Skip to main content
Friday, November 13, 2026Nov 13
Subscribe
All Sections
Search
More

Tennessee, LSU seek to end stunningly long SEC tournament droughts

Tennessee Athletics photo / Tennessee's Lamonte Turner shoots over Kentucky's Tyler Herro during the 2019 Southeastern Conference tournament semifinal classic in Nashville's Bridgestone Arena won by the Volunteers 82-78. The loss was just the third ever by the Wildcats in the SEC semis compared to their whopping 42 wins.
Tennessee Athletics photo / Tennessee's Lamonte Turner shoots over Kentucky's Tyler Herro during the 2019 Southeastern Conference tournament semifinal classic in Nashville's Bridgestone Arena won by the Volunteers 82-78. The loss was just the third ever by the Wildcats in the SEC semis compared to their whopping 42 wins. Tennessee Athletics photo / Tennessee's Lamonte Turner shoots over Kentucky's Tyler Herro during the 2019 Southeastern Conference tournament semifinal classic in Nashville's Bridgestone Arena won by the Volunteers 82-78. The loss was just the third ever by the Wildcats in the SEC semis compared to their whopping 42 wins.

By David Paschall 4 min read

It’s time for another Southeastern Conference men’s basketball tournament inside Nashville’s Bridgestone Arena.

Oops. Scratch that.

The SEC is conducting this year’s 14-team, five-day extravaganza at Tampa’s Amalie Arena, which may mark the final time the Music City doesn’t play host. Nashville housed the league tournament six times from 1984-2013 and became the primary locale in 2015, with the exceptions being the 2018 event in St. Louis and this week’s showcase that tips off Wednesday night.

Nashville is set to host the eight SEC tournaments from 2023-30, and there is an option for that partnership through 2035 as well.

This marks just the third SEC tourney to be held in the Sunshine State, with Alabama having whipped Ole Miss for the 1990 title in Orlando and Mississippi State having upset Tennessee in 2009 in Tampa. In other words, this league has never staged a tournament in Florida without a Magnolia State team reaching the finals.