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SEC tournament scores: Darius Acuff leads Arkansas to SEC title
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- SEC tournament scores: Darius Acuff leads Arkansas to SEC title
The Arkansas Razorbacks are SEC tournament champions.
John Calipari's team got 30 points from Darius Acuff Jr. to beat Vanderbilt, 86-75 , in Sunday's SEC tournament final in Nashville.
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SEC tournament schedule, bracket, scores
All times Eastern.
First round
Wednesday, March 11
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Game 1:No. 9 Kentucky 87, No. 16 LSU 82
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Game 2:No. 12 Auburn 79, No. 13 Mississippi State 61
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Game 3:No. 15 Mississippi 76, No. 10 Texas 66
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Game 4:No. 11 Oklahoma 86, No. 14 South Carolina 74
Second round
Thursday, March 12
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Game 5:No. 9 Kentucky 78, No. 8 Missouri 72
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Game 6:No. 5 Tennessee 72, No. 12 Auburn 62
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Game 7:No. 15 Mississippi 76, No. 7 Georgia 72
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Game 8:No. 11 Oklahoma 83, No. 6 Texas A&M 63
Quarterfinals
Friday, March 13
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Game 9:No. 1 Florida 71, No. 9 Kentucky 63
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Game 10:No. 4 Vanderbilt 75, No. 5 Tennessee 68
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Game 11:No. 15 Mississippi 80, No. 2 Alabama 79
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Game 12:No. 3 Arkansas 82, No. 11 Oklahoma 79
Semifinals
Saturday, March 14
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Game 13:No. 4 Vanderbilt 91, No. 1 Florida 74
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Game 14:No. 3 Arkansas 93, No. 15 Mississippi 90, OT
Championship game
Sunday, March 15
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Game 15:No. 3 Arkansas 86, No. 4 Vanderbilt 75
How to watch SEC basketball tournament
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TV: ESPN | SEC Network
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Streaming: ESPN app | ESPN+ | Fubo (free trial)
The SEC tournament first round and second round will be aired on the SEC Network and streamed exclusively on ESPN+ . The quarterfinals will be shared between ESPN and the SEC Network. The semifinals and championship game will be aired on ESPN.
SEC basketball tournament favorites
The title defense for Floridaseemed a long way away at the turn of the year with the Gators losing four non-conference games and then dropping the SEC opener against Missouri. But Todd Golden got more solidity from the backcourt of Boogie Fland and Xaivian Lee to assist the frontcourt. They won their last 11 league games are the overwhelming favorite to win the title and possibly lock up a No. 1 seed. Another team on a strong second half run has been Alabamawith the Tide winning eight of 10 entering the postseason. The backcourt of Aden Holloway and Labaron Philon give them the firepower to make some noise. Arkansas, which finished tied for second in the league with Alabama, has freshman Darius Acuff and other options that make the Razorbacks dangerous.
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SEC tournament top players
Darius Acuff, G, Arkansas:The freshman has lived up to his billing, leading the conference in scoring (22.2 ppg) and assists (6.4 apg) in helping the Razorbacks earn the No. 3 seed. He can take over any game as evidenced by his 49-point effort at Alabama.
Labaron Philon Jr., G, Alabama:The sophomore has made massive improvements in his second season, raising his scoring and shooting efficiency while being the spark behind the Crimson Tide's second-half surge.
Ja'Kobi Gillespie, G, Tennessee:The Maryland transfer has made an instant impact, leading the rebuilt Volunteers in scoring (18.0 ppg) and assists (5.6 apg). His play will dictate how fare they go in the bracket.
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Thomas Haugh, F, Florida:The emergence of Haugh, the team's leading scorer at 17.1 ppg, has been huge for the Gators after losing key pieces from last year's title team. He's joined by Rueben Chinyelu and Alex Condon to create one of the top frontcourts in country.
Tyler Tanner, G, Vanderbilt:The Commodores were picked 11th in the conference's preseason poll, but they have been one of the top teams in the league with Tanner leading the way in scoring (19.0 ppg) and assists (5.3 apg).
NCAA tournament bubble storylines for SEC
The situation on the bubble is less cloudy than last year when 14 teams made the tournament. It appears 10 are locks with Missouriand Texasstill in solid shake after a few stumbles at the end of the regular season. A first-round win would take away all the mystery. Auburnlooked to be in good shape entering February, but the Tigers have fall apart with just two wins in 10 games and sit at 16-15. They're likely in need of a couple wins to earn their place. One team that is going the opposite direction is Oklahoma. The Sooners lost nine in a row and weren't anywhere near the bubble conversation before a strong finish that saw them win six of eight, including the last four of the regular season. A pair of victories might push Oklahoma into the field.
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This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: SEC basketball tournament bracket, scores, semifinals schedule update
