SEC Tournament 2012: Predicting March Madness Odds for Remaining Teams

While the Kentucky Wildcats continue to look like a lock for the No. 1 overall seed in the 2012 NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament, the rest of the SEC is still fighting to secure their spots in the Big Dance.

It is clear that the Wildcats are the overwhelming favorites to take this conference tournament, given they didn't drop a single game to their foes this entire season. But still, teams will be fighting to get that SEC title, along with the automatic bid into the tourney.

Here are where the SEC's March Madness teams currently stand.

Tennessee Volunteers: Outside Looking In

The Volunteers are holding on for dear life right now, as they need to make a nice run to qualify for the Big Dance.

The team's odds of making it in don't look all that well, as they have to get by Ole Miss, who has already taken down Auburn in the opening round.

The Volunteers—who are the No. 2 seed in the SEC tournament—actually have a nice shot to make their way into a potential final matchup against the Wildcats.

They will have to get through Ole Miss this round and then have to take on either Vanderbilt or Georgia.

The Volunteers definitely have a shot to make the Big Dance, but these potential next few games will be an indicator of how far they could actually go.

Given they would likely be a No. 13 seed or so in the NCAA tourney, they just may need more luck than skill going forward.

Odds: 20-1

Alabama Crimson Tide: In It, but Still Got to Win It

The Crimson Tide started out the year playing well, but right now they are fighting to stay alive for this year's Big Dance.

With the No. 4 seed Florida Gators up next, the Tide's fate could be sealed rather quickly given the outcome of this game.

The Gators are coming off of a big loss to the Wildcats, so there is a good chance the Crimson Tide can come in and sweep them under their feet. That will remain to be seen, though, as the Gators previously knocked down the Tide 61-52 in early February.

The Tide are hanging in there, and they could still be dancing even with a loss, but right now things are not looking all that great for them.

Odds: 15-1

Vanderbilt Commodores: Fate in Their Hands

Vandy is in a tough situation, as they sit as the No. 3 seed in this tourney despite having the second best record in the SEC.

With a game coming up against Georgia, the team must get past the Bulldogs in order to continue to prove to the conference that they are here to win.

Most importantly, they are are coming off of a loss to the Volunteers and the Wildcats, so they will have much to establish as the conference tourney carries on.

If the Commodores can lock themselves into a higher seed, they can surprise the field. They have taken down some highly regarded teams over the course of the year, including the Golden Eagles and Gators.

Odds: 5-1

Florida Gators and Kentucky Wildcats: Nothing Will Keep Them Out

Both the Gators and Wildcats are locks for the NCAA tournament at this point, and pending some strange turn of events, both should be top seeds. Well, the Wildcats already have the one of the region's top spots locked up, but the Gators can likely grab a four or five pending how the conference tourney finishes out.

The reason these two teams are together in this category is that they can potentially play each other in this year's conference semifinals, and if the Gators can somehow come away with a win, that would make a huge difference in where they could finally end up for the final seeding of the NCAA tournament.

While that remains to be a long-shot, as the Wildcats outscored them 152-117 in two games this past season, it is never easy to beat a team three times in a row.

Of course, these Wildcats only lost one game this entire season, so there is no reason they can't defy the odds.

We will learn much more about the Gators as they continue to take on the SEC, but for now the Wildcats are looking like the favorites to take the 2012 national title.

Then again, anything can happen this time of year.

Odds: Even

Jeff Chase is a Featured Columnist for the Chicago Cubs and Arizona State football.
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