Vicky Graff Photo
The Kentucky men’s basketball team will be the No. 6 seed in the annual Southeastern Conference Tournament when action begins Wednesday in Nashville, Tennessee, at Bridgestone Arena. The Wildcats, who earned a first-round bye, will play the winner between No. 11 seed Georgia and No. 14 seed Oklahoma. The game will be on Thursday at 9:30 p.m. ET and will air on the SEC Network. The 16-team 2025 SEC Tournament is the largest in league history, as Texas and Oklahoma will compete for the first time.
In its first season under head coach Mark Pope, Kentucky completed the regular season at 21-10 overall and 10-8 in league play. UK eclipsed a 20-win season for an NCAA-leading 68th time and did it while matching an NCAA record with nine wins over Associated Press Top-15 opponents.
Kentucky earned the No. 6 seed based on several tiebreakers after wrapping up the regular season with a road win over Missouri on Saturday. The Cats went a combined 4-3 against the No. 1-5 seeds in the conference this season.
Kentucky leads the league with 31 SEC Tournament titles and sports an all-time SEC Tournament record of 135-30.
If Kentucky wins on Thursday, it will play in the quarterfinals on Friday at 9:30 p.m. ET. The Wildcats’ possible semifinal contest would take place at 3:30 p.m. ET on Saturday, while Sunday’s championship game is scheduled for 1 p.m. ET.
The Wildcats are 12-1 all-time against Georgia in the SEC Tournament, the last meeting coming in the 2018 quarterfinals. Should UK meet the Sooners, it would mark the first ever meeting between the programs in the conference tournament and just the fifth clash between the programs all-time.
During the regular season, Kentucky fell on the road to Georgia, 82-69, back on Jan. 7, while topping OU in Norman, 83-82 on Feb. 26.
Also on Kentucky’s side of the bracket is No. 2 seed Florida, No. 3 Alabama, No. 7 Missouri, No. 10 Mississippi State, and No. 15 LSU.
9 Responses
Great win against Missouri, but unfortunately, we got the toughest draw we could have possibly faced in the SEC Tournament. We play the last game on Thursday against the winner of the Georgia/Oklahoma game. Thankfully, it will be in Nashville and not in Athens or Norman. The winner faces Florida who is, in my opinion, the best team in the SEC as well as the country. The winner of that game will most likely face Alabama, and the Auburn. The winner of this SEC tournament will be battle tested, if nothing else. When all things are considered, Coach Pope has already over achieved with this team. I fear that whoever wins the SEC tournament will not make the Final 4 because the SEC plays thug ball and the NCAA tournament will not be officiated in a way that will be favorable to that style of play. I hope I am wrong, but the SEC braintrust in it’s greed to maximize its tournament earnings has created a system that will never produce another NCAA champion until this is rectified. The student athlete has been replaced with what will soon be NBA farm teams. It’s all about money now. Thank you CBS and ESPN.
Overachieved 👍
If EVERY PLAYER will diligently & energetically be FOCUSED as well as be a TEAM FIRST player EVERY POSSESSION and not have solo trips trying to be the hero, then this TEAM can beat anyone.
Unfortunately, the A:TO ratio is void of assists or only 1 for some players who shoot a lot and play selfish instead of TEAM first.
At least 3 of the losses woul have been wins if no one had been selfish and hogged the ball. The players who have the ball in their hands the most should get more than 0 or 1 assist. Otherwise the team chemistry is disrupted and other players lose focus and enthusiasm.
Both post season tourney results depend on just a couple of players being TEAM FIRST players.
It wasn’t just hogging the ball it was not showing up. Am wondering if Almanor is in dog house or what?? He only got 3 mins of PT. We have generally had at least 2 players every game that didn’t seem motivated. Garrison is the one that I feel has been consistent underachiever.
The SEC PLAYS THUG BALL!!!
You are so right!
It is not real BB – just bush league street ball. Even street ball is less thuggery than SEC! I’ve played some street ball – it’s not nearly as thuggish l!
The winner of the UK-Georgia/Oklahoma game will play Alabama, not Florida.
YOu’re right, I got it backwards.
Thanks Karen
I don’t think any easy draws for anybody in the SEC
Alamor is a one trick pony – gets his share of 3’s – doesn’t guard or rebound.