SEC Tournament Seeds, Razorbacks' Opponent, Comes Down to A&M, Mississippi State

Winner of Aggies, Bulldogs goes into 5-way SEC tie that will determine Hogs' possible tourney opponent

Kent Smith | Mar 5, 2022

While the loss today dropped Arkansas from the No. 2 slot to the No. 4 seed, meaning the Razorbacks will play at 1 p.m. Friday, who the Hogs potentially play is up in the air.

Had Alabama won, things would have been wrapped up with a neat bow with the Crimson Tide playing as the No. 5 seed on Thursday for the opportunity to take on the Hogs in the SEC quarterfinals.

Alabama Crimson Tide head coach Nate Oats looks on during a time out against the LSU Tigers during the second half at the Pete Maravich Assembly Center. — Stephen Lew-USA TODAY Sports

But that didn't happen. LSU held on to win 80-77 at home in overtime and now the fate of all three teams comes down to tonight's showdown between Mississippi State and Texas A&M.

The winner of this game becomes part of a group of five teams tied at 9-9 in the conference standings. While tiebreakers don't allow either to leap frog up to the No. 5 spot, they do control who does.

While sparing everyone the headache of semi-complicated math equations, it appears things shake out the following way based on who wins.

Texas A&M victory

In this scenario, LSU slides in as the No. 5 seed and would battle the winner of the Missouri-Ole Miss game at 1 p.m. Thursday for the right to play Arkansas.

That makes Alabama the 6th seed awaiting the winner of the Vanderbilt-Georgia match-up on Thursday at 7 p.m., Texas A&M and Florida would play in the 11 a.m. game and South Carolina would draw No. 10 seed Mississippi State.

Mississippi State victory

Mississippi State Bulldogs forward Javian Davis (2) makes a layup against the Florida Gators during the first half at Billy Donovan Court at Exactech Arena. — Kim Klement-USA TODAY

In this instance we see the Crimson Tide claim the No. 5 seed, giving them the winner of the Missouri-Ole Miss game at 1 p.m. Thursday for the right to play Arkansas.

That makes LSU the 6th seed awaiting the winner of the Vanderbilt-Georgia match-up on Thursday at 7 p.m., Mississippi State and South Carolina would play in the 11 a.m. game and Florida would draw the No. 10 seed Texas A&M.

This crucial game tips off at 7:30 p.m. on the SEC Network.

Published Mar 5, 2022

KENT SMITH

Kent Smith has been in the world of media and film for nearly 30 years. From Nolan Richardson's final seasons, former Razorback quarterback Clint Stoerner trying to throw to anyone and anything in the blazing heat of Cowboys training camp in Wichita Falls, the first high school and college games after 9/11, to Troy Aikman's retirement and Alex Rodriguez's signing of his quarter billion dollar contract, Smith has been there to report on some of the region's biggest moments.