Kentucky Basketball

What would the SEC Tournament look like if the season ended today?

February 24, 2011
Walter Cornett

Below is a breakdown of the 2011 Tournament seeds and matchups if the season ended on February 23. 

Champions: Alabama (11-2) and Florida (10-2)
SEC Eastern Division Champions: Florida (10-2)
SEC Western Division Champions: Alabama (11-2) 

TOURNAMENT SEEDS (as of 2/23)

Eastern Division Games Remaining
1. Florida (10-2) UG, @UK, UA, @VU (4)
2. Vanderbilt (8-5) @LS, @UK, UF (3)
3. Georgia (7-5) @UF, SC, LS, @UA (4)
4. Kentucky (7-6)% UF, VU, @UT (3)
5. Tennessee (7-6)% MS, @SC, UK (3)
6. South Carolina (5-8) @UG, UT, @MS (3)
%—UK won the only meeting between the teams this year.  
Western Division Games Remaining
1. Alabama (11-2) @UM, @UF, UG (3)
2. Mississippi State (6-7)^ @UT, @AR, SC (3)
3. Arkansas (6-7)^ @AU, MS, @UM (3)
4. Ole Miss (5-8) UA, @AU, AR (3)
5. LSU (3-10) VU, @UG, AU (3)
6. Auburn (2-11) AR, UM, @LS (3)
^—MS won the only meeting between the teams this year.  

First Round Matchups (if season ended 2/23; Clinched in BOLD)
[W5] LSU vs. [E4] Kentucky 1:00 p.m. ET
[E6] South Carolina vs. [W3] Arkansas 3:30 p.m. ET
[E5] Tennessee vs. [W4] Ole Miss 7:30 p.m. ET
[W6] Auburn vs. [E3] Georgia 10:00 p.m. ET
Byes: [E1] Florida, [E2] Vanderbilt, [W1] Alabama, [W2]  

Possible Seedings for the Tournament (Based on tie-breaker scenarios)
East #1: /Kentucky/Georgia/Vanderbilt
East #2: /Kentucky/Georgia/South Carolina/Tennessee/Vanderbilt
East #3: /Kentucky/Georgia/South Carolina/Tennessee/Vanderbilt
East #4: /Kentucky/Georgia/South Carolina/Tennessee/Vanderbilt
East #5: Kentucky/Georgia/South Carolina/Tennessee/Vanderbilt
East #6: Kentucky/Georgia/South Carolina/Tennessee/Vanderbilt
West #1: Alabama
West #2: Arkansas/Ole Miss/
West #3: Arkansas/LSU/Ole Miss/
West #4: Arkansas/Auburn/LSU/Ole Miss/
West #5: Arkansas/Auburn/LSU/Ole Miss
West #6: Auburn/LSU/Ole Miss 

SEC TOURNAMENT TIE-BREAKER PROCEDURES 

1. Two-Team Tie: The following procedure will be used in the following order until the tie is broken: A) Won-lost results of head-to-head competition between the two teams. B) Division won-lost record of the two teams (10 games). C) Won-lost record of the two teams versus the No. 1 seed in their division (and proceeding through the No. 6 seed, if necessary). D) Non-division won-lost record of the two teams (six games). E) Won-lost record of the two teams versus the No. 1 seed in the opposite division (and proceeding through the No. 6 seed, if necessary). F) Coin flip by the Commissioner.  

2. Three-Team Tie (or more): When three of more teams are tied for a division finish, the following procedure will be used in the following order until the tie is broken. If two teams remain tied after a tiebreaker provision, the two-team tiebreaker formula will be used. A) Total won-lost record of games played among the tied teams (Example: Team A is 3-1, Team B is 2-2 and Team C is 1-3 – – Team A would be seeded highest, Team B second-highest and Team C lowest of the three). B) Division won-lost record of the tied teams (10 games). C) Won-lost record of the tied teams versus the No. 1 seed in their division (and proceeding through the No. 6 seed, if necessary). D) Non-division won-lost record of the tied teams (six games). E) Won-lost record of the tied teams versus the No. 1 seed in the opposite division (and proceeding through the No. 6 seed, if necessary). F) Draw by the Commissioner.