SEC Basketball Features Loaded Saturday Slate

As the calendar quickly turns to March, college basketball programs around the country are preparing to make one final run before the tournament. With conference tournaments fast approaching, teams are using these next few games as measuring sticks, seeing how they match up against their intraconference opponents. The SEC has a slew of games scheduled for Saturday.

No. 25 Tennessee vs Auburn

The 25th-ranked Volunteers will travel to Auburn on Saturday to take on the Tigers. Both teams have been struggling as of late. Tennessee lost two of its last five games, both by double digits, while Auburn has lost three in a row. The Tiger offense averages 78 points per game, good for fifth in the conference. The Volunteer defense, meanwhile, gives up just over 62 points per game.

This battle of strength on strength will be live at noon on ESPN.

South Carolina vs Georgia

The Georgia Bulldogs host the struggling South Carolina Gamecocks at 1 p.m. South Carolina has lost six straight games and seven of their last eight, while Georgia is coming off a huge 13-point win over LSU.

The Bulldog attack is fourth in the SEC in points per game, averaging right around 78 points per contest. The team is led by Sahvir Wheeler. The sophomore guard averages 14.1 points per game and a conference-leading 7.2 assists per game. In Georgia’s last game against LSU, Wheeler recorded the first triple-double in Bulldogs history.

https://twitter.com/SECNetwork/status/1364398308190547970?s=20

Watch the Gamecocks attempt to slow Wheeler and Georgia down live on SEC Network.

LSU vs No. 20 Arkansas

The LSU Tigers hit the road to battle with the 20th-ranked Arkansas Razorbacks. The Razorbacks are red hot as of late, winning nine of their last 10 games and five straight. This game is sure to be full of offensive fireworks, as LSU and Arkansas are No.1 and No.2 in the SEC in points per game, respectively.

The Tiger offense continues to run through Cameron Thomas. The freshman is averaging an SEC-best 22.7 points per game and is shooting just over 40% from the field.

Y’all mind if we watch Cam Thomas get buckets over and over and over? pic.twitter.com/DkewX3FyIt

— LSU Basketball (@LSUBasketball) February 21, 2021

The game will be live from Fayetteville at 2 p.m. on ESPN 2.

Ole Miss vs Vanderbilt

The Vanderbilt Commodores will play the Ole Miss Rebels in Nashville Saturday. Vandy is looking to get back on track, having lost five of its last six games. The Rebels, meanwhile, have won five of their six. The Ole Miss offense is the second-worst offense in the SEC according to points per game, averaging 69.1 points per contest. Despite this, the team has received great production from Devontae Shuler. The senior guard is averaging the ninth most points per game in the SEC, scoring 15.6 points per game.

The game is set to tip off at 3:30 p.m. on SEC Network.

Florida vs Kentucky

The Florida Gators will travel to Lexington, Kentucky, to take on the Kentucky Wildcats. The Wildcats are coming off a three-game winning streak, including an upset win over Tennessee. They average just under 70 points per game and give up just over 70 points per game.

Meanwhile, the Gators have had an up-and-down 2021. They have quality wins over teams like West Virginia and Tennessee but have also lost to teams like South Carolina and Mississippi State. Kentucky came out on top last time, beating Florida 76-58.

The Gators will look for revenge at 4 p.m. on CBS.

No. 6 Alabama vs Mississippi State

The Crimson Tide will cap off the night in Starkville, Mississippi, against the Mississippi State Bulldogs. The sixth-ranked Tide are third in the conference with 80.3 points per game. The Bulldogs are on the other end of the spectrum, averaging 70.1 points per game, good for 11th in the conference. 

Alabama’s offense has four players averaging over ten points per game this season: Jaden Shackelford (14.1), John Petty Jr. (13), Jahvon Quinerly (11.8) and Herbert Jones (11.4).

Alabama will look to improve on its SEC-best 18-6 record at 6 p.m. on SEC Network.