SEC Tournament 2025 Preview: Odds, Expert Picks, & Best Bets

Auburn Leads the Charge as SEC Tournament Begins

The journey to March Madness begins in Nashville, and the SEC Tournament is shaping up to be one of the most competitive in years. Auburn enters as the favorite, a team that has proved its dominance by locking up the regular-season title before the final week of play. Bruce Pearl’s Tigers are chasing something even bigger—a national championship.

But in the SEC, nothing comes easy.

The Tigers may be the team to beat, but they are far from the only contender. Alabama, Tennessee, and Florida have all shown flashes of brilliance, and in a conference filled with athleticism, speed, and elite defense, a championship run is never guaranteed.

And this year? The stakes are even higher.

A Record-Breaking Year for the SEC?

The SEC has been a force in college basketball this season, and that dominance could rewrite the record books. The league is on track to send 12 teams to the NCAA Tournament, which would break the record of 11 bids set by the Big East in 2011.

The Big Ten is also pushing for double-digit bids, but the SEC’s depth stands out. From top to bottom, this is one of the deepest fields in the country, and every game in Nashville could shape the bracket for March Madness.

Teams on the Bubble: Georgia and Oklahoma

Two teams enter desperate for a win: Georgia and Oklahoma.

Georgia closed the season on a four-game winning streak, including a statement upset victory over Florida. That late surge has put them in position for an at-large bid, but a win or two this week would erase any doubt.

Oklahoma, meanwhile, has been a tale of two seasons. The Sooners started 13-0, rising up the national rankings before stumbling down the stretch. Now, they find themselves in a must-win situation. If they can survive and advance in Nashville, they should be safely in the NCAA field for the first time since 2021.

The Road to the Championship

Auburn may have claimed the regular-season crown, but the SEC Tournament is its own battle.

Alabama, led by its high-powered offense, has the ability to run teams out of the gym. Tennessee, one of the toughest defensive teams in the country, can grind opponents down. And Florida, with its combination of size and scoring, is more than capable of making a deep run.

The matchups, the pressure, the stakes—it all comes together in Nashville.

By the end of the week, the SEC will have crowned a champion, but for many teams, this is just the beginning. The real test comes in March Madness, where the SEC is set to make history.

SEC Futures Odds

BetOnline’s SEC Tournament championship odds:

Auburn Tigers +140
Florida Gators +300
Alabama Crimson Tide +375
Tennessee Volunteers +575
Kentucky Wildcats +2200
Texas A&M Aggies +2500
Missouri Tigers +2500
Mississippi Rebels +6000
Mississippi State Bulldogs +10000
Georgia Bulldogs +15000
Arkansas Razorbacks +15000
Texas Longhorns +20000
Vanderbilt Commodores +20000
Oklahoma Sooners +25000
Louisiana State Tigers +50000
South Carolina Gamecocks +50000

2025 SEC Tournament Schedule

The SEC Tournament runs from March 12-16 in Nashville, Tenn.

First Round

No. 16 South Carolina vs. No. 9 Arkansas, 1 p.m. ET Wednesday (SEC Network)
No. 13 Texas vs. No. 12 Vanderbilt, 3:30 p.m. ET Wednesday (SEC Network)
No. 15 LSU vs. No. 10 Mississippi State, 7 p.m. ET Wednesday (SEC Network)
No. 14 Oklahoma vs. No. 11 Georgia, 9:30 p.m. ET Wednesday (SEC Network)

Second Round

South Carolina/Arkansas vs. No. 8 Ole Miss, 1 p.m. ET Thursday (SEC Network)
Texas/Vanderbilt vs. No. 5 Texas A&M, 3:30 p.m. ET Thursday (SEC Network)
LSU/Mississippi State vs. No. 7 Missouri, 7 p.m. ET Thursday (SEC Network)
Oklahoma/Georgia vs. No. 6 Kentucky, 9:30 p.m. ET Thursday (SEC Network)

Quarterfinals

TBA vs. No. 1 Auburn, 1 p.m. ET Friday (ESPN)
TBA vs. No. 4 Tennessee, 3:30 p.m. ET Friday (ESPN)
TBA vs. No. 2 Florida, 7 p.m. ET Friday (SEC Network)
TBA vs. No. 3 Alabama, 9:30 p.m. ET Friday (SEC Network)

Semifinals

TBA vs. TBA, 1 p.m. ET Saturday (ESPN)
TBA vs. TBA, 3:30 p.m. ET Saturday (ESPN)

Championship

TBA vs. TBA, 1 p.m. ET Sunday (ESPN)

SEC Tournament Expert Picks and Best Bets

For Auburn, the path is clear: win in Nashville, and a No. 1 overall seed in the NCAA Tournament is all but secured. But the real question is whether the Tigers even need to.

Bruce Pearl’s team is deep, battle-tested, and more than capable of winning three games in three days. But with March Madness looming, would Auburn be better served resting key players like Johni Broome, Denver Jones, and Chad Baker-Mazara instead of chasing a conference title?

Try selling that to Bruce Pearl—a coach who only knows one way to play: full throttle. But I’m staying away from the favorites in this one as I search for some value, despite believing that Auburn is the most complete team in the country.

Expert Pick: Florida +300

The Gators are another team to watch. Todd Golden’s squad has proven it can win anywhere, knocking off Auburn and Alabama on the road. But motivation is a factor.

Golden has seen his teams suffer key injuries during conference tournaments in past years—once at San Francisco, once at Florida. He knows the risks. Will he push his team for a title, or prioritize fresh legs for March?

Expert Pick: Alabama +375

Alabama has been brilliant offensively, with Mark Sears leading the charge, but defensive inconsistency could be their downfall. They just played three straight thrillers against the SEC’s top teams, going 1-2. The Tide’s Final Four run last year came after an early SEC Tournament exit—could history repeat?

Expert Pick: Tennessee +575

And then there’s Tennessee. The best defense in the country (per KenPom) makes them a nightmare matchup. But if an opponent gets hot from deep, watch out—the Vols rank 345th in 3-point attempts allowed.

Their defense covers flaws, but when the offense stagnates, Tennessee can struggle to keep up.

In a league this deep, anything can happen—and in March, it usually does.