The semifinal round of the SEC Tournament figures to offer lots of entertainment, with all four teams trying to add another quality win to their season total.
There are two great matchups on Saturday’s schedule, and the potential championship game pairings are all fascinating.
Let’s get to the picks.
Season Predictions Record (straight up): 228-78
No. 5 Auburn vs. No. 8 Florida – 1 p.m. EST, ESPN
The bracket seemed to set up well for the Tigers heading into the week, and that’s how it has unfolded with Bruce Pearl’s squad now going up against the No. 8 seed in the tournament.
But the Gators are far from an easy matchup, as their offense is starting to catch up to their defense in terms of overall consistency.
Auburn forced 17 turnovers and held Florida to just 20.0 percent shooting from 3-point range in the only regular season meeting between the two teams, and that would be a recipe for success once again in this one.
This should be just as competitive as the main event, and I’ll take Jared Harper and company to grab the victory.
Prediction: Auburn 69, Florida 65
No. 2 Kentucky vs. No. 3 Tennessee – 3 p.m. EST, ESPN
There may be a few fans of both teams in attendance for this showdown between two legitimate national title contenders that are playing some excellent basketball right now.
Each regular season game featured a blowout win in the home team’s favor, but the expectation is that this could be one of the best games of the year given that a No. 1 seed in the NCAA Tournament is likely at stake.
Reid Travis didn’t play in the game in Knoxville, and having him back in the mix will certainly give Kentucky a nice boost when it comes to defense and rebounding.
Obviously, this is pretty much a toss-up due to the excellence of both teams, but the Vols have the intangibles that may make them a better pick in this spot.
Prediction: Tennessee 80, Kentucky 78
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