Final buzzer bench reactions from last 20 years of March Madness
The 2026 SEC basketball tournament starts Wednesday, March 11 and goes 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.
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
Second Round — Thursday, March 12
- Game 5: No. 8 Missouri vs. No. 9 Kentucky | 12:30 p.m. on SEC Network
- Game 6: No. 5 Tennessee vs. No. 12 Auburn | 3 p.m. on SEC Network
- Game 7: No. 7 Georgia vs. No. 15 Ole Miss| 7 p.m. on SEC Network
- Game 8: No. 6 Texas A&M vs. No. 11 Oklahoma | 9:30 p.m. on SEC Network
Quarterfinals — Friday, March 13
- Game 9: No. 1 Florida vs. Game 5 winner | 1 p.m. on ESPN
- Game 10: No. 4 Vanderbilt vs. Game 6 winner | 25 minutes after Game 9 on ESPN
- Game 11: No. 2 Alabama vs. Game 7 winner | 7 p.m. on SEC Network
- Game 12: No. 3 Arkansas vs. Game 8 winner | 25 minutes after Game 11 on SEC Network
Semifinals — Saturday, March 14
- Game 13: Game 9 winner vs. Game 10 winner | 1 p.m. on ESPN
- Game 14: Game 11 winner vs. Game 12 winner | 25 minutes after Game 13 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
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. |
