SEC basketball flips the calendar to March on Saturday with a full slate of 8 exciting games. I’m officially calling it — this season is coming “down to the wire.” It’s happening.
We’ve seen some exciting results in recent days. Teams like Vanderbilt, Arkansas and Georgia are playing their way onto the right side of the NCAA Tournament bubble. Newcomers Texas and Oklahoma are cratering at the wrong time.
But there are still 3 games left in SEC play for each team. Still plenty of chances to pick up key wins, starting on Saturday.
Here’s a look at our 5-star rankings of each game on the slate in the SEC men’s hoops world this week:
5-Star Games
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
No. 1 Auburn at No. 17 Kentucky — 1 p.m. ET on ABC
The Wildcats are getting healthy at the right time. Jaxson Robinson and Lamont Butler each played when Kentucky picked up a road win at Oklahoma this week. They should be in action again against Auburn. That’s huge for Mark Pope and company as they try to improve their seeding in the NCAA Tournament. Meanwhile, Auburn continues its march toward an SEC regular-season championship.
No. 6 Alabama at No. 5 Tennessee — 4 p.m. ET on ESPN
Is this a battle for a No. 1 seed in the NCAA Tournament? Both Alabama and Tennessee are among the teams in contention for 1 of the 4 1-seeds in March Madness. Even beyond that, this is a rivalry game, so expect these teams to bring out the best in one another. It’s going to be an intense atmosphere on Rocky Top on Saturday evening.
No. 12 Texas A&M at No. 3 Florida — 8:30 p.m. ET on SEC Network
The Aggies are coming off a disappointing home loss to Vanderbilt. Florida just dropped its midweek game at rival Georgia. Both of these teams will be looking to stay in the race for a double-bye in the SEC Tournament. I give the Gators the edge at home, but Texas A&M is a force to be reckoned with everywhere it steps on the court.
4-Star Games
⭐⭐⭐⭐
No. 14 Mizzou at Vanderbilt — 6 p.m. ET on SEC Network
This is a dangerous spot for Mizzou. The Tigers have a loss at Texas on their résumé, which looks worse and worse as time goes on. Vanderbilt, meanwhile, is surging at the right time. The Commodores will be looking for 1 more big win before Selection Sunday, though, to leave no doubt that they’ll be in the NCAA Tournament. This should be a great matchup.
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Georgia at Texas — 8 p.m. ET on ESPN2
It doesn’t get more bubblelicious than this. While I think Georgia has played itself into March Madness and Texas has played its way out, things change in a hurry in March. The Bulldogs would be safer on Selection Sunday with this win under their belts, but they’re going to face a Texas team that absolutely must win this game to have any chance of making the field of 68 teams.
3-Star Games
⭐⭐⭐
Oklahoma at Ole Miss — 2 p.m. ET on ESPN2
This would be a 2-star game if not for Oklahoma being desperate. If the Sooners lose this game, they’re probably out of the NCAA Tournament. So they’ll head to Oxford hungry for an upset against a tough Ole Miss squad. The Rebels have lost 3 in a row and have games against Tennessee and Florida remaining, so they need this win, too.
2-Star Games
⭐⭐
Arkansas at South Carolina — 1 p.m. ET on SEC Network
The Razorbacks need to avoid a bad loss on the road. South Carolina has been pretty frisky at home this season. This has all the makings of a really tough battle for Arkansas. We’ll see if the Hogs can show they belong in the NCAA Tournament by scoring a win in enemy territory.
1-Star Games
⭐
LSU at Mississippi State — 3:30 p.m. ET on SEC Network
The Bulldogs are safely in the NCAA Tournament field. The Tigers are safely out. I expect Mississippi State to take care of business at home in a get-right game. LSU has some talent, but the Tigers are 1-6 on the road in SEC play. A comfortable win for Chris Jans and company should be in the cards on Saturday afternoon.
Players to Watch
This week’s Players to Watch are:
Otega Oweh, Kentucky
Oweh had an awful performance against Alabama. As in, he only scored 2 points before fouling out. That ended a streak of scoring 10+ points in every single Kentucky game so far this season. So what did he do? Did he sulk? No. He came out and dropped 28 points in a 1-point win at Oklahoma this week. He was 1 of 2 Wildcats to score in double figures. Oh and he also hit this game-winner:
The Shot. The Block. Otega Oweh. Tom Leach. Hang it in The Louvre. pic.twitter.com/ZwD0hjKWUk
— KSR (@KSRonX) February 27, 2025As Oweh goes, Kentucky will go this March. The Wildcats, as mentioned earlier, are getting healthy at a good time, but Oweh will remain the leader of this offense.
Silas Demary Jr., Georgia
When people discuss Georgia, they usually discuss Asa Newell. There’s a good reason for that, as the freshman big man is likely going to be a Round 1 pick in the 2025 NBA Draft. But don’t forget about Demary. Every Batman needs a Robin and Silas Demary Jr. is that X-factor for Georgia. Demary scored 21 points in the upset of Florida this week. As you can see below, he can score from anywhere on the floor:
Silas Demary Jr. dropped 21 on 58% last night to take down No. 3 Florida ?One of my favorite guards in the country. His speed / change of direction / ballhandling make for a lethal combo. Playmaking is there. Consistent shotmaking on the rise. Athleticism & positional size… pic.twitter.com/pLdiBufgs3
— Noah Buono (BAW-NOH) ? (@BuonoBall) February 26, 2025In March, guard play wins. Demary’s ability to create his own shots off the dribble is absolutely imperative for the Bulldogs as we prepare for postseason action.
Coach of the Week
Mark Byington, Vanderbilt
Vanderbilt has played its way into the NCAA Tournament (at least in my opinion). Byington deserves a ton of credit for that. He took over a program in turmoil, hit the transfer portal hard and has put together a well-run, capable basketball team. Vanderbilt just scored a road win at Texas A&M that should lock up a tourney berth. The Commodores are a team no one wants to play in the SEC Tournament. This was quite the turnaround and there are still 3 more games left for Vandy to make other teams miserable.
Relevant Quote from “The Office”
“I am Beyoncé, always.” — Michael Scott
This Saturday slate is definitely the Beyoncé of the college hoops world. Enjoy the games, y’all!
SEC Basketball Preview: Ranking every game for Saturday, March 1, men’s hoops slate Saturday Down South.
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