The 2026 SEC Tournament will feature the hottest team in college basketball against a deep, talented field capable of pulling off surprises.
Tournament play begins Wednesday, March 11, and runs through Sunday, March 15, at Bridgestone Arena in Nashville, which is hosting the event for the fourth straight year and ninth time since 2015.
The Florida Gators ran away with the SEC regular season title with 11-straight wins and appear poised to defend their SEC Tournament championship as the No. 1 seed. Florida basketball is vying for its sixth SEC Tournament trophy in school history after winning the event in 2005, 2006, 2007, 2014 and 2025, Led by a frontline of All-SEC center and SEC defensive player of the year Rueben Chinyelu, All-SEC forward Thomas Haugh and All-SEC forward Alex Condon, Florida will have motivation this weekend trying to lock up a No. 1 seed in the Men’s NCAA Tournament in defense of its national title.
Challenges will come from No. 2 overall seed Alabama, led by head coach Nate Oats and All-SEC guard Labron Philon Jr. and No. 3 seed Arkansas, led by freshman point guard and SEC Player of the Year Darius Acuff Jr., who became the first conference player since LSU’s “Pistol” Pete Maravich in 1969-70 to lead the SEC in scoring (22.2 ppg) and assists (6.4 apg).
A potential dark horse in the tournament includes No. 8 seed Missouri, which beat UF 76-74 during the regular season and has the size to match up with the Gators should the two teams meet in the quarterfinals on Friday, March 13.
Follow along for game-by-game updates.
SUNDAY, finals
Game 15: Arkansas 86, Vanderbilt 75
Darius Acuff Jr. finished with 30 points and 11 assists, lifting Arkansas to it second SEC tournament title in school history and first since 2000.
Billy Richmond added 18 points for the Razorbacks while Trevon Brazile had 16 points, 8 rebounds and 2 blocks. As a team, Arkansas shot 51.7% from the floor and 62.5% (15-24) from 3-point range.
Duke Miles and Tyler Nickel had 19 points apiece to lead Vanderbilt.
SATURDAY, Semifinals
Game 14: Arkansas 93, Ole Miss 90 OT
Darius Acuff Jr. scored five of his 24 points in overtime, as Arkansas ended Ole Miss’s inspired run in the SEC Tournament to reach the tournament title game.
Meleek Thomas led the Razorbacks with 29 points with Trevon Brazile adding 16 points and 10 rebounds.
AJ Storr led Ole Miss with 24 points.
Game 13: Vanderbilt 91, Florida 74
Tyler Tanner led five scorers in double figures 20 points, lifting Vanderbilt to an upset win over top-seed Florida.
The Commodores shot 54.5% from the field and 47.6% (10-21) from 3-point range. Vanderbilt built a 13-point halftime lead and maintained it in the second half, snapping UF’s 12-game win streak. Jalen Washington added 17 points for the Commodores and Duke Miles had 15 points and 7 assists.
Thomas Haugh led Florida with 19 points and 9 rebounds.
FRIDAY, Quarterfinals
Game 12: Arkansas 82, Oklahoma 79
Behind 37 points from SEC player of the year and freshman guard Darius Acuff Jr., Arkansas rallied back from down eight points in the first end to end Oklahoma’s SEC Tournament run.
Acuff sank two big shots down the stretch −a 3-pointer to put the Razorbacks up 76-69, followed by a jumper with 27 seconds left to put Arkansas up 79-75.
Nijel Pack led Oklahoma with 19 points, with Derrion Reed and Tae Davis adding 17 points apiece.
Game 11: Ole Miss 80, Alabama 79
Ole Miss continued its improbable run in the SEC Tournament, holding off a late Alabama charge to upset the Crimson Tide.
Guard AJ Storr led four Ole Miss scorers in double figures with 17 points. Guard Ilias Kamardine added 16 points, 6 rebounds and 4 assists.
Labaron Philon Jr. led Alabama with 28 points.
