Navigate

College Basketball Odds, Picks & Predictions: SEC Tournament (2024)

by |

The Alabama Crimson Tide will look to earn its third SEC Tournament Championship in four seasons.

The Crimson Tide won the Tournament in 2021 and 2023. Now they’ll get greedy and look for another championship this season.

However, last year, the Crimson Tide were a No. 1 seed. They’ll be a three-seed, behind No. 1 Tennessee and No. 2 Kentucky this year. The Tennessee Volunteers are the other team to win an SEC Championship in the last four seasons. They could tie Alabama with two SEC Championships in the previous four seasons.

While those two teams have a higher probability than most in the conference, there are still some interesting options for sleepers in this conference tournament.

Let’s talk about the 2024 SEC Tournament below.

2024 SEC Tournament Picks & Predictions

  • Dates: March 13-17
  • Venue: Bridgestone Arena — Nashville, Tennessee
  • Top Seed: Tennessee

Previous Winners:

  • 2023 — Alabama
  • 2022 — Tennessee
  • 2021 — Alabama
  • 2020 — N/A
  • 2019 — Auburn
  • 2018 — Kentucky

Favorite to Watch

Tennessee (+130 at DraftKings)

The Tennessee Volunteers finished the season with a four-point loss to Kentucky. They had won seven consecutive games before falling at home to the Wildcats.

Some believe it’s good that Tennessee got the loss out of the way before the Tournament. Others are a bit worried about Tennessee heading into the Tournament.

The Vols had a terrific season, finishing 24-7 on the season and 14-4 in conference play. But they didn’t lead the SEC in offense or defense.

In SEC play, the Vols were fourth in offensive efficiency and second in defensive efficiency. Although they didn’t lead in either category, Tennessee was one of the more balanced teams this season.

The Vols had two of the best players in the SEC, including Dalton Knecht and Jonas Aidoo. Both are upperclassmen, which is essential for any major tournament like this. Knecht averaged 21.4 points per game, while Aidoo added 12.1 points and earned 7.6 rebounds per matchup. That tandem, along with many other veterans, is why Tennessee is the favorite.

They’ll play the winner of Mississippi State and LSU in the quarterfinals on March 15.

Top Live Underdog

Auburn (+260 at DraftKings)

The Auburn Tigers aren’t a massive underdog, but they have the analytics and stats to make you believe in them.

Auburn led the SEC in defense this season. In SEC play, the Tigers had a defensive efficiency of 98.7 and held teams to a 44% effective field goal percentage.

The Tigers swatted away 16% of balls when facing SEC competition and held teams to 42.6% from inside the arc.

Meanwhile, Auburn ranked third in offensive efficiency during league play. The squad didn’t lead in any major categories, but the Tigers were ultimately above average in each major offensive category.

The Tigers would face the winner of the Second-Round matchup that includes South Carolina. The Tigers most recently beat South Carolina, 101-61, at home on February 14. A win over South Carolina would push them into the Top 4, with a likely game against Tennessee next. Auburn lost to the Vols earlier in the year, but statistically, the Tigers could keep it a game and potentially win in a rematch.

Best Longshot Play

Florida (+2000 at DraftKings)

Most people are down on Florida. I get it. They just lost to Vanderbilt on the road to finish out the season.

But let’s not forget the whole body of work from the Gators.

Florida finished the season with 21 wins and went 11-7 in conference play. This Gators team took Alabama into overtime on the road and beat Alabama at home. It also defeated Auburn, 81-65, and beat Kentucky in the most recent matchup, 94-91.

The Gators would first face Georgia or Missouri, then Alabama. After that, it’d likely be Kentucky, which could very well be Auburn (or Tennessee).

Florida wasn’t as consistent as the top four teams in the SEC, but it has a team that can catch fire.

The Gators won’t force many turnovers, but they’ve held teams to 30.7% from downtown and typically rebound well enough defensively. Meanwhile, Florida is also in the top five for offensive efficiency during SEC play and has shot a 50.7% effective field goal percentage in its SEC games this season.

Consider Florida as a solid longshot bet for the SEC Tournament.

Make sure to check out our other best bets for Monday:

Try Premium for FREE in our mobile app

BettingPros App