SEC Tournament 2017 schedule and bracket: Kentucky debuts in quarterfinals

Thursday in Nashville featured four games that resulted in what should be some entertaining quarterfinal matchups on Friday from Music City.

No. 8 Georgia beat No. 9 Tennessee, 59-57, in a back-and-forth game that featured 12 lead changes and eight ties. Things started to go Georgia’s way toward the end of the second half, with UGA senior guard J.J. Frazier scoring four of his 17 points near the end of the game.

Waiting in the wings is the tournament’s No. 1 seed Kentucky, who got the bye for the first round of games. Kentucky beat Georgia twice this season, with the Wildcats’ first 90-81 victory coming in overtime from Rupp Arena.

No. 4 South Carolina will get No. 5 Alabama in the second game from Bridgestone Arena. The Gamecocks also got the advantage of the bye in the first round. The Crimson Tide met the No. 12 Mississippi State Bulldogs on Thursday and handled them with ease, winning 75-55. South Carolina and Bama met once during the regular season, in February, and the Tide won 90-86 in quadruple overtime.

Next we have No. 2 Florida, who had the first-round bye, facing No. 7 Vanderbilt on Friday evening. The Gators just played the Commodores last Saturday, and Vandy upset Florida 73-71 at home in Nashville. The Commodores also beat Florida at home in the first regular season matchup, so a Vandy win on Friday night would make them 3-0 against the Gators.

In the last game of Friday evening, we’ll have No. 3 Arkansas taking on No. 6 Ole Miss. The Rebels beat Missouri 86-74 on Thursday night to advance in the tournament. Ole Miss lost to the Razorbacks 98-80 when the two met last month.

Quarterfinals, Friday, March 10

All times Eastern

No. 1 Kentucky vs. No. 8 Georgia, 1 p.m., SEC Network

No. 4 South Carolina vs. No. 5 Alabama, 3 p.m., SEC Network

No. 2 Florida vs. No. 7 Vanderbilt, 7 p.m., SEC Network

No. 3 Arkansas vs. No. 6 Ole Miss, 9 p.m., SEC Network