2025 SEC Tournament Preview and Predictions: Has ‘Bama regained their mojo for postseason play?

The Rematch. IBOB II. Call it what you will, but No. 6 Alabama secured the season’s best win by anyone in its true road victory over the No. 1 Auburn Tigers, a team that would have been celebrating its SEC regular season championship but for one little fact: The Tide had other plans.

Going into IBOB, fan spirits were down, but morale on the team was not necessarily — rather, they were confused. They had to find answers to the late-season spiral that saw ‘Bama play seven straight ranked teams, four games inside the Top 10, and half of those on the road. The reeling Tide was trending for a 2-5 finish. But that’s what made Saturday’s win so impressive: the formula the Tide played and won with, though not a masterclass of beautiful basketball, was player-generated. The players decided they needed rebound better, get up the floor faster, get downhill and attack the basket more, not settle for jumpers, be the toughest team, and let Mark lead the floor rather than be the hero for 40 minutes.

The heroics then followed.

Check out Field of 68’s podcast here. The first 15 minutes are about IBOBII, with a 5-minute interview from CNO. He’s practically glowing at their buy-in and finding late season leadership.

That win all-but assures ‘Bama has sewn up at least a two-seed for the NCAA tournament. And a strong SEC tourney run with a title could very well put the Tide on the 1-line, despite conference tournaments being all-but ignored by the committee of late. One gets the feeling some VIP eyeballs will be on Nashville this week, because this tournament will matter.

More importantly, did the win get ‘Bama’s head screwed on right? Does the Tide have its mojo back as it heads into the Second Season?

According to FanDuel Sportsbook, Alabama is +420 to win the tourney and claim the SEC’s automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament.

Related to that, you can potentially win a profit boost on your underdog picks each day during the conference tournament. Check out FanDuel Sportsbook’s Dog of the Day promotion:

What is it?

• A 30% profit boost token (PBT) to be used on any underdog every single day during Conference Champ Week.

How to Play

1. Download or Log In to FanDuel Sportsbook with new or existing account
2. Place your straight moneyline wager and apply PBT
3. Minimum of +100 odds
4. Users will have a PBT to use everyday during the 3/10 – 3/16 timeframe

Let’s start by previewing the 2025 SEC Tournament (how was that for a nifty segue).

First up, the bracket and schedule.

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First Round Flameouts:

If the South Carolina game were in Columbia, you’d like their chances better. They just blew the doors off the visiting ‘Hogs earlier in the week. But road ‘Cocks are flaccid ‘Cocks, and the revenge-minded Piggies, just blown out in Columbia, are eyeing a 20-win season and all-but assuredly a season-saving NCAA tourney appearance. Seriously, Cal did an awesome job with this team after Boogie went down and a 1-7 start in conference play. USCe may genuinely the most dangerous 12-19 team I’ve ever seen…in spots. But that’s not enough; time to hit the links, fellas. Arkansas moves on.

For similar reasons, I think Georgia has a bad draw exacerbated their bad road play in their first round matchup. After a ghastly middle portion of the season, the Sooners have mostly played well down the stretch, especially on defense, though not good enough to close-out a few games (oh, god, déjà vu). But Oklahoma has now won four straight, including two over ranked teams, and are a one-point loss to Kentucky away from reaching 20 wins. Given UGA’s road struggles, and OU’s perimeter shooting, I think the Dirt Burglars get there and sew up an NCAA berth. Oklahoma gets the W. Enjoy the NBA, Mr Newell.

You have to hate the headspace of the Texas Longhorns too. A senior night home loss to Oklahoma likely puts OU among the Last Four in the NCAA, bounces Texas to the NIT, and raises some very tough conversations between the AD and Coach Rodney Terry. Trey Johnson is an absolute beast though, and that has been largely lost in a year that has seen freshman like Dylan Harper, Cooper Flagg, Tahaad Pettiford among others. But, time to pack it in guys. Vandy advances.

LSU. There is nothing positive to say about this Tigers team. They’re playing for pride and going pro in State Farm. Buh-bye, Tigers. Mississippi State smothers the Tigers.

Check out FanDuel Sportsbook this week for the Dog of the Day PBT:

What is it?

• A 30% profit boost token (PBT) to be used on any underdog every single day during Conference Champ Week.

How to Play

1. Download or Log In to FanDuel Sportsbook with new or existing account
2. Place your straight moneyline wager and apply PBT
3. Minimum of +100 odds
4. Users will have a PBT to use everyday during the 3/10 -3/16 timeframe

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Second Round

Ole Miss earned a bye, and they now get the pleasure of facing one of two teams that will absolutely murder them on the glass. And, if the Rebs draw Arkansas (which they almost certainly will), then OM also meets a team just as chippy and physical as they are, though with far more talent. Besides, are you betting against Cal in the SEC Tournament? I’m not selling on him early. Ole Miss will make the NCAA tournament, but they’re on a bit of a cold streak, and Nashville won’t be kind. Arkansas takes it

I don’t like the way Mizzou or Mississippi State finished the season. After the ‘Bama rout, the Tigers haven’t done much of squat, dropping four of five with a pair of home Ls. But this is the Spider-Man pointing at Spider-Man meme: the Starkville Bulldogs are in a death spiral of their own that has seen them also lose four of five, including two at home after February 18th’s win over A&M. That said, they’re still playing better than the Tigers are — two of those losses were by a single point apiece — and in this mid-off, I think the ‘Dawgs probably have a little more defense, the more reliable scoring options, and probably the better team. Tossup, but we’ll say the Bulldogs advance.

