SEC Tournament Open Thread: Semifinals

Saturday’s a big day in Nashville as we’ve entered the semifinal round of the men’s SEC basketball tournament with the top-four seeds still standing. Chalk may not be particularly exciting, but we want to see the best play the best right?

(1) Alabama vs. (4) Tennessee, 12:00 P.M., ESPN

The Tide absolutely demolished Mississippi State Friday afternoon in its quarterfinal game. This Alabama team is legitimately great and with a win today and tomorrow may very well earn a No. 1 seed.

The Vols, on the other hand, will be without John Fulkerson who was knocked out of Tennessee’s quarterfinal game with Florida after getting hit in the face by Omar Payne’s elbow. Fulkerson will be out for the remainder of the SEC Tournament with a concussion and a facial fracture.

(2) Arkansas vs. (3) LSU, 2:30 P.M., ESPN

The third meeting between Arkansas and LSU this season. In Baton Rouge, LSU blew the Arkansas off the court 92-76; a few weeks later, Arkansas returned the favor with 83-75 win in Bud Walton Arena. The Razorbacks are the hottest team in college basketball, winners of 12 straight conference games and nine overall.

If LSU can beat Arkansas, currently ranked 13th in the latest NET, they may finally move off the dreaded 8/9 line and get to a seven seed for Selection Sunday. Should note that CBS’s Jerry Palm projected LSU as a five seed, which is the highest seeding I’ve seen LSU get anywhere. I’m guessing Palm is picking LSU to win the SEC Tournament if he’s got the Tigers that high; a neutral court win over Ole Miss by itself won’t move LSU that far, but a win over Arkansas (and hell beating Alabama tomorrow) would do wonders for LSU’s resumé.