The semifinal round of the 2017 SEC Basketball Tournament is officially here.
And while the matchups may surprise a few people, we should be set for two great games at Bridgestone Arena in Nashville.
Let’s dive into the predictions.
Season Prediction Record: 81-43
No. 1 Kentucky vs. No. 5 Alabama – 1 PM ET, ESPN
I felt all along that the bracket broke well for Alabama.
Entering Wednesday night’s First Round action, the Crimson Tide were staring down a third meeting with either Mississippi State or LSU, both of whom they’d already beaten twice this season.
And then there was the potential rematch with South Carolina, which certainly seemed like a better matchup than getting a team like Florida or Arkansas in the bottom of the bracket.
Sure enough, Alabama took care of business on both fronts and now a more intimidating rematch awaits with Kentucky.
The Wildcats managed to push past Georgia in the quarterfinals with Malik Monk only scoring two points, but if you hadn’t heard, the Wildcats have a bit more talent on the roster. Isaiah Briscoe and De’Aaron Fox each scored 20, and that gave the thousands of Kentucky fans in Bridgestone Arena plenty to cheer about.
And let’s remember an important point there: this is true road game for Alabama. It’ll also be a true road game for either Vanderbilt or Arkansas if the Wildcats move into Sunday’s championship game.
Nashville has become Lexington South for the week, and a lot of blue will be in the arena.
Obviously, the key for the Crimson Tide in this game is to control the tempo. Avery Johnson’s squad managed to slow things down during the regular season meeting in Tuscaloosa and held Kentucky to its second lowest point total of the season (67).
Of course, the problem was that Alabama still lost the game thanks to one of the worst free throw shooting performances in college basketball this season. The Crimson Tide shot 9-of-26 from the free throw line, and simply had no one but themselves to blame.
If Alabama controls the pace and hits free throws? This game should go down to the wire. If it doesn’t do those things, Kentucky will run away with it.
I love the way Dazon Ingram and company have played the past few days, but I’ll take the Wildcats at home.
Prediction: Kentucky 74, Alabama 65
No. 3 Arkansas vs. No. 7 Vanderbilt – 3 PM ET, ESPN
The Commodores were 8-10 after losing at Georgia on January 17. The Commodores are now 19-14 after beating Florida for a third time this season in Friday’s quarterfinal game.
How have things changed so drastically? It all began at the top.
Early in the season, it was clear that players were struggling to adjust to a new system. Instead of staying with his system no matter the cost or struggles, Bryce Drew did what all good coaches do: he made adjustments. And judging by his team going 11-4 in its last 15 games, the adjustments have worked.
But bigger than the X’s and O’s has been the presence of an extremely important element in sports: toughness.
After earning the “soft” label from media members and fans throughout college basketball over the past few seasons, the Commodores are now one of the toughest teams still playing. The fight they showed in outlasting the Gators yet again was all the evidence that you need to support that claim.
However, Vandy’s semifinal matchup is not an easy one.
Speaking of coaches that have made adjustments, Mike Anderson has done just that with Arkansas. The Razorbacks are also playing their best basketball of the season having won seven of eight since losing to the Commodores at home on February 7.
But for those who have followed my predictions day after day throughout the past several weeks, you know which team I have to pick.
Vandy fans have begged and pleaded for me to continue to pick against their team since it usually results in the Commodores winning.
I’ll do it again here for fear of getting hit by a snowball on my way into the arena.
Prediction: Arkansas 73, Vanderbilt 70