How every perfect March Madness bracket busted in 2025
The 2026 SEC basketball tournament started Wednesday, March 11 and runs through the title game on Sunday, March 15. The 16-team bracket will be played at Bridgestone Arena in Nashville, Tenn. Check out the bracket, schedule, game times and seeds below. No. 1 seed Florida takes on No. 4 seed Vanderbilt in the first semifinals matchup Saturday before No. 3 seed Arkansas takes on No. 15 seed Ole Miss.
Florida is the defending champion, knocking off Tennessee in the 2025 championship game. The Gators then went on to win the NCAA tournament title.
2026 SEC tournament bracket
Click or tap here for another look at the bracket.
2026 SEC tournament schedule, scores
All times ET
Semifinals — Saturday, March 14
- Game 13: No. 1 Florida vs. No. 4 Vanderbilt | 1 p.m. on ESPN
- Game 14: No. 3 Arkansas vs. No. 15 Ole Miss | 3:30 p.m. on ESPN
Championship — Sunday, March 15
- Game 15: Semifinal winners | 1 p.m. on ESPN
First Round — Wednesday, March 11
- Game 1: No. 9 Kentucky 87, No. 16 LSU 82
- Game 2: No. 12 Auburn 79, No. 13 Mississippi State 61
- Game 3: No. 15 Ole Miss 76, No. 10 Texas 66
- Game 4: No. 11 Oklahoma 86, No. 14 South Carolina 74
Second Round — Thursday, March 12
- Game 5: No. 9 Kentucky 78, No. 8 Missouri 72
- Game 6: No. 5 Tennessee 72, No. 12 Auburn 62
- Game 7: No. 15 Ole Miss 76, No. 7 Georgia 72
- Game 8: No. 11 Oklahoma 83, No. 6 Texas A&M 63
Quarterfinals — Friday, March 13
- Game 9: No. 1 Florida 71, No. 9 Kentucky 63
- Game 10: No. 4 Vanderbilt 75, No. 5 Tennessee 68
- Game 11: No. 15 Ole Miss 80, No. 2 Alabama 79
- Game 12: No. 17 Arkansas 82, Oklahoma 79
2026 SEC tournament seeds
- Florida
- Alabama
- Arkansas
- Vanderbilt
- Tennessee
- Texas A&M
- Georgia
- Missouri
- Kentucky
- Texas
- Oklahoma
- Auburn
- Mississippi State
- South Carolina
- Ole Miss
- LSU
SEC basketball tournament history, champions
Kentucky has won the most SEC tournament titles with 32. Florida is the defending champion, as the Gators defeated Tennessee in the 2025 title game 86-77.
| YEAR | CHAMPION | SCORE | RUNNER-UP | LOCATION |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1933 | Kentucky | 46-27 | Mississippi State | Atlanta |
| 1934 | Alabama | 41-25 | Florida | Atlanta |
| 1936 | Tennessee | 29-25 | Alabama | Knoxville, Tenn. |
| 1937 | Kentucky | 39-25 | Tennessee | Knoxville, Tenn. |
| 1938 | Georgia Tech | 58-47 | Ole Miss | Baton Rouge, La. |
| 1939 | Kentucky | 46-38 | Tennessee | Knoxville, Tenn. |
| 1940 | Kentucky | 51-43 | Georgia | Knoxville, Tenn. |
| 1941 | Tennessee | 36-33 | Kentucky | Louisville, Ky. |
| 1942 | Kentucky | 36-34 | Alabama | Louisville, Ky. |
| 1943 | Tennessee | 33-30 | Kentucky | Louisville, Ky. |
| 1944 | Kentucky | 62-46 | Tulane | Louisville, Ky. |
| 1945 | Kentucky | 39-35 | Tennessee | Louisville, Ky. |
| 1946 | Kentucky | 59-36 | LSU | Louisville, Ky. |
