March has arrived, and plenty of SEC teams are looking to build their NCAA Tournament profile even more by picking up quality victories.
There are several important games on Saturday’s schedule, including a highly anticipated rematch between two top 10 teams.
Let’s get to the picks.
Season Predictions Record (straight up): 206-69
No. 13 LSU at Alabama – Noon EST, ESPN
The Tigers are expected to have Tremont Waters back in the mix, and that adds even more punch to a team that’s picked up back-to-back wins without him.
Even after the road win at South Carolina, it’s still hard to trust the Crimson Tide when it comes to overall consistency, so I’ll lean towards LSU to grab another win.
Prediction: LSU 73, Alabama 70
Ole Miss at Arkansas – 1 p.m. EST, SEC Network
Arkansas had its chance to win at Kentucky earlier in the week but simply couldn’t hold off a furious rally in the second half.
While the Rebels have had some struggles on the road this season, they’re the more confident pick since the Hogs could be a little deflated from the missed opportunity in the Lexington.
Prediction: Ole Miss 81, Arkansas 79
No. 4 Kentucky at No. 7 Tennessee – 2 p.m. EST, CBS
The Reid Travis effect is something that everyone is talking about at this point, especially considering the role he played on the defensive side of the court in the huge win over Tennessee at Rupp Arena.
Getting a much-needed win at Ole Miss should help the Vols play with a little less pressure, and the revenge factor may be in full effect here.
Prediction: Tennessee 77, Kentucky 74
South Carolina at Missouri – 3:30 p.m. EST, SEC Network
If the Gamecocks want to get back into the bubble conversation, they essentially need to win out and earn a couple quality wins in the SEC Tournament.
Missouri has played pretty well at home this season, but Chris Silva and company should be able to find a way to pick up the win.
Prediction: South Carolina 72, Missouri 68
Mississippi State at Auburn – 4 p.m. EST, ESPNU
Mississippi State has won five straight games, and Ben Howland’s team is playing its best basketball of the season after struggling early in conference play.
This should be one of the better games on the schedule, and home-court advantage should be enough to fuel Auburn to victory in a high-scoring affair.
Prediction: Auburn 84, Mississippi State 80
Vanderbilt at Texas A&M – 6 p.m. EST, SEC Network
The season-ending injury to TJ Starks is certainly notable for the Aggies, as they’re going to be an intriguing team to watch moving forward after looking like one of the most improved teams in the SEC in recent weeks.
But we’ve reached a point with the Commodores where it’s just hard to pick them to win until it actually happens, so I’ll take Texas A&M in what should be a back-and-forth type of game.
Prediction: Texas A&M 69, Vanderbilt 65
Georgia at Florida – 8:30 p.m. EST, SEC Network
Mike White’s squad is playing as well as anyone in the SEC right now, and they’ve held opponents to 60 points or less in four of their last five games.
Georgia hasn’t been able to turn the corner in losing four straight games by four points or less, and the Gators should be able to use their defense to frustrate yet another opponent.
Prediction: Florida 71, Georgia 61
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