Game 10: Vanderbilt 75, Tennessee 68
Starting guard Duke Miles had 30 points, 6 rebounds and 5 assists, lifting Vanderbilt to the win over the state-rival Vols.
Tyler Tanner added 19 points, 6 rebounds and 4 assists for the Commodores, Tanner made 9 of 10 free throws and as a team, Vanderbilt cashed in on its free-throw attempts, shooting 84.6% (22-26) from the foul line.
Guard Ja’Kobi Gillespie led Tennessee with 21 points, but the Vols struggled from both 3-point range (4-17, 23.5%) and the foul line (16-26, 61.5%).
Game 9: Florida 71, Kentucky 63
Forward Alex Condon finished with 22 points and 10 rebounds and Thomas Haugh and Xaivian Lee hit big shots down the stretch, allowing Florida to hold off pesky Kentucky and pick up its 12th straight win.
Florida led by as many as 16 points in the second half, but needed a turn-around jumper from Haugh to go up 66-58 with 1:36 remaining. Then, after Kentucky guard Denzel Aberdeen sank a 3-pointer to cut UF’s lead to 66-61, Lee answered with a top-of-the-key 3-pointer with 50 seconds left, putting Florida up 69-61.
Aberdeen led Kentucky with 17 points with Mouhamed Dioubate adding 14 points before fouling out. Florida overcame 18 turnovers by outrebounding Kentucky 50-29 and outscoring the Wildcats 21-8 in second-chance points.
THURSDAY, Day 2
Game 8: Oklahoma 83, Texas A&M 63
Nijel Pack led four scorers in double figures with 20 points, lifting Oklahoma to its sixth straight win and a late surge toward an NCAA Tournament berth.
Xzayvier Brown added 16 points and 6 rebounds for the Sooners, who built a 22-point halftime lead and maintained it throughout the second half. Foward Derrion Reed posted a double-double with 15 points and 10 rebounds as Oklahoma dominated the game on the boards, outrebounding Texas A&M 48-33 and outscoring the Aggies 18-1 in second-chance points.
Rylan Griffen and Rashaun Agee led Texas A&M with 13 points apiece.
Game 7: Ole Miss 76, Georgia 72
Ole Miss continued its improbable SEC Tournament run, building a 23-point lead in the second half before holding on late to upset the Bulldogs.
Guard AJ Storr led three Ole Miss scorers in double figures with 19 points, with forward Malik Dia adding 17 points and guard Travis Perry finishing with 16 points and 6 rebounds.
Forward Kanon Catchings led Georgia with 19 points. The Bulldogs struggled from the floor throughout the game, shooting 36.4% from the floor and 23.7% (9-38) from 3-point range. Georgia starting center Somto Cyril was ejected on a Flagrant 2 foul in the second half after delivering an elbow blow to the head of Perry while going for a rebounds.
Game 6: Tennessee 72, Auburn 62
Freshman forward Nate Ament had 27 points, 8 rebounds and 4 assists, helping Tennessee rally back from down 11 points in the first half to beat Auburn.
Point guard Ja’Kobi Gillespie added 15 points and 3 assists for the Vols. Auburn, seeking another signature win before Selection Sunday, was held to 32.3% shooting in the second half and 35% shooting for the game. Point guard Tahaad Pettiford led the Tigers with 28 points.
Game 5: Kentucky 78, Missouri 72
Swingman Otega Oweh scored 21 points as Kentucky held off a late Missouri charge to advance to the quarterfinals.
Point guard Denzel Aberdeen added 16 points and 7 assists for the Wildcats, including a clutch bank shot at the end of the shock clock that put UK up 75-70 on Missouri with 25 seconds remaining.
Forward Mark Mitchell led Missouri with 32 points. Mitchell put Missouri up 70-69 on a short turn-around jumper with 2:34 remaining, but the Wildcats executed better in crunch time, outscoring Missouri 9-2 in the final 2:06.
