Regarded as one of the most dominant collegiate athletic conferences in the United States, the SEC remains a basketball juggernaut. Several collegiate basketball heavyweights compete in the Southeastern Conference.
As the 2026 March Madness tournament rolls on to the Sweet 16 stage, we take a look at how the SEC teams have fared so far and which teams still remain in the hunt to win the national title.
SEC Teams in the 2026 NCAA Tournament Hunt
A total of 10 teams from the SEC entered the 2026 NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament. Nine teams received at-large entries or automatic bids into the first round, while the Texas Longhorns qualified after defeating NC State during the First Four. Here is a look at how the 10 SEC teams were placed among the 64 competing teams, who were split into four regions:
- Arkansas, Texas, and Missouri – West Regional
- Florida, Vanderbilt, and Texas A&M – South Regional
- Alabama, Tennessee, Kentucky, and Georgia – Midwest Regional
Going into the Sweet 16 of the NCAA Tournament, six of the 10 teams have been eliminated, while four still remain in the hunt for the national title.
The Florida Gators became the first No. 1 seed to be eliminated, losing 73-72 to the No. 9-seeded Iowa Hawkeyes in the second round. The Vanderbilt Commodores were also eliminated in the second round, losing 74-72 to the No. 4-seeded Nebraska Huskers. Texas A&M lost 88-57 to the second-seeded Houston Cougars in the second round.
In the West Regional, the Missouri Tigers were beaten 80-66 by the Miami Hurricanes in the first round. Meanwhile, the Kentucky Wildcats lost 82-63 to the Iowa State Cyclones in the second round of the Midwest Regional. Additionally, the Georgia Bulldogs lost 102-77 to Saint Louis in the first round.
2026 Sweet 16 Schedule for Arkansas, Texas, Alabama, and Tennessee
Four SEC teams are still in the hunt to win the national title, and the March Madness Sweet 16 will get underway on Thursday, March 26.
In the West Regional, the No. 4-seeded Arkansas Razorbacks will face the No. 1-seeded Arizona Wildcats on Thursday (tip-off at 9:45 p.m. ET). The Texas Longhorns have enjoyed a Cinderella run from the First Four to the Sweet 16 and will now face the No. 2-seeded Purdue Boilermakers in the regional semifinals on Thursday (tip-off at 7:10 p.m. ET).
MORE: How Many Big Ten Teams Made the 2026 NCAA Tournament, and How Many Are Left Entering Sweet 16?
The Midwest Regional semifinals will take place on Friday, March 27, with two SEC teams still in the hunt. The No. 4-seeded Alabama Crimson Tide will go up against the top-seeded Michigan Wolverines (tip-off at 7:35 p.m. ET). The No. 6-seeded Tennessee Volunteers will then face No. 2-seeded Iowa State (tip-off at 10:10 p.m. ET).
The Florida Gators won the NCAA Tournament last year, and we will see if another SEC team can manage to lift the national title this year.