Oklahoma’s nice late-season run ends at the hands of the hot ‘Cats, who are getting healthy at the right time finally. Kentucky has now beaten eight teams ranked in the Top 15, and they’re poised to be a hella’ dangerous 3-seed in the NCAAs. UK moves on to the Quarters. OU retires with 20 wins, buys Porter Moser some breathing room, and makes their NCAA case.

Texas A&M is in a bit of a pickle. They’re the better team here, but Vanderbilt is playing a de facto home game, they get to sleep in their own beds, and go through their regular practice routines, etc. The Aggies have to take a four-hour flight and then play a road contest. I think that stuff matters, as the Commodores swing the upset. The bidding war for Mark Byington is going to be absurd when teams like Miami, NC State etc. come sniffing around. Anchor down to the Quarters.

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Quarterfinals

Whoever emerges out of the Mississippi State / Missouri pod gets the privilege of facing the red-hot Florida Gators. And they will then have a 0.00% chance of winning that game, not the way both of those teams get murdered in the post, and not with Florida looking to secure a 1-seed. Gators advance.

Is it even an SEC Tournament if the Alabama doesn’t play Kentucky? Two of the three winningest SEC programs meet regularly in this event — one which the Wildcats previously dominated, but that the Tide have owned of late. If it’s hard to beat a team twice in one season, especially one as talented as the Wildcats, imagine how hard it is to do it three times. But, that’s what we’re predicting here: Alabama edges UK in another close one.

Very fitting that Tennessee returns to the scene of the crime, Nashville, a city that saw them drop their first game and against an opponent who has been a routine thorn in their side. This time, though, the Vols get the revenge against their in-state rival. It’s relatively meaningless, so Rick Barnes won’t coach like a dummy against Vanderbilt this time. UT moves on to the semis.

All year, I’ve said that Auburn is the best team in the country, but they are mortal. The bench is fairly thin beyond Pettiford. They play really suspect road ‘ball. The Tigers surrender far too many offensive rebounds. And for their ballyhooed defensive prowess, they can get hung up in traffic by teams that run downhill. Running downhill to the rim is the entire M.O. of the Calipari offense, though. We even wrote about it at length. That’s just a bad matchup for the ‘Barn, if Arkansas plays competently away from Fayetteville. We’ll call for the upset here by a Tigers team that already thinks it’s won everything and can focus on March. Arkansas joins the SEC Final Four.

Check out FanDuel Sportsbook this week for the Dog of the Day PBT:

What is it?

• A 30% profit boost token (PBT) to be used on any underdog every single day during Conference Champ Week.

How to Play

1. Download or Log In to FanDuel Sportsbook with new or existing account
2. Place your straight moneyline wager and apply PBT
3. Minimum of +100 odds
4. Users will have a PBT to use everyday during the 3/10 -3/16 timeframe

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Semifinals

You may as well circle this as the de facto title game, because Florida and Alabama are going to give you another barn burner. The X Factors here militate in ‘Bama’s favor: Likely a far larger home crowd will be in attendance, and the Tide are more battle-tested on the road. The Gators are 6-4 in games away from the O-Dome. Alabama is 10-3. That kind of experience matters; this time of year is why Alabama kills itself in November and December. We’ll say Alabama closes out better than the Gators do, gains vengeance for their Senior Night debacle, and ‘Bama moves on the finals.

Arkansas-Tennessee is everything that Florida-Alabama is not. This game is going to be more of a rock fight than basketball. Unfortunately that also favors the home-state Volunteers, as does their senior depth and far more reliable perimeter scoring. It won’t be fun to watch, but it will be effective. Volunteers advance to the Finals.

Finals

Assuming it’s not Auburn on the other side of the ledger (and it very well could be), one of Florida / Tennessee / Alabama is going to almost certainly be your final No. 1 seed in the NCAA tourney, alongside Auburn, Houston and Duke. So, there there is a lot to play for here, outside of the SEC title. We’ll say that opposites collide once again, as the Vols draw a bracket that does what they do best: defense. Likewise, ‘Bama draws an offensive-friendly half of the field, and that works to their advantage as well.

However, when the bitter rivals square off, a wild card emerges: It’s a meaningful March game, which means that Tennessee is almost preordained to lose. This time, there’s not going to be any doubt: Alabama will hit their free throws, claim the SEC Title, erase the lingering memories of their miscues in Knoxville, troll Auburn mercilessly with that ring, and vault into the NCAA Tournament as the final 1-seed and with all the momentum in the world.

Alabama cuts ‘em down.