University of Tennessee Athletics
SEC Tournament Scenarios Announced
March 04, 2004 | Men's Basketball
March 4, 2004
COMPLETE SEC TOURNAMENT SCENARIOS
Tennessee will play its first game in the 2004 SEC Men's Basketball Tournament in Game 1 at 1 p.m. or Game 4 at 9:45 p.m. when the event begins March 11 at Atlanta's Georgia Dome.
Tennessee and Georgia enter Saturday's final weekend of the regular season tied for fifth-place with indentical 6-8 league marks in the SEC's Eastern Division. The Vols play host to South Carolina (1 p.m.), while Georgia entertains Vanderbilt in Athens in a 7 p.m. tipoff.
If both the Vols and Bulldogs win or both lose Saturday, then Georgia would earn the East's No. 5 seed and play in Game 1 against the West's No. 4 seed at 1 p.m, UT would be the East's No. 6 seed and play the West's No. 3 seed at 9:45 p.m.
Tennessee can gain the East's No. 5 seed by defeating South Carolina and Vanderbilt defeating Georgia. In that case, the Vols would play the West's No. 4 seed at 1 p.m. on the tournament's opening day.
If both teams tie at 7-9 or 6-10 league records, then Georgia would gain the higher seed because the Bulldogs would have a better record against SEC Eastern Division teams.
Complete SEC Tournament Scenarios Heading Into Season's Final Weekend
The following information takes a look at the Southeastern Conference tie-breaker procedures for the SEC Men's Basketball Tournament and how those tie-breakers could play out following the final week of conference games.
For a two-team tie: 1. head-to-head; 2. division record (10 games); 3. record vs. No. 1 team in division proceeding through the No. 6 team if necessary; 4. non-division record (6 games); 5. record vs. No. 1 team in the opposite division proceeding through the No. 6 team if necessary; 6. coin flip by the Commissioner.
For a three-team tie: 1. Total won-lost record of games played among the tied teams (Example: Team A is 3-1, Team B is 2-2 and Team C is 1-3 - - Team A would be seeded highest, Team B second-highest and Team C lowest of the three); 2. division record (10 games); 3. record vs. No. 1 team in division proceeding through the No. 6 team if necessary; 4. non-division record (6 games); 5. record vs. No. 1 team in the opposite division proceeding through the No. 6 team if necessary; 6. coin flip by the Commissioner.
Once a three-team tie has been reduced to two teams, the two-team tiebreakers go in effect.
SEC Tournament First Round Byes
Only Kentucky and Mississippi State have clinched first-round byes. Alabama, Florida, LSU and Vanderbilt are all still in contention for first round byes.
Possible Seedings for the Tournament (Based on tie-breaker scenarios)
1. East--Kentucky
2. East--Florida/Vanderbilt
3. East--Florida/South Carolina/Vanderbilt
4. East--South Carolina/Vanderbilt
5. East--Georgia/Tennessee
6. East--Georgia/Tennessee
1. West--Mississippi State
2. West--Alabama/LSU
3. West--Alabama/LSU
4. West--Arkansas/Auburn/Ole Miss
5. West--Arkansas/Auburn/Ole Miss
6. West--Arkansas/Auburn/Ole Miss
SEC CHAMPIONSHIP
- Mississippi State (13-2) has clinched at least a share of the SEC title. The Bulldogs can clinch the SEC title outright with a win at Alabama on Saturday or a Kentucky loss versus Florida.
- Kentucky (12-3) can earn a share of the SEC title with a win versus Florida and a Mississippi State loss at Alabama.
EASTERN DIVISION
- Kentucky (12-3) has clinched the East Division title outright and East No. 1 seed.
- Florida (9-6) will clinch the East No. 2 seed with a win at Kentucky or a Vanderbilt (8-7) loss at Georgia.
If Florida and Vanderbilt are tied at 9-7...
The two teams would have split their season series and their division records would both be 5-5. Vanderbilt's 1-1 record compared to Florida's 0-2 record versus Kentucky would be the deciding factor. Vanderbilt would be the East No. 2 seed and Florida the No. 3 seed.
If Florida and South Carolina are tied at 9-7...
Florida earns the East No. 2 seed due to their season sweep over South Carolina. The Gamecocks would be the No. 3 seed.
