2011 SEC Men's Basketball Tournament Preview

The 2011 SEC Men's Basketball Tournament in Atlanta , Georgia should be one of the most exciting conference tournaments in college basketball. Nine of the conferences 12 teams boast winning records with more than 17 wins. Certainly the SEC regular season champion Florida Gators (24-6) and the perennial college basketball powerhouse the Kentucky Wildcats (22-8) will be among the favorites.

Other Contenders:

Alabama (20-10) finished the regular season one game behind the Gators in conference play. The Crimson Tide certainly is a team to watch in the tournament and could benefit from a strong showing. Vanderbilt (21-9) is a legitimate contender as well. The Georgia Bulldogs (20-10) is another dangerous team as the tournament is being played in their home state.

Teams on the Bubble:

Mississippi State (17-13), Tennessee (18-13), Mississippi (19-12), and Arkansas (18-12) all need a strong showing in the SEC Championship to help their chances for the NCAA Tournament. All four teams will be hungry and potential dangerous foes in the SEC tourney.

The Match Ups:

The first game of the tournament is Thursday with the Auburn Tigers (11-19) taking on the Georgia Bulldogs (20-10). The game should be a great opportunity for the Bulldogs to add another victory to their resume. The winner faces Alabama (20-10) on Friday. The second game features South Carolina (14-15) taking on Mississippi (19-12). The winner meets Kentucky (22-8) on Friday. In the third game, the Tennessee Volunteers (18-13) take on the Arkansas Razorbacks (18-12). The winner faces the Florida Gators (24-6) on Friday. The fourth game on Thursday features the LSU Tigers (11-20) against the Vanderbilt Commodores (21-9). It is a golden opportunity for Vanderbilt to make a run in the tournament as the winner faces Mississippi State (17-13) on Friday.

My Predictions:

In the first round I see the Georgia Bulldogs, Ole Miss, Tennessee and Vanderbilt all winning. In the quarterfinals I predict Georgia will upset Alabama . I predict Kentucky will beat Mississippi . I predict the Florida Gators will defeat Tennessee . I predict Vanderbilt will defeat Mississippi State . In the semifinals I predict Kentucky and Florida will move on to the championship game. In the finals I predict the Kentucky Wildcats will upset Florida to win the SEC Tournament.

Moving On:

The expanded NCAA Tourney field should help the SEC get more teams into the big dance. Florida and Kentucky are probably already in. I see Vanderbilt and Georgia getting in as well. Alabama and Mississippi probably have the best bet of getting in. More teams on the bubble could get in but would need help.

Sources:

Fox Sports

SEC Sports.com