With every SEC basketball team but two in contention for an NCAA Tournament at-large bid, the SEC Tournament might be different this season. Alabama Basketball and other top teams are competing for the SEC Tournament Championship and either solidifying or upping their Big Dance seeding. Other teams that are not favorites to make Sunday's championship game may have different goals.
John Calipari is taking some heat for saying "The tournament that matters is the NCAA Tournament." SEC basketball coaches without Calipari's resume of championships and Final Four appearances will likely disagree. Nate Oats has been clear that the Alabama Basketball team very much has a goal of winning in Nashville on Sunday.
Arkansas probably needs two wins in Nashville to make the NCAA Tournament field. After that, Calipari might prefer his team rest rather than playing on Saturday and potentially Sunday. The Razorbacks are currently in the 10-seed or 11-seed range, based on projections by Jerry Palm, Joe Lunardi, and the aggregate of 108 Bracketologists provided by the Bracket Matrix. Potentially five games in five days takes a toll on any team. Calipari plays an eight-man rotation with three of his guys getting heavy minutes. It makes sense that all Calipari needs are a couple of wins in Nashville to escape the risk of a Big Dance First Four game. The Razorbacks open with South Carolina on Wednesday. Two weeks ago the Hogs lost to the Gamecocks by 19 points.
Oklahoma's NCAA Tournament chances are more precarious than Arkansas. The Sooners are projected as an 11-seed, with Lunardi having them in his Last Four In. To be sure of making the Big Dance field, the Sooners need two or three wins in Nashville. The Texas Longhorns are on the outside looking in based on current projections. Lunardi provides the most optimism for the Horns, having them in his First Four Out group. Two wins in Nashville likely will not be enough for Texas. Of the 108 current Bracketologists who participate in the Bracket Matrix, only four have Texas in the NCAA Tournament field, at an average 11-seed.
Alabama Basketball Goals in Nashville
Nate Oats is coy when talking about NCAA Tournament seeding. He will stress winning another SEC Tournament Championship. Given the Crimson Tide's second game in Nashville should be against Florida, a 1-seed is in reach without having to win Sunday's championship game.
Could opening game losses in Nashville knock Vanderbilt or Georgia out of the NCAA Tournament? Since both teams will be favored on Wednesday, losing might bump them down to First Four status.