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Greetings, BBN!
The bracket for the NCAA Tournament is set! After a full season of buzzer-beaters, barn-burners, slugfests, blowouts, and 117-115 double overtime games, ten of the SEC’s brands made the field of 68 and will be playing for a chance to win the 2026 national title.
The highest seed went to the regular season champion Florida Gators, who took the fourth 1-seed, and the lowest went to Texas, who was one of the last teams in the field and will be playing in Dayton on Tuesday in the First
Four. Let’s take a look at the SEC in the NCAA Tournament and what they’ll be up against in the Round of 64:
SEC Bracket Breakdown:
Notes:
- Florida and Tennessee are awaiting the winners of two First Four matchups, while Texas is in a third with NC State, where the winner will face BYU.
- Vanderbilt is a better seed than their competition for the first time since 2012, when they were also a 5-seed and advanced to the Round of 32. Their best seed ever was in 1993 when they were a 3.
- Kentucky, Texas A&M, and Missouri will all likely have to knock out 2-seeds if they want to make the second weekend, and Georgia will likely have to knock out a 1. Alabama, Arkansas, Vanderbilt, Tennessee, and Texas can all avoid 1’s and 2’s till the regionals.
- Florida’s path through their region, if only playing higher-seeded teams, could be the 16-seed, then 8-Clemson, 4-Nebraska, and then 2-Houston. 3-Illinois and 5-Vanderbilt could also fall in their path. I imagine they do not want to see the Commodores again after the SEC Tournament semifinals.
- Alabama might have to get through Texas Tech to make the second weekend, and Arkansas will likely have to deal with Wisconsin. Both the Red Raiders and the Badgers have made a habit of knocking out good teams this season, with loads of ranked wins in loaded conferences.
- Kentucky vs Santa Clara will kick off Friday afternoon, with the Cats vs Broncos game being a 12:15 tip as the 21st game of the tournament.
