SEC Tournament Schedule 2012 and Biggest Obstacles in Kentucky's Way

Kentucky has destroyed the SEC this season, to the point that a lot of the drama in the conference tournament would appear to be gone. 

March is when the drama starts in college basketball. All of those wins in the regular season—30 overall, 16 in the SEC—mean nothing anymore. There are teams in the conference fighting for their NCAA tournament lives. 

So while the Wildcats are going to grab all the SEC headlines no matter what, here are the biggest obstacles standing in their way.

Youth

We say this every year with John Calipari teams, but their age and inexperience could play a significant role in just how far they are able to go in the conference tournament and NCAA tournament. 

Anthony Davis, Michael Kidd-Gilchrist and Marquis Teague are in a position that they have never been in before. All the eyes in the world will be focused on them. They are going to be put under the microscope, with every move being scrutinized. 

Their talent is great enough to overcome their youth, but when young players get backed into a corner in a pressure-packed environment, things tend to fall apart. It didn't happen in the regular season, so we shall see if it can last in the SEC tournament. 

Tennessee Volunteers

There have not been a lot of teams in the SEC this year that have given Kentucky problems, but the Volunteers were certainly one of them.

In their January 14 meeting in Knoxville, Tennessee held a six-point lead at halftime and were ahead with less than 10 minutes to play in the game. It didn't work out in the end, but it did say a lot about the resolve of that team.

Jeronne Maymon had a lot of success in that game, with 15 points and 10 rebounds. If he can put together another big game (if these two do meet), it will take pressure off his teammates.

Don't underestimate the Volunteers in this tournament. 

Perimeter Shooting

Considering the speed and athleticism of the guards and Anthony Davis in the middle, the Wildcats have not had to shoot a lot of threes this season. That is both a blessing and a curse. 

It speaks to how great they are that they don't need it to win games, but if they get behind by a lot in a game early, they will have to find open looks to close the gap. 

There have been times when the Wildcats have shone behind the arc, particularly against Georgia on March 1. 

Can they keep it up in the face of adversity? Of course, they have to actually face adversity in order to test that theory. 

*All Games Will Be Played At New Orleans Arena in New Orleans, LA

First Round—March 8, 2012 (All Games Broadcast on SEC Network)

Game 1: No. 8 LSU vs. No. 9 Arkansas, 12:00 p.m. CDT

Game 2: No. 5 Alabama vs. No 12. South Carolina, 2:30 p.m. CDT

Game 3: No. 7 Mississippi vs. No. 10 Auburn, 6:30 p.m. CDT

Game 4: No. 6 Mississippi State vs. No. 11 Georgia, 9:00 p.m. CDT

Quarterfinals—March 9, 2012 (All Games Broadcast on SEC Network)

Game 5: No. 1 Kentucky vs. LSU/Arkansas Winner, 12:00 p.m.CDT

Game 6: No. 4 Florida vs. Alabama/South Carolina Winner, 2:30 p.m. CDT

Game 7: No. 2 Tennessee vs. Mississippi/Auburn Winner, 6:30 p.m. CDT

Game 8: No. 3 Vanderbilt vs. Mississippi State/Georgia Winner, 9:00 p.m. CDT

Semifinals—March 10, 2012 (All Games Broadcast On ABC)

Game 9: Game 5 Winner vs. Game 6 Winner, 12:00 p.m. CDT

Game 10: Game 7 Winner vs. Game 8 Winner, 2:30 p.m. CDT

Finals—March 11,2012 (ABC)

Game 11: Game 9 Winner vs. Game 10 Winner, 12:00 p.m. CDT

Follow @adamwells1985