COLUMBIA, Mo. — Welcome to college basketball championship week, which means as you follow the Southeastern Conference, your attention is on Tampa, Fla., home of this year’s conference tournament.
Let’s take one last look at the SEC terrain before the ball tips on Wednesday night. We have the tournament schedule, a final PD Power ranking, and our final All-SEC pick and prize decisions, as well as each team’s championship moneyline odds, courtesy of DraftKings.
Here’s what the SEC bracket looks like this week in Florida. All times listed are central and located on the SEC network unless otherwise noted:
No. 12 Missouri vs. No. 13 Ole Miss, 5 p.m
No. 11 Vanderbilt vs. No. 14 Georgia, 7 p.m
No. 8 Texas A&M vs. No. 9 Florida, 11 a.m
No. 5 LSU v Mizzou/Ole Miss, 1 p.m
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No. 7 South Carolina vs. No. 10 Mississippi State, 5 p.m
No. 6 Alabama vs. Vanderbilt/Georgia, 7 p.m
No. 1 Auburn vs. Florida/Texas A&M, 11 a.m., ESPN
No. 4 Arkansas vs. LSU/Mizzou/Ole Miss, 1 p.m., ESPN
No. 2 Tennessee vs. South Carolina/Mississippi State, 5 p.m
#3 Kentucky vs. Alabama/Vanderbilt/Georgia, 7 p.m
Auburn/Fl/Texas A&M vs. Arkansas/LSU/Mizzou/Ole Miss, noon, ESPN
Tennessee/South Carolina/Mississippi State vs. Kentucky/Alabama/Vanderbilt/Georgia, 2 p.m., ESPN
Championship game, noon, ESPN
PD POWER RANKINGS
1. Kentucky (25-6, 14-4), No. 4 NET
SEC Tournament Odds: +190
The Wildcats didn’t win the regular-season title, but on neutral ground they’re my pick to win the whole thing in Tampa, especially with a healthy backcourt. Great Britain has the best offense in the league and the best overall player – and will certainly have the most fans at the Amalie Arena
Last week: Beat Ole Miss, Fla
2. Auburn (27-4, 15-3 SEC), No. 10 NET
SEC Tournament Odds: +260
Just in time for the postseason, Auburn is beginning to rediscover his touch on the ball. Three wins this week and the Tigers are a No. 1 NCAA seed.
Last week: Victory in Mississippi State, South Carolina
3. Tennessee (23-7, 14-4), No. 8 NET
SEC Tournament Odds: +330
The best defense with probably the best backcourt. Rick Barnes’ team will not go down without a fight.
Last week: win against Georgia, Arkansas
4. Arkansas (24-7, 13-5), No. 20 NET
SEC Tournament Odds: +750
Another elite defense team that could win anything in Tampa. Jaylin Williams is the most improved player in the league and will be one of the most important players of the tournament when the Hogs arrive on Saturday.
Last week: LSU beat, lost in Tennessee
5. LSU (21-10, 9-9), #16 NET
SEC Tournament Odds: +1,000
Dangerous enough to run away from. Flawed enough to suffer a fuss.
Last week: lost to Arkansas, beaten by Alabama
6. Alabama (19-12, 9-9), #28 NET
SEC Tournament Odds: +1,500
The Tide didn’t exactly end the regular season on a high. They’ll secure a cheap starting spot in the NCAA bracket, but don’t seem poised for a long postseason in either tournament.
Last week: lost to Texas A&M, lost to LSU
7. South Carolina (18-12, 9-9), No. 90 NET
SEC Tournament Odds: +10,000
I thought long and hard about choosing Frank Martin for SEC Coach of the Year. His team isn’t flashy, but the Gamecocks have improved beyond belief after one hell of a year for Martin and the program. Squeezing a .500 SEC finish out of this roster was no easy feat.
