SEC Tournament Preview for Games on Thursday, March 12, 2026

By Kody Malstrom | Mar 12, 2026, 5:52am

Chalk dominated Wednesday’s slate of games with three of the four favorites moving on to the second round of the SEC Conference Tournament. All of them but Kentucky now find themselves as underdogs, potentially signaling their run in the tournament will be cut short with the quality of their opponent ramping up.

Thursday’s SEC Tournament Schedule

Kentucky vs. Missouri – 12:30/SECN
Auburn vs. Tennessee – 15:00/SECN
Ole Miss vs. Georgia – 19:00/SECN
Oklahoma vs. Texas A&M – 21:30/SECN

2026 SEC Tournament Resources

Kentucky vs. Missouri Game Preview

Even though they failed to cover the spread, Kentucky’s high level of play against LSU was a welcoming sight to see, mirroring their preseason projections. While their defense struggled to hold off the Tigers, the Wildcats were able to do just enough on offense to squeak out the win.

Heading into Thursday, the Wildcats offense will have the opportunity to build on their momentum by taking advantage of a Tigers defense who struggles to create Havoc. With Missouri incapable of disrupting Kentucky’s passing lanes, the Wildcats will be able to consistently shift their defense across the court, creating wider gaps to the rim.

On the other end, Missouri’s offense have been plagued by turnovers, ranking near dead last in Turnover Percentage. With the Tigers struggling to take care of the ball, the Wildcats will be able to cut their halfcourt possessions short, resulting in an uptick in their own total number of scoring opportunities.

Kentucky vs. Missouri Game Odds

Auburn vs. Tennessee Game Preview

Arguably the most impressive performance in the first round, Auburn made quick work of Mississippi State, beating the Bulldogs 79-61. Kevin Overton played a major role in their win, finishing the contest with 22 Points, 4 Rebounds, and 5 Assists while shooting 50.0% from three.

Unfortunately for the Tigers, negative regression looms large on Thursday as they face off against Tennessee who excels in coverage per their top-20 mark in Adjusted Defensive Efficiency. With the Volunteers capable of face guarding Auburn around the perimeter, their bigs can anchor in the interior to help contest their shots in the paint for the full duration of the contest.

To make matters worse for Auburn, their struggles with hauling in Def Rebounds will be on full display, battling it out against a Volunteers offense who leads the nation in Off Rebound Rate. By failing to keep Tennessee off the glass, the Volunteers will be able to prolong their possessions and generate a higher volume of shots near the rim.

Auburn vs. Tennessee Game Odds

Ole Miss vs. Georgia Game Preview

The only underdog who was able to win outright in the first round of the tournament, Ole Miss had no issue with being able to hold on to their lead after a dominant first half, stunning Texas 76-66. A shocking performance when factoring in how poor the Rebels have been on offense this season, fielding a lineup who ranks near the bottom of the board in Effective Field Goal Percentage.

In their second round matchup against Georgia, expect the Rebels to fall hard back down to reality, facing off against a defense who excels at creating Disruptions at multiple levels of the court. With Ole Miss unable to create space for their shooter’s, the Bulldogs will be able to consistently keep a defender near the vicinity of their shooters, lowering the quality of their shot attempts.

While the Bulldogs low mark in Def Rebound Rate is certainly a cause for concern, the Rebels are unable to take advantage of it, ranking 263rd in Off Rebound Percentage. Barring another hot shooting night, expect the Rebels to harshly regress on offense and be held under their team total.

Ole Miss vs. Georgia Game Odds

Oklahoma vs. Texas A&M Game Preview

After beating South Carolina in the first round, the Oklahoma Sooners have now extended their win streak to five, catching fire at the right time to help strengthen their case of making the NCAA Tournament. As of writing, Joe Lunardi has them projected to be the first team out, potentially needing just one more win to help get them in at the last second.

In order for the Sooners to move on to the quarterfinals, they must find a way to slow down Texas A&M’s offense, a unit who ranks in the top-60 in Three Point Completion Percentage and in Turnover Rate. A tall task for a defense who lacks the Havoc that is needed to throw them off their rhythm as the Sooners reside near the bottom of the board in Steal Percentage.

Luckily for Oklahoma, the Aggies struggles on the other end will help them keep it close, exploiting a defense who grades out poorly in Def Rebound Percentage and in Foul Rate. By using their physicality to haul in Off Rebounds and to get to the free throw line, the Sooners uptick in scoring opportunities may be enough to keep their hopes of winning the SEC title alive.

Oklahoma vs. Texas A&M Game Odds

SEC Tournament Betting Pick

After limping into the tournament, the Rebels were able to quickly break out of their slump by outpacing the Longhorns on the scoreboard. While their turnaround on offense was certainly stunning, it’s worth noting the Longhorns defense have been just as abysmal this year, ranking near dead last in Havoc, Def Rebound Percentage, and in Foul Rate.

Heading into their second round matchup against Georgia, expect the Rebels to struggle to recapture the same success they had against Texas, battling it out against a defense who ranks in the top-100 in Adjusted Defensive Efficiency, Block Percentage, and in Steal Percentage. Especially with the Rebels lacking the perimeter shooting that is needed to stretch out their suffocating coverage, making it easier for the Bulldogs to smother their shot attempts.

The Rebels inability to punish the Bulldogs low Rebound Rate also shades value towards the under, lacking the production that is needed to help create second chance scoring opportunities. With Georgia expected to hold them to one and done possessions, the Rebels will be vulnerable to falling into a scoring lull, increasing the likelihood they stay under their team total.

Best Bet: Ole Miss Team Total Under 76.5 (-113, BetRivers)

SEC Tournament Betting Tracker

Record: 0-1
Units: -1.1

Kody Malstrom

Kody is a professional sports bettor and sports betting journalist with eight years of experience in the industry. He covers a wide range of sports, including NFL, NCAAF, NBA, NCAAB, NHL, MLB, and UFC. What started as a side gig has turned into a full time job, spending a majority of his time staring at odds screens and market movement. When away from the computer, Kody enjoys spending his time outdoors relaxing at the beach or golfing with friends.