Last night, 3 from the East and one from the West move on. South Carolina, Kentucky, Vandy, and Arknasas win their first round games to join Tennessee, Florida, Alabama, and LSU. Today is Round 2: Tennessee will take on the Gamecocks at noon CST (Of course we have the early game... I don't get home until 6pm central!) :x Kentucky goes head to head with Alabama at 2:15 CST Vandy reluctantly offers itself up for slaughter to LSU at 6:30 CST Arkansas takes on Florida at 8:45 CST. I see Tennessee, Kentucky, LSU and Florida moving on to the next round. However, we have beaten SC twice this year. It is very difficult to sweep 3 games on a good team.
As I stated... it is hard to beat a team three times in a row. South Carolina is looking like David against Goliath. 9:23 left in the game and SC is up by 13. This could be Tennessee's normal one and done in the Tourney.
Too little too late. The Vols close the gap to 8 but that is as close as it got. Gamecocks move on the the next round.
Tennessee Tom, Sorry about your loss today, but these tournaments can be a grind. Pros and cons both way, but still dishearting at times. Don
The year the Gators went to the finals against Michigan State we lost our first game just like Tennessee did today. Kentucky got lucky though, they now face S. Carolina in the semifinals where the winner of the Arkansas - Florida game faces a tough LSU team. I don't have anything against Kentucky and my cousin lives in Lexington and is a diehard Wildcat fan. But I also like some other teams to win the SEC other than Kentucky. Gator Bill
when's football season start <t>Alabama blows lead against Kentucky. We only played seven players. Look at the box score, Kentucky played about 15.</t>
For NCAA purposes I don't think it will do UF any good to bang it out with LSU and Ky over the next two days. The SEC tourney champ usually gets upset in the NCAAS unless it is Ky in their very strongest years. I wish UF an early exit today vs. LSU rather than seeing the Gators have to play three games in a row. The only way that I could see this benefiting the Gators is if by winning it all they became at least a 3 seed....which is not a guarantee.
So much for that thinking. Hopefully a win finally over the Cocks will propel UF to a three seed in the tourney.
Well first MCG I want the Gators to win the SEC, and we are in the Championship game tomorrow against South Carolina who has beaten us twice this season. I'm hoping that Tom is right and winning three against the same team in the SEC in one season is difficult. Go Gators Gator Bill
Bill, I think the official winner of the SEC is the regular season champion and the tournament winner is just that....the SEC Tournament champion. That said....if you look back in time the SEC tournament champion doesn't have much of a record in the NCAAs....except as I say Kentucky in their best years. In 2000 UF lost on Sat. in the SEC Tourney and then went on to the NCAA Final.
MCG, the official winner of the SEC for the automatic NCAA tournement is the winner of the conference tournement. The way to establish yourselves as consistent winners is to win as many honors as possible. The SEC tournement is one and we've been to the final the last three years and six times overall. I like to see us advance as far as possible and will be very disappointed if we do not win today. Gator Bill
I hope that MCG's idea here is correct. I, in no way think that Tennessee lost the game to SC on purpose. However, if it means that Tennessee goes in rested and will go farther in the NCAA tourney, that loss was worth it. Tennessee faded in the final two weeks. We need something to reenergize this team. If an early exit in the SEC Tourney will help us in the NCAA Tourney, I will be pleasantly surprised.
I agree that since the Gators are now in the Final absolutely winning it is the best possible result. It wouldn't have hurt me too much if they would have lost to LSU on Sat. and had been home resting up an extra day however. If a win over SC puts the Gators in Jax however that will offset the lost day of rest because of the short bus ride vs. a long plane ride out west, etc.
Tom, I think Tenn will benefit greatly from the extra rest and recovery. The Vols had a tumultous week leading up to the SEC Tourney and now will have the time to regroup and play well in the NCAAS.