The 2026 SEC Men’s Basketball Tournament schedule is set for March 11-15, 2026 at Bridgestone Arena in Nashville, Tennessee (home of the NHL Predators; 13th time hosting, most frequent site). The single-elimination event includes all 16 SEC teams (seeded by conference record), with the winner earning the automatic NCAA Tournament bid. Regular season ends March 7 with ‘Rivalry Saturday.’ Tickets available via secsports.com or Ticketmaster. Printable bracket/PDF below – update with seeds post-regular season.
Last Updated: February 12, 2026 (mid-regular season; tournament March 11-15 confirmed). Original preview from October 2025; now with official dates, venue, format, and early notes. Bracket/seeds finalize after regular season ends (~March 7). Check secsports.com for latest standings
2026 SEC Tournament Schedule at a Glance
Here’s an overview of the 2026 SEC Men’s Basketball tournament for you.
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).
Early Projected March Madness Seeds
Top-Line SEC Contenders (1-3 Seeds)
- Florida — Clear SEC leader (9-2 conf); often a No. 3 seed (some 2-3 range), strong resume with big wins (e.g., over Alabama/Texas A&M). Rising fast in projections.
- Vanderbilt — Hot streak; frequently No. 4 seed (e.g., 20-4 overall in some).
- Alabama — Consistent No. 4 seed contender (7-4 conf).
Mid-Tier SEC Seeds (4-6 Range)
- Kentucky — Solid No. 6 seed (8-3 conf, tied for 2nd).
- Arkansas — No. 5-6 seed (8-3 conf).
- Tennessee — No. 6 seed range (7-4 conf).
- Auburn — Mid-seed (often 7-9).
- Texas A&M — 7-8 seed (7-4 conf).
Lower/Mid SEC Seeds
- Missouri — 7-9 seed (7-4 conf).
- Texas — 8-10 seed (6-5 conf).
- Georgia — Bubble/lower at-large (5-6 conf).
Bubble/Lower SEC Teams
- Ole Miss, Mississippi State (3-7/3-8 conf) — Likely out or last four out.
- South Carolina, LSU, Oklahoma (2-9/2-9/2-9 conf) — Struggling, out of projections.
SEC Projection Summary
- 10-11 bids expected (Big Ten/SEC tie for most in many projections).
- Top SEC seed: Florida as high as 3-seed (no 1-seeds from SEC in most current fields; overall No. 1s are Michigan, Arizona, Duke, UConn).
- Biggest risers: Florida (surge), Vanderbilt (hot).
- Bubble watch: Texas A&M/Georgia could solidify with strong finishes; lower teams need big March runs.
These are early/mid-February consensus—projections shift with conference play (SEC tourney March 11-15 at Bridgestone Arena, Nashville). Check ESPN Bracketology, NCAA.com, or Lunardi for weekly updates.
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 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.