| 1947 | Kentucky | 55-38 | Tulane | Louisville, Ky. |
| 1948 | Kentucky | 54-43 | Georgia Tech | Louisville, Ky. |
| 1949 | Kentucky | 68-52 | Tulane | Louisville, Ky. |
| 1950 | Kentucky | 95-58 | Tennessee | Louisville, Ky. |
| 1951 | Vanderbilt | 61-57 | Kentucky | Louisville, Ky. |
| 1952 | Kentucky | 44-43 | LSU | Louisville, Ky. |
| 1979 | Tennessee | 75-69 (OT) | Kentucky | Birmingham, Ala. |
| 1980 | LSU | 80-78 | Kentucky | Birmingham, Ala. |
| 1981 | Ole Miss | 66-62 | Georgia | Birmingham, Ala. |
| 1982 | Alabama | 48-46 | Kentucky | Lexington, Ky. |
| 1983 | Georgia | 86-71 | Alabama | Birmingham, Ala. |
| 1984 | Kentucky | 51-49 | Auburn | Nashville, Tenn. |
| 1985 | Auburn | 53-49 | Alabama | Birmingham, Ala. |
| 1986 | Kentucky | 83-72 | Alabama | Lexington, Ky. |
| 1987 | Alabama | 69-62 | LSU | Atlanta |
| 1988 | Kentucky | 62-57 | Georgia | Baton Rouge, La. |
| 1989 | Alabama | 72-60 | Florida | Knoxville, Tenn. |
| 1990 | Alabama | 70-51 | Ole Miss | Orlando, Fla. |
| 1991 | Alabama | 88-69 | Tennessee | Nashville, Tenn. |
| 1992 | Kentucky | 80-54 | Alabama | Birmingham, Ala. |
| 1993 | Kentucky | 82-65 | LSU | Lexington, Ky. |
| 1994 | Kentucky | 73-60 | Florida | Memphis, Tenn. |
| 1995 | Kentucky | 95-93 (OT) | Arkansas | Atlanta |
| 1996 | Mississippi State | 84-73 | Kentucky | New Orleans |
| 1997 | Kentucky | 95-68 | Georgia | Memphis, Tenn. |
| 1998 | Kentucky | 86-56 | South Carolina | Atlanta |
| 1999 | Kentucky | 76-63 | Arkansas | Atlanta |
| 2000 | Arkansas | 75-67 | Auburn | Atlanta |
| 2001 | Kentucky | 77-55 | Ole Miss | Nashville, Tenn. |
| 2002 | Mississippi State | 61-58 | Alabama | Atlanta |
| 2003 | Kentucky | 64-57 | Mississippi State | New Orleans |
| 2004 | Kentucky | 89-73 | Florida | Atlanta |
| 2005 | Florida | 70-53 | Kentucky | Atlanta |
| 2006 | Florida | 49-47 | South Carolina | Nashville, Tenn. |
| 2007 | Florida | 77-56 | Arkansas | Atlanta |
| 2008 | Georgia | 66-57 | Arkansas | Atlanta |
| 2009 | Mississippi State | 64-61 | Tennessee | Tampa, Fla. |
| 2010 | Kentucky | 75-74 (OT) | Mississippi State | Nashville, Tenn. |
| 2011 | Kentucky | 70-54 | Florida | Atlanta |
| 2012 | Vanderbilt | 71-64 | Kentucky | New Orleans |
| 2013 | Ole Miss | 66-63 | Florida | Nashville, Tenn. |
| 2014 | Florida | 61-60 | Kentucky | Atlanta |
| 2015 | Kentucky | 78-63 | Arkansas | Nashville, Tenn. |
| 2016 | Kentucky | 82-77 (OT) | Texas A&M | Nashville, Tenn. |
| 2017 | Kentucky | 82-65 | Arkansas | Nashville, Tenn. |
| 2018 | Kentucky | 77-72 | Tennessee | St. Louis |
| 2019 | Auburn | 84-64 | Tennessee | Nashville, Tenn. |
| 2021 | Alabama | 80-79 | LSU | Nashville, Tenn. |
| 2022 | Tennessee | 65-50 | Texas A&M | Tampa, Fla. |
| 2023 | Alabama | 82-63 | Texas A&M | Nashville, Tenn. |
| 2024 | Auburn | 86-67 | Florida | Nashville, Tenn. |
| 2025 | Florida | 86-77 | Tennessee | Nashville, Tenn. |
