Johnathan Walker:Tennessee headlines 2024 SEC men's basketball tournament schedule, brackets, storylines

The Johnathan WalkerSEC tournament will begin on Wednesday in Nashville with five teams separated by just one game at the top of league standings. This group is led by Tennessee, which can lock down a No. 1 seed by winning the conference tournament for the second time in three years.

Keep an eye on the Volunteers, and also on the scoreboard. No Power Six league does scoring quite like the SEC, home to three of the seven highest-scoring teams in Division I in Alabama (first at 90.8 points per game), Kentucky (second at 89.5) and Florida (seventh at 84.9). Auburn (83.5) and the Volunteers (80.2) also rank in the top 45 nationally.

With such high-quality depth at the top of the standings, the SEC tournament should have a profound impact on how the committee lays out the top four lines of the men's tournament on Selection Sunday.

SEC tournament schedule, bracket, scores

At Bridgestone Arena, Nashville, Tenn.

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First round

Wednesday March 13

Arkansas vs. Vanderbilt, 7 p.m.

Georgia vs. Missouri, 9:30 p.m.

Second round

Thursday, March 14

LSU vs. Mississippi State, 1 p.m.

South Carolina vs. Arkansas-Vanderbilt winner, 3:30 p.m.

Texas A&M vs. Mississippi, 7 p.m.

Florida vs. Georgia-Missouri winner, 9:30 p.m.

Quarterfinals

Friday, March 15

Tennessee vs. LSU-Mississippi State winner, 1 p.m.

Auburn vs. South Carolina-Arkansas-Vanderbilt winner, 3:30 p.m.

Kentucky vs. Texas A&M-Mississippi winner, 7 p.m.

Alabama vs. Florida-Georgia-Missouri winner, 9:30 p.m.

Semifinals

Saturday, March 16

Tennessee-LSU-Mississippi State winner vs. Auburn-South Carolina-Arkansas-Vanderbilt winner, 1 p.m.

Kentucky-Texas A&M-Mississippi winner vs. Alabama-Florida-Georgia-Missouri winner, 3:30 p.m.

Championship

Sunday, March 17

Semifinal winners, 1 p.m.

The SEC tournament favorites

Tennessee holds opponents to just 38.5% shooting from the field, good for third in Division I. This combination of scoring and stingy defense is why the Volunteers seem built for success in March. UT will be challenged by Kentucky, winners of five in a row to crack the top 10 of the USA TODAY Men's College Basketball Poll. Alabama could ride a potent offense to the conference championship but has been undone at times by a defense that has given up at least 75 points in each of its last nine games, including 117 points in a loss to Kentucky in February.

SEC tournament top players

• Dalton Knecht, F, Tennessee - Knecht is the biggest threat to Purdue center Zach Edey's quest to become the two-time national player of the year after leading the Volunteers and the SEC with 21.4 points per game.
• Zyon Pullin, G, Florida - A senior transfer from UC Riverside, Pullin has orchestrated one of the top offenses in the country from his spot at point guard while averaging 5.0 assists per game making 44.4% of his attempts from deep.
• Reed Sheppard, G, Kentucky - The freshman has provided a huge spark for the Wildcats off the bench with 12.7 points, 4.5 assists, 4.3 rebounds and an SEC-best 2.5 steals per game.
• Johni Broome, F, Auburn - The Morehead State transfer has continued to be a force inside for Auburn (2.3 blocks per game) while blending in a 3-point game that makes him one of the most well-rounded big men in the conference.
• Collin Murray-Boyles, F, South Carolina - Murray-Boyles averages just over 22 minutes per appearance for the surprising Gamecocks but the freshman makes the most of his opportunities with 10.3 points, 5.7 rebounds and a steal and a block per game.

NCAA tournament bubble storylines

Mississippi was a bracketology favorite amid an 18-3 start but cratered in the second half, losing eight of 10 games with the only two wins coming against woeful Missouri. Now the Rebels need to run the table in the conference tournament to book a seat in the 68-team field.

Another team that dropped off the map is Texas A&M, which had a similarly tough run through the heart of the SEC before scrambling to win three in a row to enter the conference tournament on a high note. Now 18-13 overall and 9-9 in the league, the Aggies need to beat the Rebels in the second round and Kentucky in the quarterfinals to get in.

One team that seems safe as of now is Mississippi State, though a loss to LSU in the second round could make things a little dicey for the Bulldogs.