The second-to-last week of SEC basketball didn’t disappoint, producing multiple great matchups with added importance due to tournament implications.

At this point in time, there’s a realistic possibility the conference will wield eight teams in this season’s NCAA Tournament, which is tied for the second most in the country. 

Which teams were the biggest winners and losers in the previous week?

Alabama (Winner)

Despite all it had going on behind the scenes, Alabama managed to finish the week without a loss, scraping by South Carolina and Arkansas and adding its 9th Quad I win to its resume. It’s still primed to claim the top-seed in this year’s tournament, sporting a tie for the second-best record in the country for Quad I matchups. 

Kentucky (Winner)

Just two teams besides Bama concluded the week 2-0, one being the Wildcats.

They did so despite enduring a Quad I and an upper-Quad II matchup, the latter of which ended in a 30-point blowout victory over Auburn. It now has five Quad I victories on the season and justifiably jumped from No. 29 to No. 20 in NET following its latest victory. 

It didn’t move up in seeding after its first win of the week over Florida, but it should now. Considering its four-game win streak, three of which came against Quad I opponents, it could be a dangerous team no matter where it lands come tournament time. 

Missouri (Winner)

The last to end the week 2-0, Missouri’s wins weren’t huge resume boosters, but it did avoid another blow or two after a rough previous week and impressed in both performances. 

Its rematch against Mississippi State ended in an overtime victory, a huge improvement from their previous matchup. Then after failing to crack 70 in its prior three contests, it put up 85 on the road against Georgia. 

The Tigers could jump to a nine-seed next week but whether or not that occurs, they are now less at risk of losing their spot. 

Texas A&M (Winner)

The Aggies experienced the most immediate improvement in tournament seeding following a strong win over No. 11 Tennessee earlier in the week, jumping from an eight to six-seed in Joe Lunardi’s latest bracketology update.  

Though it failed to capitalize on back-to-back Quad I opportunities, losing a tight battle on the road against Mississippi State on Saturday, it still has a serious chance to secure the third highest seed in the SEC come March. Its biggest game of the season takes place this upcoming Saturday, where it’ll host No. 2 Alabama to conclude its regular season. 

Mississippi State (Winner)

The week’s biggest loser

While much of the SEC teams fighting for a tournament slot found increased their tournament stock last week, there was one that failed to do so.

Though Vanderbilt could be included here following its Quad III loss to LSU, the prospect of it making the tournament was already shaky heading into the week. It’s unfortunate that it’s run to the tournament was halted so abruptly, but such is the reality of college sports.

Tennessee and Arkansas also missed out on Quad I opportunities but aren’t necessarily notable losers of the week either. If anything, Nick Smith’s combined 50 points in his last two games could be seen as a victory for the Razorbacks, along with their near-upset win on the road against No. 2 Alabama. Having Smith at full strength heading into March is a horrifying sight for any team projected within Arkansas’s region in the tournament.  

No, the biggest loser of the week was Auburn. The Tigers have been on a steady plunge since late-January, dropping seven of their last 10 and failing to secure a single Quad I win throughout that span. 

That didn’t get any better this week, as they narrowly escaped a Quad III loss to Ole Miss on Wednesday before suffering a blowout loss on the road to Kentucky. It now has a 2-8 record in Quad I scenarios, a worse record than Vanderbilt’s 3-9. 

It didn’t have a bubble designation prior to the loss, but it will have one following it. If it fails to defeat Alabama or Tennessee in its last two games of the season, it will not make the tournament.