SEC Basketball: 2022 SEC Tournament preview, predictions, what to watch for

NASHVILLE, TN - MARCH 14: Alabama Crimson Tide hoist the SEC Championship trophy after the championship game against the LSU Tigers in the SEC Men's Basketball Tournament at Bridgestone Arena on March 14, 2021 in Nashville, Tennessee. Alabama defeats LSU 80-79. (Photo by Brett Carlsen/Getty Images)
NASHVILLE, TN - MARCH 14: Alabama Crimson Tide hoist the SEC Championship trophy after the championship game against the LSU Tigers in the SEC Men's Basketball Tournament at Bridgestone Arena on March 14, 2021 in Nashville, Tennessee. Alabama defeats LSU 80-79. (Photo by Brett Carlsen/Getty Images)
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2022 SEC Tournament
SEC Tournament (Photo by Brett Carlsen/Getty Images)

SEC Basketball fans, welcome to March. Before we get to the “Madness” however, there is still one thing to decided within the conference later this week – the 2022 SEC Tournament.

2022 SEC Tournament preview, predictions, what to watch for

One of the most-anticipated weeks of the college basketball season for an SEC fan, the SEC Tournament provides five-consecutive days worth of games within the conference, with an eventual conference tournament champion crowned on Sunday afternoon. As for who that champion could be this year, there are multiple different teams that could be lifting the trophy at weeks’ end.

Entering the week, you could certainly make an argument for a few different teams as “the favorite,” but that group is likely led by regular season champion Auburn. However, the other Top 4 seeds in Tennessee, Kentucky, and Arkansas are right there with the Tigers, with LSU and defending SEC Tournament champion Alabama looming as well.

While those six teams are also set to play in the upcoming NCAA Tournament, there are a few other teams such as Florida and Texas A&M that will also be playing to get into the Big Dance. With the SEC Tournament champion receiving an automatic bid into the tournament, could one of those teams go on a run, or can they win the two-to-three games needed to boost their resume?

In addition to that as well, what are a few of the other things to watch for that we will see play-out this week in Tampa, FL when the 2022 SEC Tournament takes center stage? Here are some players and teams to watch for entering the 2022 SEC Tournament, as well as round-by-round predictions for this week in Tampa.