SHANE SHACKLEFORD: Storylines Abound in 2019 SEC Tournament

Fellow college hoops fans, March Madness is upon us. Time for every fan of every age and level of basketball knowledge to get their brackets, donate their money to get in a tournament pool (that’s what I do) and hope to prove themselves a basketball savant.

This year’s SEC Men’s Basketball Tournament opens up Wednesday at 7:00 PM EDT in Nashville as the Missouri Tigers and the Georgia Bulldogs square off in Bridgestone Arena. The late game Wednesday night pits the Texas A&M Aggies and the Vanderbilt Commodores.

As usual, the tournament features many compelling storylines that SEC and college basketball fans across the nation will be interested in.

In honor of my favorite game show Jeopardy! and its legendary host Alex Trebek, I will give you a clue about a SEC school and then I will give you the answer. Let’s play!

The category is Bad Streaks for $200. The answer is: This team recently went winless in SEC regular season play for the first time in recent memory due to key injuries and just some tough luck. Who is the Vanderbilt Commodores?

The category is Plausible Deniability for $400. The answer is: This team recently won their first SEC regular season championship for the first time since 2006, but recently suspended their coach and a key player due to a possible payment of the player. Who is the LSU Tigers?

The category is On The Bubble for $600. The answer is: These teams need to win 1-2 tournament games to establish their place in the NCAA Tournament. Who are Alabama, Ole Miss, Arkansas, and Florida?

The category is SEC Darkhorse to Win for $800. The answer is: This school recently beat Tennessee in its regular-season finale and could ride their offense to a conference tournament title. Who are the Auburn Tigers?

The category is SEC Solid for $1000. The answer is: This school could be the most solid team in the tournament and could ride its three seed to SEC gold. Who are the Tennessee Volunteers?

Final Jeopardy. The category is My SEC Tournament Pick. The answer is: This SEC school has been one of the hottest teams in America, featuring a possible SEC Player of the Year, and could cut the nets in Minneapolis in April for their ninth national championship. Who are the Kentucky Wildcats?

So there you have it. A quick Jeopardy! game to whet your whistle before the SEC Tournament begins to play. Enjoy the madness!

Shane Shackleford is a regional sports columnist from Speedwell, Tenn. You can contact him on Twitter, Facebook, or email at coachshack50@gmail.com.