LEAD STORY: SEC Tournament Field is Set After Wild Regular Season Finale
The marathon of the SEC men's basketball regular season has crossed the finish line, and the bracket for the 2026 SEC Tournament in Nashville is now set. A chaotic final day of games solidified the seeding, with the Florida Gators claiming the No. 1 overall seed and a double-bye for their 16-2 conference record. The Alabama Crimson Tide locked up the No. 2 seed and the second double-bye after a decisive victory at home.
The final Saturday was packed with high-stakes matchups that went down to the wire. No. 16 Alabama capped its regular season by completing a season sweep of rival Auburn with a commanding 96-84 victory in Tuscaloosa. Elsewhere, overtime was required to settle scores as No. 20 Arkansas outlasted Missouri 88-84 on the road, and Oklahoma secured a crucial 88-85 OT win against Texas in Austin. Vanderbilt also made a late surge, upsetting No. 23 Tennessee 86-82 to sneak into the No. 4 spot and earn the final double-bye. With the dust settled, all 16 conference teams now turn their attention to the single-elimination tournament at Bridgestone Arena, which begins Wednesday, March 11.
QUICK HITS
- Alabama Dominates Iron Bowl of Basketball: The No. 16 Crimson Tide never trailed in their 96-84 victory over the Auburn Tigers. Guards Labaron Philon and Aden Holloway each poured in 21 points to lead Alabama. The Crimson Tide controlled the game by dominating the paint, outscoring the Tigers 58-32 in that area, and winning the rebound battle 42-28. The win secured the No. 2 seed for Alabama in the upcoming SEC Tournament.
- Arkansas Edges Missouri in Overtime: In a hard-fought battle in Columbia, the No. 20 Razorbacks defeated the Missouri Tigers 88-84 in overtime. The win was a milestone, marking the 900th career victory for the Razorbacks' head coach. Missouri senior Mark Mitchell was spectacular in defeat, scoring a career-high 32 points on his Senior Day. Meleek Thomas led Arkansas with 28 points.
- Sooners Capture OT Thriller in Austin: Oklahoma closed its regular season on a four-game winning streak by defeating Texas 88-85 in an overtime classic. A late 3-pointer from Derrion Reid with 11 seconds remaining in OT was the decisive blow. Texas guard Jordan Pope scored a game-high 30 points, including three clutch free throws with under four seconds in regulation to force the extra period.
- Barnhart Defends New Role: Outgoing Kentucky Athletic Director Mitch Barnhart, who will retire on June 30 after 24 years, defended his new position as Executive in Residence for the UK Sports and Workforce Initiative. Barnhart pushed back against criticism of the role and its compensation, stating his desire is to mentor and create career pathways for students in the sports industry.
- Auburn Softball Wins Series: The Auburn softball team swept a Saturday doubleheader against Kentucky to clinch the series victory.
PORTAL WATCH
The SEC transfer portal was quiet over the past 12 hours, with no new entries or commitments to report.
RECRUITING BUZZ
No new football or basketball commitments were announced across the Southeastern Conference in the last 12 hours.
GAMES TO WATCH
With the regular season complete, all eyes turn to Nashville for the 2026 SEC Men's Basketball Tournament. First-round action tips off on Wednesday, March 11, at Bridgestone Arena.
- Game 3: No. 10 Texas vs. No. 15 Ole Miss | 6 p.m. CT | SEC Network
- Game 4: No. 11 Oklahoma vs. No. 14 South Carolina | Approx. 8:30 p.m. CT | SEC Network
Winners will advance to Thursday's second round, while the top four seeds (Florida, Alabama, Arkansas, Vanderbilt) will begin play in the quarterfinals on Friday.