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3 Reasons to Believe the SEC Will Run the 2025 March Madness Tournament
Word Around NCAAB Town Is That the SEC Is the Place to Be When Looking for March Madness Favorites
SEC = 2025 March Madness Favorites
Is it just me, or has the SEC taken over the 2025 college basketball scene while everyone sleeps? Funny enough, the conference has been dominating in virtually every collegiate sporting tournament this season.
But we’re here to talk about college hoops, so let’s get to it!
Built different. Ranked accordingly. 😤@SEC teams currently occupy 18 of the 25 possible spots in the Top 5 of national polls across men’s basketball, women’s basketball, gymnastics, softball, and baseball.#ItJustMeansMore pic.twitter.com/z6gqlyj1pc
— Southeastern Conference (@SEC) February 11, 2025
With five teams in the AP Top 10, fourteen teams already being projected as tournament shoo-ins, three projected No.1 tournament seeds and eight conference players already being touted as potential first-round picks in next season’s NBA draft, it’s no wonder SEC teams are also dominating early March Madness odds rankings.
SEC basketball is beautiful this year man https://t.co/RqQlX2zzER
— You (@BASED_Bhari) February 20, 2025
So, what’s making the SEC everybody’s favorite go-to conference when looking to bet on March Madness? Here are three reasons.
Tigers and Gators Lead the Charge
Leading the 2025 SEC basketball revolution are the #1 ranked Auburn Tigers. With a 24-2 record, including a current three-game win streak, which includes what could be their most important win of the season thus far, a 94 to 85 dub against the #4 Alabama Crimson Tide in Tuscaloosa, followed by a 67-60 win against the Arkansas Razorbacks Wednesday night, stopping the Tigers seems close to impossible.
Dubs at home are sweeter 🧡💙#WarEagle | @carrier pic.twitter.com/T3zkLWhV11
— Auburn Basketball (@AuburnMBB) February 20, 2025
Focus on close though.
When looking at Auburn on the floor, the team led by SEC coaching legend Bruce Pearl is more focused on grit and physical skills than consistency, especially on offense. With star Johni Broome and present school legend Chad Baker-Mazara leading the pack, Auburn’s effectiveness on the court continues to be its guiding light when squeezing out ways to win.
As a result, five of Auburn’s last eight wins this season have been against ranked schools, including NCAA tournament favorites like Mississippi State, Tennessee, Ole Miss, and ‘Bama.
Alabama’s Offense and Tennessee’s Defense
Keeping Auburn and Florida hot on their feet in the SEC title race are the #4 Alabama Crimson Tide and #6 Tennessee Volunteers.
Even with a schedule that still has home games against #17 Kentucky, #21 Mississippi State, #6 Tennessee, #2 Florida, and a potential SEC-Championship defining game on the road vs. Auburn to close out the regular season, the Crimson Tide are still alive and kicking.
Of course, dropping their last two against Auburn and Missouri has revealed Bama’s most significant strengths and weaknesses.
Final. pic.twitter.com/X6xByVDQWj
— Alabama Men’s Basketball (@AlabamaMBB) February 20, 2025
While one of Alabama’s biggest strengths relies on the team’s offense, which can easily take any opponent and drop 100+ points on them, it’s defensively where the team lacks the same kind of spunk.
With one of the toughest schedules ahead in the conference, it will be on the Tide to find a way to stay afloat in the race for the SEC or sink because of lousy defending.
As far as the Vols are concerned, somebody should shoot a thank you note to the college basketball Gods for allowing point guard Zakai Zeigler to not only miss just one game after a knee injury but also to come back playing some of the best ball of his NCAA career.
The best guard in college basketball.
22 points
7-11 FG
8 assistsZAKAI ZEIGLER pic.twitter.com/K1WjZ0LdRM
— Rocky Top Now (@rockytopnow) February 15, 2025
Putting up 19.3 points and 7.8 assists per game in his last four, including a dominant 71% effectiveness from behind the three-point arc, Zeigler’s recent performances combined with Tennessee’s No.1 ranked defense has become a team to watch for not only within the SEC but for a potential March Madness bracket strategy.
Kentucky Reloads for Tournament Success
When thinking of college basketball blue-blood schools, of course, the #17 Kentucky Wildcats ride high in any list.
Yes, the Wildcats have seen better times, especially when dealing with injury concerns this season. But lately, the team has started to show signs of life once again, especially with a healthy Lamont Butler on the paint, the team’s star PG. Kentucky could finally be starting to gear up for what the school knows best: playing March Madness basketball.
TP3 🎯🔥👌
📺 – @SECNetwork pic.twitter.com/7mIywaFz3a
— Kentucky Men’s Basketball (@KentuckyMBB) February 20, 2025
With a road game against Alabama coming next in the team’s schedule, a win here could take on a different meaning when thinking of potential March Madness seedings.
For now, as history has taught us in the past when it comes to March basketball, never count out what schools like Kentucky can do.