If Florida, South Carolina and Vanderbilt are tied at 9-7...
Florida would be 3-1, South Carolina 2-2, and Vanderbilt 1-3 in games against each other. Florida would be the East No. 2 seed, South Carolina the East No. 3 seed and Vanderbilt the East No. 4 seed.
- South Carolina (8-7) will clinch the East No. 3 seed with a win at Tennessee or a Vanderbilt loss at Georgia.
If South Carolina and Vanderbilt are tied at 9-7...
South Carolina will earn the East No. 3 seed due to their season sweep over Vanderbilt.
If South Carolina and Vanderbilt are tied at 8-8...
South Carolina will earn the East No. 3 seed due to their season sweep over Vanderbilt.
- Vanderbilt (8-7) will earn the No. 3 seed with a win at Georgia coupled with a South Carolina loss at Tennessee and a Florida win at Kentucky.
- Georgia (6-9) can clinch the East No. 5 seed with a win or a Tennessee (6-9) loss versus South Carolina.
If Georgia and Tennessee are tied at 7-9...
The two teams would have split their season series. Georgia's 5-5 division record compared to Tennessee's 4-6 division record would be the deciding factor. Georgia would be the East No. 5 seed and Tennessee the No. 6 seed.
If Georgia and Tennessee are tied at 6-10...
The two teams would have split their season series. Georgia's 4-6 division record compared to Tennessee's 3-7 division record would be the deciding factor. Georgia would be the East No. 5 seed and Tennessee the No. 6 seed.
- Tennessee (6-9) can earn the East No. 5 seed with a win versus South Carolina coupled with a Georgia loss at home versus Vanderbilt.
WESTERN DIVISION
- Mississippi State (13-2) has clinched the West Division title outright and West No. 1 seed.
- LSU (8-7) will clinch the West No. 2 seed with a win at Auburn or an Alabama (8-7) loss versus Mississippi State.
If LSU and Alabama are tied at 9-7...
LSU earns the West No. 2 seed due to their season sweep over Alabama. Alabama would be the No. 3 seed.
If LSU and Alabama are tied at 8-8...
LSU earns the West No. 2 seed due to their season sweep over Alabama. Alabama would be the No. 3 seed.
- Alabama (8-7) can earn the West No. 2 seed with a win versus Mississippi State coupled with an LSU (8-7) loss at Auburn.
- Auburn (4-11) can clinch the West No. 4 seed with a win versus LSU coupled with an Ole Miss (4-11) loss versus Arkansas.
If Auburn and Arkansas are tied at 5-11...
The two teams would have split their season series. Auburn's 4-6 division record compared to Arkansas' 3-7 division record would be the deciding factor. Auburn would be the West No. 4 seed, Arkansas the No. 5 seed and Ole Miss the No. 6 seed.
If Auburn and Ole Miss are tied at 5-11...
The two teams would have split their season series and both teams would have 4-6 division records.
If LSU is the No. 2 seed, Auburn's 2-0 record compared to Ole Miss' 1-1 record versus LSU would be the deciding factor. Auburn would be the West No. 4 seed, Ole Miss the No. 5 seed and Arkansas the No. 6 seed.
If Alabama is the No. 2 seed, Ole Miss' 1-1 record compared to Auburn's 0-2 record versus Alabama would be the deciding factor. Ole Miss would be the West No. 4 seed, Auburn the No. 5 seed and Arkansas the No. 6 seed.
- The winner of the Arkansas-Ole Miss game will earn the West No. 4 seed if Auburn loses versus LSU.
If Arkansas (4-11) wins at Ole Miss, Arkansas would earn the No. 4 seed. Auburn and Ole Miss would be tied at 4-12...
The two teams would have split their season series and both teams would have 3-7 division records. Ole Miss' 1-1 record compared to Auburn's 0-2 record versus Alabama would be the deciding factor. Ole Miss would be the No. 5 seed and Auburn the No. 6 seed.
If Ole Miss (4-11) wins at Ole Miss, Ole Miss would earn the No. 4 seed. Auburn and Arkansas would be tied at 4-12...
The two teams would have split their season series. Auburn's 3-7 division record compared to Arkansas' 2-8 division record would be the deciding factor. Auburn would be the No. 5 seed and Arkansas the No. 6 seed.
