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The 2026 Southeastern Conference women's basketball tournament is going on right now. It brings together some of the best teams in the country as the race for the NCAA Tournament heats up.
The event will take place from March 4 to March 8 at the Bon Secours Wellness Arena in Greenville. This will be the ninth year in a row that the tournament has been held in the city.Sixteen teams from across the SEC are competing in the tournament, with the top four seeds earning automatic spots in the quarterfinal round. The bracket features several nationally ranked programs and multiple teams hoping to strengthen their NCAA Tournament résumés during championship week.
Top seeds and tournament favorites
The South Carolina Gamecocks enter the tournament as the No. 1 overall seed after finishing the regular season with a dominant 29–2 overall record and a 15–1 mark in conference play. Head coach Dawn Staley has guided the Gamecocks to three consecutive SEC tournament titles, and they remain one of the strongest contenders again this year.Joining South Carolina with double-byes into the quarterfinals are:
- No. 2 Vanderbilt Commodores
- No. 3 Texas Longhorns
- No. 4 LSU Tigers
These teams will begin tournament play on March 6, giving them extra rest and a shorter path to the championship game.
The SEC tournament is widely considered one of the toughest in the country this season, with several teams ranked in the national Top 10 and legitimate championship aspirations.
First round results
The opening day of the tournament delivered a number of decisive victories.
- The Kentucky Wildcats beat the Arkansas Razorbacks 94-64.
- The Florida Gators beat the Mississippi State Bulldogs 86-68, highlighted by a strong performance from Me’Arah O’Neal, who scored 22 points.
- The Auburn Tigers beating the Texas A&M Aggies 50-49 in a dramatic conclusion was one of the biggest surprises of the day. Auburn sealed the win with a late layup and defensive stop in the closing seconds.
- The Alabama Crimson Tide also advanced after defeating the Missouri Tigers 65-48, pulling away in the fourth quarter thanks to several clutch three-pointers.
Upcoming schedule and matchups
The second round continues on March 5, featuring these matchups:
- No. 8 Georgia Bulldogs vs No. 9 Kentucky
- No. 5 Oklahoma Sooners vs No. 12 Florida
- No. 7 Ole Miss Rebels vs No. 15 Auburn
- No. 6 Tennessee Volunteers vs No. 11 Alabama
Quarterfinal begins on March 6, when the tournament’s top seeds enter the bracket. The semifinals are scheduled for March 7, while the championship game will be played on March 8 and broadcast nationally on ESPN.With multiple ranked teams in the field and several postseason implications on the line, the SEC women’s basketball tournament promises to deliver plenty of drama as teams battle for the conference title and momentum heading into March Madness.
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