistent offense.
While the Gators have had success in Tuscaloosa in recent years, Alabama has been one of the better home teams in the league this season and should be able to grind out a solid victory.
Prediction: Alabama 65, Florida 59
Missouri at Ole Miss – 3:30 p.m. EST, SEC Network
Terence Davis and company are in a great spot after picking up what was arguably their biggest win of the season at Auburn, and now they face off against a Missouri team that has struggled on the road.
The Tigers may be able to control the tempo a little, but the Rebels are the better pick since they’re playing with a ton of confidence during this three-game winning streak.
Prediction: Ole Miss 72 Missouri 63
No. 19 LSU at Georgia – 6 p.m. EST, SEC Network
LSU’s win at Kentucky should finally make people realize that this is undoubtedly a team that can make a Final Four, as Will Wade has a ridiculous amount of depth and playmaking ability on this roster.
It’s normal to worry about a letdown in this spot after such a huge win, but with Georgia on a nine-game losing streak in conference play, picking against the Tigers just doesn’t feel like a good strategy.
Prediction: LSU 80, Georgia 69
No. 1 Tennessee at No. 5 Kentucky – 8 p.m. EST, ESPN
Even with Kentucky losing to LSU, this is still one of the most highly anticipated games of the SEC season as these two teams have national championship aspirations.
Tennessee is the most complete team in the country, and while banking on the Wildcats to lose back-to-back games in Rupp Arena seems like a strange thing to do, Rick Barnes’ team has proven that it has the toughness to win a game like this one.
Prediction: Tennessee 74, Kentucky 73
Mississippi State at Arkansas – 8:30 p.m. EST, SEC Network
These haven’t exactly been the two most consistent teams in the SEC this season, but both are capable of being really good when they play to their potential.
Mississippi State’s record is a little deceiving since it has played perhaps the toughest schedule of anyone over the past seven games, and that should allow the Bulldogs to find a way to get the win in a challenging road matchup.
Prediction: Mississippi State 83, Arkansas 81
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