The 2026 SEC Men’s Basketball Tournament schedule will be held from Wednesday, March 11, to Sunday, March 15, 2026, at Bridgestone Arena in Nashville, Tennessee. This year’s event marks a historic expansion as all 16 member teams, including Texas and Oklahoma, participate in a single-elimination bracket for the automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament. The championship game will air live on ESPN at 1:00 PM ET on Selection Sunday.
2026 SEC Tournament Schedule, Times, and TV Channels
Nashville remains the premier destination for SEC hoops, with Bridgestone Arena set to host the tournament through 2030. The 2026 format utilizes a 16-team bracket where the top four seeds earn a double-bye directly into the Quarterfinals on Friday, March 13.
SEC Tournament Daily Schedule (All Times Eastern):
- Wednesday, March 11 (First Round): Four games starting at 12:30 PM (SEC Network)
- Thursday, March 12 (Second Round): Four games starting at 12:30 PM (SEC Network)
- Friday, March 13 (Quarterfinals): Four games starting at 1:00 PM (ESPN / SEC Network)
- Saturday, March 14 (Semifinals): Two games starting at 1:00 PM (ESPN)
- Sunday, March 15 (Championship): 1:00 PM (ESPN)
Expert Note from the Sports Brackets Analyst: The 16-team expansion has turned the SEC into a gauntlet of depth. Unlike the Big Ten, which is playing 18 teams in Chicago, the SEC’s 16-team format in Nashville means the ‘bubble’ teams (seeds 7-10) have a significantly harder path, as they likely have to face a rested top-4 seed on Friday. Watch for teams like Alabama, Tennessee, or Florida to dominate the late-round fatigue battle due to those double-byes.
Selection Sunday Preview: Will the SEC dominate the top seeds? Track the latest bracketology and kickoff times in our 2026 Selection Sunday Guide.
On the Bubble? See if your team is currently projected for the field in our Live 2026 March Madness Bubble Watch.
Listen: SEC Tournament Deep Dive & Upset Prediction
SEC Men’s Basketball Tournament Key Details
Dates: March 11-15, 2026
- First Round: Wednesday, March 11 (seeds 9-16 play; 4 games on SEC Network)
- Second Round: Thursday, March 12
- Quarterfinals: Friday, March 13
- Semifinals: Saturday, March 14
- Championship: Sunday, March 15 (~~8-9 PM ET on ESPN)
Location: Bridgestone Arena, Nashville, TN (capacity ~19,395 for basketball; downtown venue)
TV/Streaming: SEC Network for early rounds, ESPN for later games/championship; full coverage on WatchESPN/app.
Format: 16-team bracket (top seeds get byes; first round for lower seeds). Tiebreakers: head-to-head, then common opponents, etc.
Auto Bid: Winner to NCAA March Madness (Selection Sunday ~March 15).
2026 SEC Basketball Tournament Schedule and TV Broadcasts
The 2026 SEC basketball tournament schedule takes place from March 11-15, 2026. All 16 teams from the league As we get closer to the tournament, we’ll update you with the team seeds, matchups, and TV broadcast plans for the tournament. We have SEC regular season basketball schedules and more posted up for you to enjoy too.
Please note the days of the week for the tournament are confirmed. The times and TV networks are based on the 2025 SEC Men’s basketball tournament. We’ll update them once the league confirms everything.
| Game | Time* | Matchup | Score | Television |
| First round – Wednesday, March 11 | ||||
| 1 | 12:00 PM | No. 12 vs No. 13 | TBD | SEC Network |
| 2 | 2:30 PM | No. 11 vs No. 14 | TBD | |
| 3 | 6:00 PM | No. 10 vs No. 15 | TBD | |
| 4 | 8:30 PM | No. 9 vs No. 16 | TBD | |
| Second round – Thursday, March 12 | ||||
| 5 | 12:00 PM | No. 8 vs Winner No. 9 vs No. 16 | TBD | SEC Network |
| 6 | 2:30 PM | No. 7 vs Winner No. 10 vs No. 15 | TBD | |
| 7 | 6:00 PM | No. 6 vs Winner No. 11 vs No. 14 | TBD | |
| 8 | 8:30 PM | No. 5 vs Winner No. 12 vs No. 13 | TBD | |
| Quarterfinals – Friday, March 13 | ||||
| 9 | 12:00 PM | No. 1 vs Winner No. 8/No.9/No.16 | TBD | ESPN |
| 10 | 2:30 PM | No. 2 vs Winner No. 10/No. 15/No. 7 | TBD | |
| 11 | 6:00 PM | No. 3 vs Winner No. 6/No. 11/No. 14 | TBD | SEC Network |
| 12 | 8:30 PM | No. 4 vs Winner No. 5/No. 12/No. 13 | TBD | |
| Semifinals – Saturday, March 14 | ||||
| 13 | 12:00 PM | Winner Game 9 vs Winner Game 12 | TBD | ESPN |
| 14 | 2:30 PM | Winner Game 10 vs Winner Game 11 | TBD | |
| Championship – Sunday, March 15 | ||||
| 15 | 12:00 PM | Winner Game 13 vs Winner Game 14 | ESPN | |
| *Game times in CT. | ||||
Past SEC Men’s Basketball Tournament Champions
The following are the past SEC men’s basketball tournament champions since 2014.
| YEAR | CHAMPION |
| 2025 | Florida Gators |
| 2024 | Auburn Tigers |
| 2023 | Alabama Crimson Tide |
| 2022 | Tennessee Vols |
| 2021 | Alabama Crimson Tide |
| 2020 | None |
| 2019 | Auburn Tigers |
| 2018 | Kentucky Wildcats |
| 2017 | Kentucky Wildcats |
| 2016 | Kentucky Wildcats |
| 2015 | Kentucky Wildcats |
| 2014 | Florida Gators |
Printable SEC Basketball Tournament Bracket
If you are looking for an early, printable 2026 SEC Men’s basketball tournament bracket, we have a blank one for you here. The SEC updates the primary bracket for you here in printable PDF format. The team who wins the SEC tournament will earn the conference’s automatic bid to the 2026 NCAA Basketball Tournament. If you are looking for a printable, blank 2026 March Madness bracket, we have one posted as well as a March Madness schedule. You can also checkout our odds converter and our parlay calculator too.
