Four SEC teams head to NCAA

Published 12:04 am Monday, March 12, 2012

The SEC regular-season champions and tournament runner-up Kentucky Wildcats headline the four teams selected Sunday night to represent the conference in the 2012 NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament.

The Wildcats were picked as the No. 1 overall seed in the tournament and will headline the South Region. Kentucky will open in Louisville, Ky., against the winner of the first-round matchup between Western Kentucky and Mississippi Valley State.

Earning the No. 5 seed in the East Region was the SEC tournament champions Vanderbilt Commodores, which will play Harvard Thursday in Albuquerque, N.M.

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The Florida Gators received the No. 7 seed in the West Region and will play Virginia Friday in Omaha, Neb. Alabama rounds out the group with a No. 9 seeding in the Midwest Region, and the Crimson Tide is set to face Creighton Friday in Greensboro, N.C.

The Southern Miss Golden Eagles earned their third overall NCAA tournament appearance and first since 1991, being selected as the No. 9 seed in the East Region. USM will battle Kansas State Thursday in Pittsburg, Pa. The No. 9 seeding is the highest in school history.

Four SEC teams earned bids in the National Invitational Tournament. Tennessee, Ole Miss, Mississippi State and LSU were given invites to the NIT, with Tennessee being the No. 1 seed in its region. The Volunteers will host Savannah State in the opening round Tuesday.

Ole Miss was selected as the No. 2 seed in its region, and the Rebels play host to Illinois State Wednesday night.

Mississippi State earned a No. 4 seeding in its region and will host Massachusetts Tuesday night.

LSU got the No. 6 seeding in its region, and the Tigers will travel to Oregon Tuesday to face the Ducks in the opening round.