1998 SEC men's basketball tournament

1998 SEC men's basketball tournament
ClassificationDivision I
Season1997–98
SiteGeorgia Dome
Atlanta, Georgia
ChampionsKentucky (22nd title)
Winning coachTubby Smith (1st title)
MVPWayne Turner (Kentucky)
TelevisionJefferson Pilot Sports (First and Second Rounds, and semifinals)
CBS (Championship Game)
← 1997
1999 →
1997–98 Southeastern Conference men's basketball standings
Conf Overall
Team W   L   PCT W   L   PCT
East
No. 5 Kentucky 14 2   .875 35 4   .897
No. 14 South Carolina 11 5   .688 23 8   .742
Tennessee 9 7   .563 20 9   .690
Georgia 7 9   .438 20 15   .571
Vanderbilt 7 9   .438 20 13   .606
Florida 6 10   .375 14 15   .483
West
No. 13 Ole Miss 12 4   .750 22 7   .759
No. 17 Arkansas 11 5   .688 24 9   .727
Auburn 7 9   .438 16 14   .533
Alabama 6 10   .375 15 16   .484
Mississippi State 4 12   .250 15 15   .500
LSU 2 14   .125 9 18   .333
1998 SEC tournament winner
Rankings from AP Poll[1]

The 1998 SEC men's basketball tournament took place from March 5–8, 1998 at the Georgia Dome in Atlanta, Georgia. Kentucky won the tournament and received the SEC's automatic bid to the NCAA tournament by beating the South Carolina Gamecocks on March 8, 1998.

Television coverage

Tournament coverage in the first and second rounds, and the semi-finals were provided by Jefferson Pilot Sports, who at the time was in its 11th season with regional syndication rights to the SEC. The championship game, however, was broadcast by CBS Sports.

Bracket

[2][3]

First round Quarterfinals Semifinals Championship game
            
W4 Mississippi State 76
E5 Georgia 79
W1 #10 Mississippi 72
E5 Georgia 67
W1 #10 Mississippi 77
E2 #15 South Carolina 87
E2 #15 South Carolina 71
E6 Florida 60
W3 Auburn 64
E6 Florida 68
E2 #15 South Carolina 56
E1 #7 Kentucky 86
E4 Vanderbilt 62
W5 Alabama 72
E1 #7 Kentucky 82
W5 Alabama 71
E1 #7 Kentucky 99
W2 #16 Arkansas 74
W2 #16 Arkansas 102
E3 Tennessee 96
E3 Tennessee[4] 73
W6 LSU 62

Tournament notes

  • This was Tubby Smith’s first SEC tournament title win as head coach of the Kentucky Wildcats.

References