This article is part of our College Basketball Picks series.
The SEC Tournament tips off at Bridgestone Arena in Nashville, Tennessee at 12:30 p.m. ET, as No. 16 seed LSU takes on No. 9 seed Kentucky. No. 12 Auburn has an important first-round game Wednesday, too, but we won't have any ranked teams in action until Friday, when the tournament's intensity really ratchets up. In this series, we'll preview the tournament, make a pick and offer a potentially under-the-radar value bet.
In this series, we'll preview the tournament, make a pick and offer a potentially under-the-radar value bet.
SEC Tournament Odds
- Florida -180
- Arkansas +600
- Alabama +750
- Vanderbilt +1200
- Tennessee +1700
- Georgia +3500
- Kentucky +4500
- Texas A&M +5000
- Missouri +10000
- Texas +10000
- Oklahoma +12500
- Auburn +15000
- LSU +30000
- Mississippi State +30000
- Ole Miss +30000
- South Carolina +30000
Check out the RotoWire CBB betting section for a complete list of the latest college basketball odds across multiple sportsbooks.
The SEC Tournament begins Wednesday at Bridgestone Arena in Nashville on Wednesday, with the title game set for 1 p.m. ET on ESPN on Sunday, one of the final automatic bids to be secured prior to Selection Sunday.
The defending national champion Florida Gators started its title defense is rather sluggish fashion, but it picked up the pace as the season went on. Florida has emerged as a finely tuned machine yet again, and the Gators have the look and feel of a team destined for the one-line in the NCAA Tournament. Florida really separated itself from the rest of the pack, and that's the easy pick to win the SEC Tournament, as nobody has stepped up and challenged the dominance of the Gators in late January into February and March.
One of the biggest reasons to have faith in Florida is the fact it can win at home, which is no longer important at this juncture, unless you're an NIT team. But, the Gators can win on the road, in hostile environments, and they have the experience of last season's title run to tap into for that extra gear. Florida has a pair of wins by 34 points in the final three regular-season games, and road tests passed at Georgia, Kentucky and Texas, among others, in the final month of the season.
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If you're not feeling the chalk, and you want to cheer for the underdog, perhaps cast an eye to John Calipari's Arkansas squad. The Razorbacks have a little stink on them, however. Arkansas showed how far apart it is from Florida when it was curb-stomped 111-77 in Gainesville on Feb. 28, just two weeks ago. The old adage is that "defense wins championships", but Arkansas might have the worst defense of any team heading into the NCAA Tournament. The Razorbacks have allowed 84+ points in each of the final six regular-season games. That's great for Over bets, but it's terrible for long-term success.
Alabama should be held in the same regard as Arkansas. On offense, it's all gas, no brakes. On defense, the Crimson Tide look like a turnstile. Still, it has seven Quad 1 wins, including resume-building wins over Illinois, St. John's, etc. Bama is a super fun team to watch, and Nate Oats used that Paul Westhead approach to take the Tide to the Final Four in 2024, while winning the SEC Tournament in 2021 and 2023. The Tide seem to be hitting mostly on all cylinders as we ramp up for the NCAA Tournament, and with Aden Holloway, Labaron Philon and Latrell Wrightsell Jr., this team has the depth to be a problem for Florida.
The SEC is rather top-heavy, and Vanderbilt is also another team which has looked dangerous at times. If you wanted to have a little stock in the 'Dores, that would certainly be understandable. Vandy has eight Q1 wins, including victories over Alabama, Saint Mary's, etc.
- Pick to win SEC Tournament: Florida -180
- Best SEC value pick: Alabama +750
Think your team has what it takes to win it all in March Madness? Find College Basketball National Championship Odds and other college basketball futures bets across multiple sportsbooks on RotoWire.
