NASHVILLE, Tenn. – The SEC men’s basketball tournament is heating up as the semifinals are set, with top-seeded Florida, Vanderbilt, Ole Miss and Arkansas all securing their spots after a series of compelling quarterfinal matchups on Friday. With Selection Sunday and March Madness looming, teams are battling not only for the conference title but also for favorable seeding in the NCAA tournament.
Florida, the regular-season SEC champion after a 16-2 league record and an 11-game win streak, continued its dominant run, defeating Kentucky 71-63. The Gators, seeking their second consecutive SEC tournament title, have demonstrated a remarkable turnaround after a mid-season slump that saw them briefly fall out of the national rankings. Vanderbilt upset Tennessee 75-68, while Ole Miss pulled off a narrow 80-79 victory over Alabama, and Arkansas edged Oklahoma 82-79.
Quarterfinal Highlights
The Florida-Kentucky game saw the Gators maintain control for much of the contest. According to reports from the game, Florida swept the regular-season series against Kentucky for the first time since 2018, including an 84-77 win at Lexington on March 9, 2026. Thomas Haugh led the Gators with 20 points in that regular season finale.
Arkansas’ victory over Oklahoma was particularly dramatic, with Darius Acuff Jr. Scoring 37 points – just two shy of the SEC tournament record of 39 held by Todd Day. Acuff also contributed five rebounds, five assists, and three steals, leading the Razorbacks to the semifinals. The game remained tight throughout, with Oklahoma threatening a comeback in the closing seconds, but Arkansas ultimately prevailed.
Semifinal Schedule
Saturday’s semifinals promise exciting matchups. No. 1 Florida will face No. 4 Vanderbilt at 1 p.m. ET on ESPN. Following that, No. 15 Ole Miss, a surprising contender, will take on No. 3 Arkansas at 3:30 p.m. ET, also on ESPN. Ole Miss’s run to the semifinals marks the first time a No. 15 seed has reached this stage of the tournament.
The Arkansas-Oklahoma contest was a back-and-forth affair. Oklahoma briefly led in the second half, but Arkansas responded with a surge led by Acuff and Trevon Brazile. The Sooners, potentially playing for an NCAA tournament berth, fought hard, but ultimately fell short.
Vanderbilt’s win over Tennessee was another closely contested game. Details of that game are still emerging, but the Commodores’ victory sets up a challenging semifinal matchup against the top-seeded Gators.
Looking Ahead
The outcome of the SEC tournament semifinals will have significant implications for the NCAA tournament bracket. Florida is widely expected to be a high seed, but a loss could jeopardize their chances of securing a No. 1 seed. Arkansas and Ole Miss are both looking to bolster their tournament resumes, while Vanderbilt aims to continue their surprising run. The winners of Saturday’s games will advance to the championship game on Sunday, with the SEC’s automatic bid to the NCAA tournament on the line.
The SEC tournament continues to deliver excitement and drama, setting the stage for a thrilling conclusion and shaping the landscape of college basketball as March Madness approaches.
What do you think? Will Florida continue its dominance and secure another SEC title? Share your thoughts in the comments below!
