Kentucky's SEC Tournament Survival Quest

0:00On March 8, Kentucky's men's basketball team heads into the SEC tournament as the 9th seed, their lowest spot since the league ditched divisions. Back in 2012, this year, the expanded 16-team field means the Wildcats open play on Wednesday in Nashville against 8th-seated LSU. To grab their 32nd conference title, they'll need 5 straight wins over 5 days. Something no squad has pulled off yet in this format. The tournament stretches over 5 days now, thanks to recent additions like Oklahoma and Texas. Kentucky fans aren't used to starting on day 1, but here they are after a rollercoaster regular season. A deep run would mean facing the top seed in the quarterfinals right away if they beat LSU. Historically, 9 seeds have struggled big times since 2012, posting just a 9-13 record overall. They've reached the semi's only twice and never made a Sunday championship game. This number one seeds on Friday, it's two wins and four losses when they get that far.

1:01Kentucky boasts 31 SEC tournament crowns, more than anyone, with their last coming in 2018. Rivals like Alabama and Auburn have snagged recent ones, while Florida enters as the favorite hunting, a sixth. The Cats once lost the 8-9 matchup to Mississippi State in a heartbreaker. All eyes are on where the Kentucky can flip the script and spark a surprise March run starting tomorrow.