WEDNESDAY, Day 1
Game 4: Oklahoma 86, South Carolina 76
Nijel Pack scored 24 points and Derrion Reed added 20 points, leading Oklahoma to the win, The Sooners continued their late-season push to try to secure an NCAA Tournament berth, winning their fifth straight.
Kobe Knox led South Carolina with 20 points with Michael Sharavjamts added 19 points and 8 rebounds.
Game 3: Ole Miss 76, Texas 66
Forward Malik Dia led four scorers in double figures with 23 points, leading Ole Miss to an upset win over the Longhorns.
Foward James Scott also was a force defensively for the Rebels with 10 points, 3 blocks and 1 steal. Overall, Ole Miss smothered Texas defensively, limiting the Longhorns to 35.2% shooting while blocking six shots.
Texas (18-14) now finds itself in a more tenuous spot to reach the Men’s NCAA Tournament under first-year coach Sean Miller. Dailyn Swain led the Longhorns with 22 points and 12 rebounds.
Game 2: Auburn 79, Mississippi State 61
Kevin Overton led four scorers in double figures with 22 points as Auburn kept its slim NCAA Tournament hopes alive by pulling away in the second half to beat Mississippi State.
Overton went 8 of 19 from the floor and 6 of 12 from 3-point range while adding five assists and two steals. Keshawn Murphy added 15 points for Auburn and Keyshawn Hall scored 14 points.
Mississippi State led 33-30 at halftime before fading in the second half. Josh Hubbard led the Bulldogs with 22 points.
Game 1: Kentucky 87, LSU 82
Swingman Otega Oweh scored 23 points, helping Kentucky hold off LSU late and advance to Thursday’s second round. Forward Brandon Garrison added 17 points for the Wildcats, including a pair of timely 3-pointers in the second half that provided enough cushion for UK to take control of the game down the stretch.
Max Mackinnon kept LSU in the game with a game-high 28 points, but the Tigers couldn’t overcome shooting 25% from the 3-point line (5-20) and 65% from the foul line (13-20).
Full SEC Men’s Basketball Tournament bracket, times, TV, channels
First Round: Wednesday, March 11
All times ET
Game 1: No. 9 Kentucky 87, No. 16 LSU 82
Game 2: No. 12 Auburn 79, No. 13 Mississippi State 61
Game 3: No. 15 Ole Miss, 76, No. 10 Texas 66
Game 4: No 11 Oklahoma 86,, No. 14 South Carolina 74
Second Round: Thursday, March 12
Game 5: No. 9 Kentucky 78, Missouri 72
Game 6: No. 5 Tennessee 72, No. 12 Auburn 62
Game 7: No. 15 Ole Miss 76, No. 7 Georgia 72
Game 8: No. 11 Oklahoma 83, No. 6 Texas A&M 63
Quarterfinals: Friday, March 13
Game 9: No. 1 Florida 71, No. 9 Kentucky 63
Game 10: No. 4 seed Vanderbilt 75, No. 5 Tennessee 68
Game 11: No. 15 Ole Miss 80, No. 2 Alabama 79
Game 12: No. 3 Arkansas 82, No. 11 Oklahoma 79
Semifinals: Saturday, March 14
Game 13: No. 4 seed Vanderbilt 91, No. 1 seed Florida 74
Game 14: No. 3 seed Arkansas 93, No. 15 seed Ole Miss 90, OT
Finals: Sunday, March 15
Game 15: No. 3 Arkansas 86, No. 4 seed Vanderbilt 75
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2026 SEC men’s basketball tournament tickets
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Kevin Brockway is The Gainesville Sun’s Florida beat writer. Contact him at kbrockway@gannett.com. Follow him on X @KevinBrockwayG1. Read his coverage of the Gators’ national championship basketball season in “CHOMP-IONS!” — a hardcover coffee-table collector’s book from The Sun. Details at Florida.ChampsBook.com
This article originally appeared on The Gainesville Sun: SEC men’s basketball tournament live updates, scores, highlights
Reporting by Kevin Brockway, Gainesville Sun / The Gainesville Sun
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