There are top ten matchups, teams desperately needing to rebound after midweek losses, and a new weekly segment of which team is on the biggest upset alert. All 16 SEC teams will be in action this Saturday, so here are the five things to watch:
- Auburn vs Tennessee
This game has everything. It’s two top six teams. It’s two of the best coached teams in the country. It features Auburn head coach Bruce Pearl facing his former team, and most importantly there is a ton on the line.
Not only could a win in this game guarantee a No. 1 seed, but the cheapest get-in price for tickets 24 hours before tip is $347. Auburn has transformed into one of the best home basketball environments in the country. Screw the ACC and their blue bloods, this is can’t miss new blood basketball.
- Rebounding
Wednesday night had three of the most insane, unseen endings in each SEC game. The three games were decided by a total of five points and all three winners led their games by 46 seconds combined. Arkansas, Texas A&M, and Florida all escaped with victories in incredibly dramatic fashion.
How will the three teams they beat respond? South Carolina, Georgia, and Ole Miss all face ranked opponents and difficult matchups. Which one, if any, will make sure they don’t let Wednesday night’s heartbreaking loss be the reason they lose Saturday too?
- World’s Largest Indoor Cocktail Party
Mike White takes the Bulldogs down to his old stomping grounds in Gainesville to play No. 5 Florida. The Gators have been a beast at home, but Georgia has played its best basketball against their biggest opponents. They beat Kentucky by double-digits and they took No. 1 Auburn down to the wire. However, both those games were at home. Now, they have to head to Gainesville and take on a top five team who beat Tennessee by 30 in that same building a few weeks ago.
- Can Cal get it rolling
The win against Georgia may have been lucky, it may have been an anomaly, or it may have been the catalyst this team needed to get going. The Hogs are still 1-5 in SEC play, but Saturday they get 1-4 Oklahoma at home in Bud Walton Arena. Including Oklahoma, three of their next five games are against unranked opponents and three of their next five are also at home.
- Where is the upset coming from?
Last week we got it right picking Alabama over Kentucky. This week is a little more interesting, as five of the eight games feature a ranked team playing on the road. Home teams are 151-20 this season from the SEC.
Three teams should be on upset alert. Mississippi State heads to South Carolina, and while the Gamecocks are winless, three of their six losses have come by three points or less. Kentucky heads to Vanderbilt where the Commodores beat a top ten opponent at home last Saturday. However, the upset special resides in Austin. Texas A&M beat the Longhorns by 20 at home a few weeks ago. However, the Aggies are coming off a miracle win on the road against Ole Miss and facing a Texas team that should be up for this game.
