The SEC is sitting in good shape right now when it comes to potential NCAA Tournament bids, but there are plenty of important games on the way this week.
There are four games on Tuesday’s schedule, with three ranked teams all hitting the road.
Let’s get to the picks.
Season Predictions Record (straight up): 164-51
No. 1 Tennessee at South Carolina – 6:30 p.m. EST, SEC Network
It’s hard to ignore how well South Carolina has been playing at home, and with the Frank Martin’s team still needing a lot of quality wins to get back in the tournament picture, this is obviously a huge game.
But while the Vols haven’t been as sharp in recent games, they are way more consistent on both sides of the court and should be able to grind out another win.
Prediction: Tennessee 78, South Carolina 68
Georgia at Arkansas – 7 p.m. EST, ESPNU
The Bulldogs had one of the best wins of the SEC/Big 12 Challenge by beating Texas, and now it’s a matter of seeing if Tom Crean’s squad can carry that momentum into this matchup.
What will likely decide this one is Arkansas’s ability to force turnovers (24th nationally with 16.6 per game), as Georgia currently ranks 342nd nationally in turning it over 16.8 times per contest.
Prediction: Arkansas 79, Georgia 70
No. 22 Mississippi State at Alabama – 8:30 p.m. EST, SEC Network
Mississippi State is coming off a crucial win over Auburn, and this seems like a potential letdown spot after what was one of the most entertaining games of the SEC season thus far.
While Alabama had a disappointing loss at Baylor, the Crimson Tide have proven to be a tough matchup in Tuscaloosa, and they should be focused for what is yet another big opportunity to boost their tournament profile.
Prediction: Alabama 80, Mississippi State 77
No. 7 Kentucky at Vanderbilt – 9 p.m. EST, ESPN
This matchup looked very intriguing after the way Vanderbilt played against Tennessee, but then the Commodores had one of their worst performances of the season at Oklahoma.
Perhaps that game will allow Bryce Drew to get his team’s focus back, and while this may wind up being close, Kentucky is certainly the more reliable pick in this spot.
Prediction: Kentucky 82, Vanderbilt 75
For more SEC basketball coverage, follow me on Twitter @theblakelovell.