2013 College Basketball Picks: SEC Conference Tournamant Odds, Free Picks and Predictions – SEC Tournament Schedule and Tournament Bracket: Although the Southeastern Conference has been the standard bearer for excellence in college football, the same can’t be said on the hard courts. Granted, the Kentucky Wildcats did bring the SEC a national title last year, but the top-to-bottom strength on a national level is nonexistent. In fact, only one team in the SEC currently ranks in the top 25 of the polls. That being said, the conference is loaded with teams sitting on the bubble for the NCAA Tournament, and the SEC Tournament is likely going to determine the fate of multiple teams. With an NCAA Tournament bid and a conference tournament title on the line for a lot of teams, there should be no shortage of intensity. With that in mind, here is a look at the teams with the best chance of winning the SEC Tournament.
2013 SEC Tournament Odds, Free Picks and Predictions
The Contenders
They have been the class of the conference all year, and the Florida Gators (24-6, 14-4 SEC) can boost their NCAA Tournament seeding by backing up their SEC regular season title with a conference tournament crown. The Gators have plenty of experience in both the frontcourt and the backcourt, and despite having a lot of perimeter firepower, they rank ninth in the country in field goal percentage. More importantly, Florida is one of the best defensive teams in the country, leading the SEC in scoring defense. A focused Gators’ bunch will be tough to stop in the SEC Tournament.
Although their defense can be lackluster, the Ole Miss Rebels (23-8, 12-6 SEC) can score in bunches. In fact, they rank first in the SEC in fifth in the country in scoring at 79.2 points per game. The Rebels’ high-powered offense revolves around the perimeter firepower of Marshall Henderson and the inside scoring of Murphy Holloway. The duo is averaging 34.3 points per game combined, and Henderson has already knocked down 121 3-pointers this season. If Ole Miss is rolling on the offensive end, they are tough to handle.
After a terrible start to the year, the Tennessee Volunteers (19-11, 11-7 SEC) have found their stride at the right time. They have won eight of their last nine games leading up to the SEC Tournament, picking up a win over top-seeded Florida during the stretch. The Volunteers have been solid on the defensive end all year, and they have been playing better on the offensive end of late with three players averaging more than 12 points per game. If they can stay hot, they have already proven they can knock off any team in the SEC.
The injury to stud freshman Nerlens Noel dealt the defending national champion Kentucky Wildcats (21-10, 12-6 SEC) a major blow. However, the still have plenty of other highly-touted freshmen to turn to. Granted, consistency has remained elusive for Kentucky, but this team has as much position-for-position talent as any team in the country. The Wildcats are more than capable of stringing a few strong games together and winning the SEC Tournament.
When you look at the roster and the numbers for the Missouri Tigers (22-9, 11-7 SEC), it is tough to explain why they aren’t better. Six players are averaging double figures for the conference’s second-best scoring offense, and Phil Pressey is one of the best point guards in the country running the show. Meanwhile, the Tigers have plenty of size inside and rank third in the country in rebounding. Needless to say, Missouri has underachieved thus far, but the SEC Tournament could be the Tigers’ chance to realize their potential.
Bottom Line
Although they limped to the finish line a bit, the Gators four losses since February have all been on the road against teams with winning records in the conference. Not to mention the fact that Florida wasn’t at full strength in some of those games. At their best, the Gators are the only team in the SEC that has looked like a potential national title contender. Florida has a stifling defense and a battle-tested roster, and more importantly, their coach Billy Donovan is as good as any at getting his teams to play their best in March. Add it all up, and Florida will find a way to assert itself as the top team in an SEC that has been up and down all season.
Prediction: Florida Gators Win the SEC Tournament
Odds to Win SEC Tournament
Florida -170
Missouri +625
Kentucky +800
Tennessee +1000
Mississippi +1250
Alabama +2700
Arkansas +6600
Georgia +15000
Texas A&M +20000
Vanderbilt +23000
LSU +24000
South Carolina +120000
Auburn +120000
Mississippi State +220000
2013 SEC Conference Tournament Schedule
GAME MATCHUP DATE TIME (ET) NETWORK
1 South Carolina vs. Mississippi State March 13 7:30 p.m. SEC Network
2 Texas A&M vs. Auburn March 13 10:00 p.m. SEC Network
3 Georgia vs. LSU March 14 1:00 p.m. SEC Network
4 Game 1 Winner vs. Tennessee March 14 3:30 p.m. SEC Network
5 Arkansas vs. Vanderbilt March 14 7:30 p.m. SEC Network
6 Game 2 Winner vs. Missouri March 14 10:00 p.m. SEC Network
7 Game 3 Winner vs. Florida March 15 1:00 p.m. ESPN U
8 Game 4 Winner vs. Alabama March 15 3:30 p.m. ESPN U
9 Game 5 Winner vs. Kentucky March 15 7:30 p.m. SEC Network (ESPN U in Select Markets)
10 Game 6 Winner vs. Mississippi March 15 10:00 p.m. SEC Network (ESPN U in Select Markets)
11 Game 7 Winner vs. Game 8 Winner March 16 1:00 p.m. ABC
12 Game 9 Winner vs. Game 10 Winner March 16 3:30 p.m. ABC
13 Game 11 Winner vs. Game 12 Winner March 17 1:00 p.m. ABC
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