2026 Southeastern Conference Men’s Basketball Championship Basics
Format
It’s a traditional four-game day with 16 teams, with the top four teams receiving byes into the quarterfinals and teams ranked fifth through eighth advancing to Thursday’s second round.
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Place
Bridgestone Arena in downtown Nashville has become the regular home of the SEC Championship Game, which is expected to be held until 2030.
schedule
Downloadable PDF stand
Round 1 (Wednesday, March 3, 2011)
General Motors. 1: (16) LSU (15-17, 3-15) 82, (9) Kentucky 87
General Motors. 2: (13) Mississippi State (13-19, 5-13) 61, (12) Auburn 77
General Motors. 3: (15) Mississippi 76(10) Texas (18-14, 9-9) 66
General Motors. 4: (14) South Carolina (13-19, 4-14) 74, (11) Oklahoma 86
Round 2 (Thursday 3/12)
General Motors. 5: (9) Kentucky 78(8) Missouri (20-12, 10-8) 72
General Motors. 6: ((12) Auburn (17-16, 7-11) 62, (5) Tennessee 72
General Motors. 7: (15) Mississippi 76(7) Georgia (22-10, 10-8) 72
General Motors. 8: 11) Oklahoma 83(6) Texas A&M (21-11, 11-7) 63
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Quarter-finals (Friday March 2013)
General Motors. 9: (9) Kentucky (21-13, 10-8) 63, (1) Florida 71
General Motors. 10: ((5) Tennessee (22-11, 11-7) 68, (4) Vanderbilt 75
General Motors. 11: (15) Mississippi 80(2) Alabama (23-9, 13-5) 79
General Motors. 12: (11) Oklahoma State (19-15, 7-11) 79, (3) Arkansas 82
Semifinals (Saturday 3/14)
General Motors. 13: (4) Vanderbilt 91(1) Florida (26-7, 16-2) 74
General Motors. 14: (15) Mississippi State (15-20, 4-14) 90, (3) Arkansas 93 (work overtime)
Championship (Sunday, March 3, 2015)
General Motors. 15: (4) Vanderbilt (26-7, 11-7) vs. (3) Arkansas (25-8, 13-5), 1 (ESPN)
1/20 Razorbacks win 93-68 in Fayetteville.
potential for chaos
Data originally published by Bob Vetrone Jr. on Twitter In 2020 I will be adding my own content for future seasons.
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No. 1 seeds have won five of 14 SEC tournament titles since 2011, and Florida’s 2025 title brings the total to four for No. 2 seeds. Since the league eliminated divisions in 2011-12, no team seeded lower than fifth has won the championship.
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1 seed(5): 2014, 2015, 2017, 2021, 2023
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2 seeds(4): 2011 (Eastern), 2016, 2022k, 2025
NCAA bid totals in the 68-team era
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14 bids(1): 2025 (24-13, Florida National Championship, 16 teams)
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8 bids(3): 2018 (8-8 record, 14 teams), 2023 (9-8, 14), 2024 (8-8, 14)
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7 bids(1): 2019 (12-7 record, 14 teams)
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6 bids(2): 2021 (7-6 record, 14 teams), 2022 (5-6, 14 teams)
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5 bids(3): 2011 (7-5 record, 12 teams), 2015 (6-5, 14), 2017 (11-5, 14)
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4 bids(1): 2012 (10-3, Kentucky National Championship, 12 teams)
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3 bids(3): 2013 (4-3 record, 14 teams), 2014 (12-3, 14), 2016 (3-3, 14)
The SEC broke the Big East’s 2011 record of 11 bids last season, but that lower total is the league’s highest projected number of bids in 2026. Additionally, Florida State is the only top-seed threat, unlike last year’s four.
Last conference tournament champion
Florida: 2025 (No. 2 seed)
Auburn: 2024 (4th seed)
Alabama: 2023 (No. 1 seed)
Texas: 2023 (No. 2 seed, Big 12)
Tennessee: 2022 (No. 2 seed)
Kentucky: 2018 (No. 4 seed)
Ole Miss: 2013 (No. 3 seed)
Missouri: 2012 (No. 2 seed, Big 12)
Vanderbilt: 2012 (No. 3 seed)
Mississippi: 2009 (No. 3 seed in the West)
Georgia: 2008 (No. 6 seed in the Eastern Conference)
Oklahoma: 2003 (No. 3 seed, Big 12)
Arkansas: 2000 (No. 3 seed in the West)
Texas A&M University: 1987 (8th seed, SWC)
Louisiana State University: 1980 (No. 2 seed)
South Carolina: 1971 (No. 2 seed, ACC)
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Missouri, South Carolina and Texas A&M have yet to win an SEC tournament title, although all three teams have won titles in previous conferences.
