2026 SEC tournament: Bracket, schedule, seeds for men’s basketball

The 2026 SEC basketball tournament starts Wednesday, March 11 and runs 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

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2026 SEC tournament schedule

All times ET

First Round — Wednesday, March 11

• Game 1: No. 9 Kentucky vs. No. 16 LSU | 12:30 p.m. ET on SEC Network
• Game 2: No. 12 Auburn vs. No. 13 Mississippi State | 25 minutes after Game 1 on SEC Network
• Game 3: No. 10 Texas vs. No. 15 Ole Miss | 7 p.m. on SEC Network
• Game 4: No. 11 Oklahoma vs. No. 14 South Carolina | 24 minutes after Game 3 on SEC Network

Second Round — Thursday, March 12

• Game 5: No. 8 Missouri vs. Game 1 winner | 12:30 p.m. on SEC Network
• Game 6: No. 5 Tennessee vs. Game 2 winner | 25 minutes after Game 5 on SEC Network
• Game 7: No. 7 Georgia vs. Game 3 winner | 7 p.m. on SEC Network
• Game 8: No. 6 Texas A&M vs. Game 4 winner | 25 minutes after Game 7 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

2026 SEC tournament seeds

1. Florida
2. Alabama
3. Arkansas
4. Vanderbilt
5. Tennessee
6. Texas A&M
7. Georgia
8. Missouri
9. Kentucky
10. Texas
11. Oklahoma
12. Auburn
13. Mississippi State
14. South Carolina
15. Ole Miss
16. 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.