Seeding for the upcoming 2026 SEC basketball tournament is approaching a photo finish, as ranked clashes dominate the powerhouse conference's home stretch.
Having already clinched a share of their fifth-straight SEC regular-season title, No. 3 South Carolina are just one win away from capturing the crown outright.
Meanwhile, No. 4 Texas and No. 5 Vanderbilt sit tied for second place in the conference standings with just two regular-season matchups remaining.
Though the conference tournament weighs heavy, both squads are also looking to pad their resumes ahead of March Madness's national showdown.
The Commodores will rely on Division I-leading scorer Mikayla Blakes when they face No. 24 Alabama on Thursday night, with the sophomore's 26.6 points per game lifting Vanderbilt to an 11-3 SEC record.
"It's a lot easier to go to top programs and just win," Blakes said last month, referencing her choice to join the Commodores over more traditional NCAA basketball titans. "I wanted to do the uncommon thing."
As for Texas, the Longhorns will look to keep pace against No. 23 Georgia, fueled by team-leading scorer Madison Booker's career-high 18.7-point average and guard Rory Harmon's 6.5 assists and 2.8 steals per game.
How to watch ranked SEC basketball games this week
Thursday's ranked SEC action puts the conference's second-place teams in the spotlight, with No. 5 Vanderbilt hosting No. 24 Alabama at 7:30 PM ET, live on SEC Network+, before No. 23 Georgia visits No. 5 Texas at 10 PM ET on SEC Network.
