With the first half of the conference slate behind us, here are three storylines to watch out for as each program gets ready for the SEC Tournament in Nashville.
1. Is Memorial Magic back?
Following the 99-90 win over LSU, college basketball fans across the Southeastern Conference begin to ask the same question. Is Memorial Magic back? The answer might be simple, despite being out of contention for the SEC regular-season crown, the Commodores still have several opportunities at home to prove to the conference that Memorial Magic is back. Starting on Tuesday night as Vanderbilt gets set to welcome Kentucky to Memorial Gymnasium. The Commodores will then play host to the likeness of Missouri, South Carolina, and Georgia. Look out for the Commodores to win two out of the four of those home games to carry a little momentum into the SEC Tournament.
2. Who wins the SEC regular season?
After ten conference games, we have a three-way tie for first place. Auburn, Kentucky, and LSU have battled it out during the first half of the conference slate, with much more to come. Who has the upper hand, you might ask? At this point in the season, it's a toss-up. All three teams have looked like Final Four teams on one side of the spectrum, and on the other, a first-round loss in the NCAA Tournament type team. The battle for the regular-season title will be one to keep an eye on as we inch closer to the SEC Tournament.
3. Who will be the 4th seed in the SEC Tournament?
Right now, we have a three-way tie for fourth place in the SEC with three more schools just one game behind that. Out of all the storylines to watch out for, this might be the most interesting, all six of these are fighting it out, not only for SEC Tournament seeding but also for a spot in the NCAA Tournament.
Where it stands right now, Mississippi State, Florida, and South Carolina are neck and neck for that 4th seed in the SEC Tournament, with Tennessee, Alabama, and Texas A&M just one game behind them. On paper, Mississippi State has the upper hand, but with the amount of separation being as slim as it is, it's truly next to impossible to accurately predict what will happen with these six teams. Which if you're a basketball fan, that should make you excited as the quality of basketball has gone up across the conference, which will lead to an exciting finish to the regular season and an even better SEC Tournament.
Let's call it for what it is, SEC basketball is exciting. When you have a total of ten teams competing at such a high level, it's hard not to get excited about the last few weeks of the regular season. Not to mention, this year will be the year of complete and utter chaos within the SEC Tournament.
No matter what happens the rest of the way, it's important to remember to enjoy the ride and expect the unexpected.