SEC Basketball Tournament 2026: Bracket Revealed, Florida is No. 1 Seed — Full Schedule and Matchups

Mo. Basuony

Published: March 8, 2026 5:01 PM ET

SEC Basketball Tournament

The 2026 SEC Men's Basketball Tournament bracket is officially set. All 16 teams are locked in and heading to Nashville, where the SEC title — and the conference's automatic NCAA Tournament bid — will be decided in five days of action at Bridgestone Arena. The tournament begins Wednesday, March 11 and culminates Sunday, March 15.

2026 SEC Basketball Tournament Seeds and Standings

Here is the complete SEC Tournament bracket seeding: No. 1 Florida, No. 2 Alabama, No. 3 Arkansas, No. 4 Vanderbilt, No. 5 Tennessee, No. 6 Texas A&M, No. 7 Georgia, No. 8 Missouri, No. 9 Kentucky, No. 10 Texas, No. 11 Oklahoma, No. 12 Auburn, No. 13 Mississippi State, No. 14 South Carolina, No. 15 Ole Miss, No. 16 LSU.

Florida enters as the No. 1 seed after finishing the regular season 16-2 in conference play and 24-6 overall. The Gators are the defending SEC Tournament champion and the reigning national champion under Todd Golden, making them the clear team to beat in Nashville.

SEC Tournament First Round — Wednesday, March 11

Game 1: No. 9 Kentucky vs. No. 16 LSU — 12:30 p.m. ET on SEC Network. Game 2: No. 13 Mississippi State vs. No. 12 Auburn — 25 minutes after Game 1 on SEC Network. Game 3: No. 15 Ole Miss vs. No. 10 Texas — 7 p.m. ET on SEC Network. Game 4: No. 14 South Carolina vs. No. 11 Oklahoma — 25 minutes after Game 3 on SEC Network.

SEC Tournament Second Round — Thursday, March 12

Seeds 5 through 8 — Tennessee, Texas A&M, Georgia, and Missouri — receive first-round byes and begin play in the second round on Thursday. Each will face the winner of a corresponding first-round game.

SEC Tournament Quarterfinals — Friday, March 13

Florida, Alabama, Arkansas, and Vanderbilt all receive double-byes and do not play until the quarterfinal round on Friday. The top four seeds will await their opponents from the second round.

A compelling subplot is Vanderbilt potentially facing Tennessee for a third time this season in the quarterfinals. The Commodores upset the No. 23 Volunteers in Knoxville on Saturday to earn the No. 4 seed and the final double-bye spot, bumping Tennessee to the No. 5 seed.

Semifinals and Championship

The two semifinals are scheduled for Saturday, March 14, before the SEC Tournament Championship Game on Sunday, March 15, at 1 p.m. ET.

The SEC Tournament Championship Game tips off Sunday, March 15 at 1 p.m. ET — immediately ahead of the NCAA Tournament Selection Show, where one team could punch an automatic bid and potentially alter multiple bubble teams' fates.

Key Storylines to Watch in Nashville

Florida is attempting to become the first program to repeat as national champions since their own back-to-back runs in 2006-07. Alabama, led by breakout star Labaron Philon Jr., enters as a heavy hitter with a double-bye. Arkansas and John Calipari are viewed as a dangerous third seed, while Vanderbilt is surging in its second year under Mark Byington.

ESPN's Joe Lunardi projects 10 or 11 SEC teams to make the NCAA Tournament. Florida, Alabama, Arkansas, Vanderbilt, Tennessee, Georgia, and Kentucky are all considered locks. A strong run by Auburn or Oklahoma could punch their own ticket to March Madness.

How to Watch the 2026 SEC Basketball Tournament

The first and second rounds broadcast on SEC Network. Starting with the quarterfinals on Friday, coverage shifts to ESPN for afternoon sessions. The semifinals and the championship game will air live nationally on ESPN. Streaming is available on the ESPN app.