SEC Tournament Day 3: TV schedule, odds and picks

Today’s Schedule

The SEC Tournament reaches day three, the quarterfinals. All games can be streamed on the WatchESPN app. The two afternoon games will be televised on ESPN, while the two evening games will be televised on the SEC Network.

In the first game of the day, at 1:00 PM ET, the 1-seed Auburn Tigers play their first game of the tournament against their hated rivals, the 9-seed Alabama Crimson Tide. Auburn and Alabama split the regular season series, with Alabama winning 76-71 in Tuscaloosa back on January 17, and Auburn winning at home by a 90-71 score on February 21.

The second game of the afternoon session will tip approximately 30 minutes after the conclusion of Game 1. The 4-seed Kentucky Wildcats will meet the 12-seed Georgia Bulldogs, who look to continue Yante Maten’s drive to play in the NCAA Tournament. The two teams met once in the regular season back on New Year’s Eve, with Kentucky taking a 66-61 decision in Lexington.

The evening session tips off at 7:00 PM ET with the 2-seed Tennessee Volunteers taking on the 7-seed Mississippi State Bulldogs. Mississippi State’s NCAA Tournament chances are being held back by an extremely weak nonconference schedule, but a win over the Vols would help greatly. The two teams met on February 27, a 76-54 win for the Vols in Starkville.

The final game of the day pits the 3-seed Florida Gators against the 6-seed Arkansas Razorbacks. This is the lone game of the day in which both teams feel comfortable about their tournament chances. Florida beat Arkansas 88-73 back on January 17 in the teams’ only meeting of the season.

Bad Gambling Advice

• Alabama (+6.5) vs. Auburn: Alabama could reeeeeeeeally use a win here, and will play like it, while Auburn just hasn’t quite looked the same since Anfernee McLemore was lost for the season. I don’t feel confident in saying Alabama will win outright, unlike yesterday, but I do feel confident in saying this one will be close.
• Georgia (+5) vs. Kentucky: Georgia had made a habit of losing close against good teams in the regular season; Thursday saw them finally flip the script and win a close one. With Jarred Vanderbilt questionable at best, I’m not liking the Wildcats for a lengthy stay in St. Louis. They might win this one but I wouldn’t lay five points here.
• Mississippi State vs. Tennessee (-7): Mississippi State has a lot to play for and Tennessee is playing for seeding, but I keep going back to the fact that Tennessee won by 22 — in Starkville! -- just a little over a week ago, suggesting this is not a matchup that will go well for the Bulldogs.
• Arkansas vs. Florida (-4.5): This just isn’t a good matchup for Arkansas; Arkansas depends on turning you over and Florida just doesn’t do that at all. If there’s a game today that I can see really getting out of hand, this would be the one.