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SEC CONFERENCE TOURNAMENT SEEDING:

SEC EAST:
1. Kentucky
2. Florida
3. Vanderbilt
4. South Carolina
5. Tennessee
6. Georgia

SEC WEST:
1. Alabama
2. LSU
3. Mississippi State
4. Arkansas
5. Ole Miss
6. Auburn

In the first round, the top two seeds in the east and the west get a bye, and the east’s four seed plays the west’s five seed, the east’s three seed plays the west’s six seed, and vice versa. In less complicated terms: the SEC is not very deep, and the bracket should hold to form until the semifinals to give us great match-ups in the final three games of this tournament.

One upset that could be foreseen is Mississippi State over Florida in round two, assuming the Bulldogs beat lowly Georgia in the first round. However, the way Florida is playing right now, especially with momentum from knocking off Kentucky last weekend, the Gators look like an extremely tough team to upset. Mississippi State has been somewhat of a disappointment this year, and could salvage some dignity with a few wins in this tournament, not to mention vindicate Lawrence Roberts for coming back to school instead of going pro. Unlike in past years, though, Coach Billy Donovan has his Gators playing well at the right time of the season, and it will take a great Bulldog effort to pull the upset.

Vanderbilt is an interesting team. They are on the wrong side of the bubble (if I could rid the English language of one word right now bubble would probably be it), and need to make a ferocious run in this tournament if they want to be considered for the NCAAs. If they could get to the championship game going through LSU and then Kentucky, they could probably get in. If I were a betting man, though, I would put my money on LSU taking down the Commodores in round two.

Speaking of LSU, the Tigers on a roll right now, riding a six game win streak in which the defeated the likes of Mississippi State, Alabama, and Florida. They also boast conference player of the year, Brandon Bass, and conference freshman of the year, Glen Davis. The Tigers, definitely NCAA tournament bound, will probably run into an obstacle in the semis against Kentucky, a team that tamed the Tigers 89- 58 earlier this year.

The two one seeds look like the class of this conference, and should Alabama make it past Florida and should Kentucky get past LSU in the semis, we are in line for a great conference championship game. Kennedy Winston and Ernest Shelton are two names you should know. Both of them are first team All-SEC, and can single-handedly will Alabama to the conference title.

Kentucky always seems like one of the teams to beat, nationally, and this year is no different. The Wildcats have two players that can rack up the points in Kelenna Azubuike, and sharpshooter Patrick Sparks. They also have conference defensive player of the year, Chuck Hayes, and conference coach of the year Tubby Smith. The Wildcats are shooting for that final No. 1 seed in the NCAA tournament (with the others all but sewn up by North Carolina, Wake Forest, and Illinois), and should grab it by winning the SEC tournament.