Twelve SEC basketball teams have midweek games on Tuesday or Wednesday. Eight of them join Alabama Basketball in must-win situations.
With its 6-1 SEC record, the Alabama Crimson Tide is in second place. Mississippi State is two behind Alabama in the loss column and cannot afford a fourth SEC loss on its floor. Alabama's must-win situation stems from the need to catch up with the Auburn Tigers. It's a must-win game for both teams.
Auburn is not in a must-win situation on Wednesday night, and a win against LSU in Baton Rouge is almost a given. LSU is below NCAA Tournament bubble status and is close to playing for pride during the rest of the SEC regular season. Neither team must win.
Kentucky and Tennessee are coming off losses; for the Cats, it is two straight losses. Either picking up a fourth SEC loss before the end of January would be a major blow to regular season championship contention. The Cats have serious injury issues. From late November Tennessee's Chaz Lanier scored 22 or more points in seven of 10 games. In his most recent six games, Lanier has averaged 12.5 points. The Vols need their scoring leader to return to early season form. A must-win game for both teams.
South Carolina can only be a spoiler going forward. Any win for the Gamecocks is a good win. Georgia has lost four in a row and Tuesday night is a must-win because the Dawgs cannot afford to lose to South Carolina in Athens. A must-win for Georgia.
An Oklahoma loss against Texas A&M would take the Sooners to a 2-5 SEC record. The Sooners would become an SEC also-ran. The Aggies have lost three of their last five and can't afford a home loss to a not-very-good Oklahoma team. A must-win game for both teams.
Texas is difficult to project. The Longhorns opened their first SEC season losing four of five games. Next came two wins, including a huge comeback against Texas A&M. They are an NCAA bubble team and need every possible win. Ole Miss has lost three in a row and cannot afford to lose at home to Texas. A must-win game for both teams
Note: Stats provided by Sports Reference