This year, the SEC Tournament will feature some significant changes. It will be the first time that 16 teams are involved, the first time that all teams qualify for the tournament, and the first time that the entire tournament will be single-elimination. The top four seeds will receive double byes.
Here’s how the bracket is set to unfold:
Tuesday, May 20
- Game 1, 9:30 am: 9. Alabama vs. 16. Missouri
- Game 2, TBA: 12. Oklahoma vs. 13. Kentucky
- Game 3, 4:30 pm: 10. Florida vs. 15. South Carolina
- Game 4, TBA: 11. Mississippi State vs. 14. Texas A&M
Wednesday, May 21
- Game 5, 9:30 am: 8. Tennessee vs. Game 1 winner
- Game 6, TBA: 5. Georgia vs. Game 2 winner
- Game 7, 4:30 pm: 7. Ole Miss vs. Game 3 winner
- Game 8, TBA: 6. Auburn vs. Game 4 winner
Thursday, May 22
- Game 9, 3:00 pm: 1. Texas vs. Game 5 winner
- Game 10, TBA: 4. Vanderbilt vs. Game 6 winner
Friday, May 23
- Game 11, 3:00 pm: 2. Arkansas vs. Game 7 winner
- Game 12, TBA: 3. LSU vs. Game 8 winner
Saturday, May 24
- Game 13, 12:00 pm: Game 9 winner vs. Game 10 winner
- Game 14, TBA: Game 11 winner vs. Game 12 winner
Sunday, May 25
- Game 15, 2:00 pm: Game 13 winner vs. Game 14 winner
What can Ole Miss accomplish this week?
Ole Miss has finished with a winning conference record for the first time since 2019 and is projected to be a 2-seed in the NCAA tournament. The last time Ole Miss did not host a regional while having a winning record was in 2010, when they were the 2-seed in the Charlottesville Regional. Currently, Ole Miss boasts 17 wins over SEC opponents, including a midweek victory over Mississippi State.
A win on Wednesday would be crucial in bringing postseason baseball to Swayze Field. While their opponent on Wednesday won't affect the conference record, a victory over Florida would positively impact Ole Miss's RPI more than a win over South Carolina. Ole Miss aims to secure their hosting chances on Wednesday with their first SEC Tournament win since 2021.