SEC Women's Conference Tournament Predictions
The bracket is set for Greenville, from South Carolina up top all the way on down to Missouri on bottom. Some of these teams are locks for top seeds, while others are struggling to remain on the right side of the bubble. I will give a quick update on each team and what they need out of their time in Greenville to set them up for the postseason.
1. South Carolina 29-0 (16-0)
The best team in the country remains undefeated and is the heavy favorite to win the conference tournament.
Multiple Player of the Year candidates (none of whom are named "Caitlin Clark," meaning none of them are serious contenders) fill out the roster and for the Gamecocks, this is just business as usual.
LSU or maybe Ole Miss could theoretically upset them in the final round, but there is no chance any other team could come close.
2. LSU 26-4 (13-3)
Angel Reese and the Tigers have come a long way since dropping their opener against Colorado way back in November, but they are by no means perfect. They dropped games against Mississippi State and Auburn and struggled in a few other games, but this team is still the second-best team in the conference and will definitely host the first weekend of the national tournament.
Their first game is, most likely, against Auburn, a team they have struggled against in both games they've played together this year.
It still seems like they are destined for yet another rematch with South Carolina for the conference trophy, but they have slipped here and there this season so anything could happen.
3. Ole Miss 22-7 (12-4)
The Rebels are a solid team, most of whose losses have come against some of the best teams in the country. Their biggest issue in the tournament will just be closing the gap between them and those two teams up top.
They are coming in off a dominant 6-game streak including a season finale where they doubled Arkansas's 43 points (and added 1) for an insane last conference win before heading to Greenville.
It does not matter too much what they do in the conference tournament, as they are a lock for the national tournament but probably not in range of a national seed that could get them games in Oxford. It will just be fun seeing if they can take a game off LSU and then South Carolina.
4. Alabama 23-8 (10-6)
The Crimson Tide is safely in the national tournament, but it's always personal against Tennessee. I think Alabama will come out on top and see if they can keep things rolling against South Carolina. They can't, but maybe they'll eke out a slightly higher seed for their efforts.
5. Tennessee 17-11 (10-6)
The Rickea Jackson injury really was that big of a deal for the Lady Volunteers, who have been a much better team since her return.
Tennessee is safely "in," but I am sure they will add another win or two in Greenville, hoping to make up ground they lost early in the year with Jackson out and hopefully draw an easier opponent in the first round.
6. Vanderbilt 22-8 (9-7)
The Commodores are right on the bubble, having been in ESPN's "Last Four In" for what feels like half the season despite their recent 5-1 run to end the season.
Something to note is that the Commodores have a better record than Mississippi State and Auburn and beat both teams head-to-head yet sits just two and four spots behind them, respectively, on ESPN's projections.
Of course, NET is what matters on the bubble, and Vandy's NET does happen to be the lowest of the three. If they drop their first game, they could easily become the SEC team with the best record ever to miss the tournament.
More than likely they will advance and face an Ole Miss team that will be difficult, but not impossible, for them to overcome. If they conquer and prevail over the Rebels, they should be a lock for the national tournament even while they almost certainly get destroyed by LSU.
7. Auburn 19-10 (8-8)
Auburn should make quick work of Arkansas and shore up their case for the national tournament. Some things about their resume don't entirely sit right with me, but they are a good team with big wins over LSU and Alabama.
They are clearly a good team who will likely have a chance to prove it again against LSU in their second game. I'll be anxious to see if lightning can strike twice for the Tigers.
8. Mississippi State 21-10 (8-8)
With both the Bulldogs and the Aggies on the bubble, Mississippi State's first game could decide which team is in.
The Bulldogs far-and-away deserve the spot, but it should still make for an interesting game. If they win, they should be safely in, but if they lose, it will be a long couple of days waiting for the bracket to come out.
9. Texas A&M 18-11 (6-10)
A&M is maybe the most interesting team this year in terms of the national tournament. As of writing this, ESPN has them as their "First Team Out."
The Mississippi State game is essential to them getting in, but even then, there's so much basketball going on this week it's impossible to know what any one game will do.
They would need a miracle to get through the Gamecocks in their second game, but it would certainly be a statement win if the Aggies pulled out the miracle win at what will essentially be a Gamecocks home games. I'm not holding my breath.
10. Arkansas 18-13 (6-10)
Ignoring the fact that the Razorbacks play ugly, mean basketball and are the type to throw basketballs at the other teams' heads as hard as they can then complain about getting ejected, the team has been fine-ish.
They are the first SEC team on this list that has pretty much no shot at the tournament at this point in the season.
They have really fallen apart, losing 6 of the last 7, and it feels like they may have already given up a little on the rest of this season. I would expect them to drop their first match against Auburn without much of a fight.
11. Florida 14-14 (5-11)
Certainly the best of the four teams playing on the first day, the Gators are nevertheless not all that impressive or interesting.
They will likely win their first game then run up against a Vandy team where they'll be competitive, but tired. If they win?
Ole Miss is just too much better than the Gators. And Florida will head home to the Swamp.
12. Kentucky 11-19 (4-12)
This Kentucky team has been weird all year, with about half of their wins being big upsets if we're only focusing on the numbers. But, and I think this is really important, winning is winning, so the Wildcats are ending this season as the twelfth seed.
Maybe they'll beat Georgia, but if they do, I don't see them getting through the Lady Volunteers in the second round.
13. Georgia 12-17 (2-13)
This team actually had a few decent ones in out-of-conference play, and they started off the new year strong with a win over A&M. Now they suck. They should probably win over Kentucky, but honestly this team may be even worse than Missouri.
Tennessee will send them back to Athens, and the Bulldogs can start thinking about next year.
14. Missouri 11-18 (2-14)
This team beat fellow SEC basement dweller Georgia and middle-of-the-table Vandy, but Vandy avenged themselves later in the year. Other than those two wins, this team has lost by an average of 14 points. That's not good.
I would expect them to lose to Florida, but the Tigers have surprised me once this year. Maybe they could make it past Vanderbilt if they got to the second round, they have certainly proven they can hang with the Commodores, but they would certainly fall at the hands of Ole Miss if they got so far as to be playing for the third day in a row.