Last week: Mizzou defeated, lost at Auburn
8. Texas A&M (20-11, 9-9), No. 56 NET
SEC Tournament Odds: +10,000
You want to talk about a mixed team? The Aggies were declared dead mid-game by the SEC but have won five of their last six games and could very well carry that momentum into a win or two this week. Have a speedy recovery, Buzz Williams.
Last week: Victory over Alabama, Mississippi
9. Florida (19-12, 9-9), No. 54 NET
SEC Tournament Odds: +4,000
The Gators are kind of treading water. Maybe they have a good audience in Tampa. How about a rematch with Auburn on Friday?
Last week: Vanderbilt defeated, lost to Kentucky
10. State of Mississippi (17-14, 8-10), No. 57 NET
SEC Tournament Odds: +7,500
Pretty much a lost season in Starkville. In the last month, the Bulldogs have beaten Mizzou and Vanderbilt.
Last week: lost to Auburn, lost to Texas A&M
10. Vanderbilt (15-15, 7-11), #78 NET
SEC Tournament Odds: +25,000
The Commodores have shown some growth this year and as long as you have Scotty Pippen Jr. you stand a chance.
Last week: lost to Florida, beaten Ole Miss
12. Missouri (11-20, 5-13), No. 153 NET
SEC Tournament Odds: +50,000
Cuonzo Martin’s worst season is still better than Kim Anderson’s best season, but that was a historically low bar to surpass.
Last week: Lost in South Carolina, defeated Georgia
13. Ole Miss (13-18, 4-14), No. 106 NET
SEC Tournament Odds: +50,000
The Rebels lost eight of nine ahead of their third game against Mizzou.
Last week: lost in Kentucky, lost to Vanderbilt
14. Georgia (6-25, 1-17), No. 213 NET
SEC Tournament Odds: +50,000
It’s almost over Bulldog fans. We promise.
Last week: lost to Tennessee, lost to Mizzou
ALL-SEC HONORS
As a voter for the AP All-SEC team, I was asked to select a five-man team for the first-team honors. We didn’t choose a second team, but I included a five-man second team here.
F/C Oscar Tshiebwe, Kentucky: All he does is dominate color every night. In his last three games: 76 points, 48 rebounds, five blocks, six steals – while shooting 67% from the floor.
F/C Jaylin Williams, Arkansas: Maybe my favorite player in the league. He scores. He bounces back. He relieves. He accepts more charges than anyone else. The complete package.
F. Jabari Smith, Auburn: He’s a shooting guard in the body of a power forward and perhaps the best freshman in the nation.
GJD Notae, Arkansas: He’s not shooting as well this year at 3, but his assist rate is significantly higher, he’s more efficient inside the arc, and he can defend everyone around.
G Kennedy Chandler, Tennessee: The newcomer doesn’t always deliver brilliant numbers, but he has become a consistently excellent player for a Final Four caliber team. Shot 47.1% in SEC play – best of any guard in the league.
C Walker Kessler, Auburn: He deserves first-team honors for his shot blocking alone, but Williams is the most prolific player of all time.
F. Tari Eason, LSU: One of the most efficient offensive forwards in the country should also be the sixth man of the year for the SEC.
G. Scotty Pippen Jr., Vanderbilt: As accomplished an attacking player as you will find. Probably deserves first-team honors, but only so much space.
G Santiago Vescovi, Tennessee: A consistent, versatile guard in a busy backcourt.
G Jaden Shackelford, Alabama: It can be a mixed bag, but it’s the most prolific 3-point shooter in the SEC.
Iverson Molinar, Mississippi
Wendell Green Jr., Auburn
Jermaine Cousinard, South Carolina
Player of the Year & Transfer of the Year: No doubters here. Oscar Tshiebwe All the Way.
Coach of the Year: We made a late change to the ballot and chose Tennessee’s Rick Barnes. He doesn’t have as many transfers as the other top programs at the conference, but he deserves credit for building an elite, homegrown squad.
Freshman of the Year: It still is Jabari Smithin front of Chandler from UT.