The road to the Final Four has always featured the Southeastern Conference as a primary roadblock, but in 2026, the SEC Tournament in Nashville has become the definitive center of the college basketball world.
As the action shifts to Bridgestone Arena from March 11–15, the conference boasts an unprecedented level of depth, with bracketologists currently projecting as many as 10 SEC teams to earn bids in the Big Dance.
Leading the charge is Florida, the reigning national champion, which has officially returned to contender status after a dominant late-season run to clinch at least a share of the SEC regular-season title. Todd Golden’s Gators are looking to become the first program to repeat as national champions since their own legendary back-to-back runs in 2006-07.
The challenge for the Gators, however, is a 16-team SEC tournament field that features more legitimate national championship contenders than any other conference in the country. Alabama, led by breakout star Labaron Philon Jr., remains a heavy hitter with a double-bye in hand, while Arkansas and Missouri round out a formidable top four in the current standings. With perennial powers like Kentucky and Tennessee lurking as dangerous middle seeds, and a surging Vanderbilt squad making noise in its second year under Mark Byington, the tournament is a survival test for every team involved.
Here’s the complete bracket and television schedule for the SEC Tournament.
SEC basketball tournament bracket 2026
The current seeding, bracket, and regular-season records for the 2026 SEC men’s basketball tournament are listed in the table below.
| Seed | Team | Record (SEC) |
| No. 1 | Florida | 24-6 (15-2) |
| No. 2 | Alabama | 22-8 (12-5) |
| No. 3 | Arkansas | 22-8 (12-5) |
| No. 4 | Tennessee | 21-9 (11-6) |
| No. 5 | Vanderbilt | 23-7 (10-7) |
| No. 6 | Missouri | 20-10 (10-7) |
| No. 7 | Texas A&M | 20-10 (10-7) |
| No. 8 | Kentucky | 19-11 (10-7) |
| No. 9 | Georgia | 21-9 (9-8) |
| No. 10 | Texas | 18-12 (9-8) |
| No. 11 | Auburn | 16-14 (7-10) |
| No. 12 | Oklahoma | 16-14 (6-11) |
| No. 13 | Mississippi State | 13-17 (5-12) |
| No. 14 | Ole Miss | 12-18 (4-13) |
| No. 14 | LSU | 15-15 (3-14) |
| No. 14 | South Carolina | 12-18 (3-14) |
Where to watch SEC men’s basketball tournament
- TV channel: SEC Network, ESPN, ESPN2
- Live stream: ESPN App
The first and second rounds of the SEC will be broadcast primarily on the SEC Network. Starting with the Quarterfinals on Friday, coverage shifts to ESPN for the afternoon sessions. The Semifinals and the Championship Game will air live nationally on ESPN.
Those looking to live stream the game can on the ESPN App.
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SEC men’s basketball tournament schedule 2026
- Dates: Wednesday, March 11 – Sunday, March 15
- Location: Bridgestone Arena in Nashville, Tennessee
The 2026 SEC men’s basketball tournament begins on Wednesday, March 11, with the first round games, and will conclude with the championship game on Sunday, March 15.
All SEC tournament games will be played at Bridgestone Arena in Nashville, Tennessee.
For a complete tournament schedule, see below.
Wednesday, March 11
| Game | Time (ET) | TV channel/Live stream |
| Game 1: No. 16 vs. No. 9 | 12:30 p.m. | SEC Network, ESPN App |
| Game 2: No. 13 vs. No. 12 | TBD* | SEC Network, ESPN App |
| Game 3: No. 15 vs. No. 10 | 7 p.m. | SEC Network, ESPN App |
| Game 4: No. 14 vs. No. 11 | TBD* | SEC Network, ESPN App |
*Estimated tip-off 25 mins after previous game
Thursday, March 12
| Game | Time (ET) | TV channel/Live stream |
| Game 5: No. 8 vs. Game 1 winner | 12:30 p.m. | SEC Network, ESPN App |
| Game 6: No. 5 vs. Game 2 winner | TBD* | SEC Network, ESPN App |
| Game 7: No. 7 vs. Game 3 winner | 7 p.m. | SEC Network, ESPN App |
| Game 8: No. 6 vs. Game 4 winner | TBD* | SEC Network, ESPN App |
*Estimated tip-off 25 mins after previous game
Friday, March 13
| Game | Time (ET) | TV channel/Live stream |
| Game 9: No. 1 vs. Game 5 winner | 1 p.m. | ESPN, ESPN App |
| Game 10: No. 4 vs. Game 6 winner | TBD* | ESPN, ESPN App |
| Game 11: No. 2 vs. Game 7 winner | 7 p.m. | SEC Network, ESPN App |
| Game 12: No. 3 vs. Game 8 winner | TBD* | SEC Network, ESPN App |
*Estimated tip-off 25 mins after previous game
Saturday, March 14
| Game | Time (ET) | TV channel/Live stream |
| Game 13: Game 9 winner vs. Game 10 winner | 1 p.m. | ESPN, ESPN App |
| Game 14: Game 11 winner vs. Game 12 winner | TBD* | ESPN, ESPN App |
*Estimated tip-off 25 mins after previous game
Sunday, March 15
| Game | Time (ET) | TV channel/Live stream |
| Game 15: Game 13 winner vs. Game 14 winner | 1 p.m. | ESPN, ESPN App |
