SEC Tournament 2015: Nashville Schedule, Bracket and Storylines to Watch

It's easy to write off the SEC tournament as boring.

The conference is Kentucky's playground, as the undefeated Wildcats have run roughshod on any and all opposition.

John Calipari's team may seem invincible, but even the Wildcats are not immune to the "madness" portion of the period. The SEC bracket is a volatile minefield of desperate bubble teams playing for their postseason lives, meaning things may be quite a bit more interesting than most would expect.

Speaking of the bracket, Georgia coach Mark Fox offered a look on Instagram now that things are set in stone (ESPN has a printable copy):

It seems harmless and innocent there on the page, but anything goes once things get underway at Bridgestone Arena in Nashville, Tennessee.

SEC Tournament Schedule 

Wednesday, March 11	Matchup	Time (CT)	TV Info
Game 1	Mississippi State vs. Auburn	6 p.m.	SEC Network
Game 2	South Carolina vs. Missouri	*	SEC Network
Thursday, March 12
Game 3	Florida vs. Alabama	12 p.m.	SEC Network
Game 4	Texas A&M vs. Game 1 Winner	*	SEC Network
Game 5	Vanderbilt vs. Tennessee	6 p.m.	SEC Network
Game 6	Ole Miss vs. Game 2 Winner	*	SEC Network
Friday, March 13
Game 7	Kentucky vs. Game 3 Winner	12 p.m.	SEC Network
Game 8	LSU vs. Game 4 Winner	*	SEC Network
Game 9	Arkansas vs. Game 5 Winner	6 p.m.	SEC Network
Game 10	Georgia vs. Game 6 Winner	*	SEC Network
Saturday, March 14
Game 11	Game 7 Winner vs. Game 8 Winner	12 p.m.	ESPN
Game 12	Game 9 Winner vs. Game 10 Winner	*	ESPN
Sunday, March 15
Game 13	Game 11 Winner vs. Game 12 Winner	12 p.m.	ESPN

(Note: Each * symbol denotes that a game will tip off 25 minutes following the conclusion of the game preceding it.) 

Storylines to Watch

LSU and the Bubble 

Stacy Revere/Getty Images

Coach Johnny Jones and his 22-9 LSU Tigers seem to remain on the right side of the bubble after finishing the season winners in four of their last five.

Jarell Martin and Jordan Mickey might form the most dominant duo beneath the rim in the nation. The former is 6'10" and 236 pounds with averages of 16.9 points and 9.0 rebounds, while the latter is 6'8" and 235 pounds with averages of 16.0 and 9.9.

A season-ending triumph against Arkansas helps matters on the bubble, as a road upset has a way of doing. That said, the Tigers are as inconsistent as it gets. A loss to a .500 Tennessee team at home Wednesday before upsetting Arkansas leaves much in the way of questions, as does a 5-2 mark against the RPI Top 50 but three losses to RPI sub-150 teams, per ESPN's RPI profile.

The point is, the Tigers have the star power to run with any team in the SEC tournament, but it really is now or never. They might be a lock for the Big Dance (ESPN's Joe Lunardi lists them as a No. 10), but the Tigers need to find some form of consistency.

Texas A&M in Desperation Mode

USA TODAY Sports

It sounds cruel, but the 20-10 Texas A&M Aggies are, well, boring. 

Billy Kennedy's team beats the teams it is supposed to beat and loses against the better squads. It doesn't have a marquee triumph or a loss. The Aggies are 0-3 against the RPI Top 25 and 2-6 against the RPI Top 50, although a season sweep of LSU continues to look better and better.

That's about as good as it gets for Texas A&M, though, especially after a two-game skid to close the season, capped off by a devastating 61-60 home loss against Alabama.

"Give Alabama credit, they came out as the aggressor," Kennedy said, per The Associated Press (via ESPN.com). "Our guys played back on their heels at times, for whatever reason. We had our opportunities, but just didn't get it done. You've got to put teams away."

There is hope for the Aggies, so long as Danuel House's foot heals in time for the affair in Nashville. He missed the Alabama contest, and the Aggies—looking to make the tournament for the first time since 2011—cannot afford to be without their leading scorer.

The Biggest Question 

Can any team upend Kentucky? 

It seems silly to ask. The Wildcats are a pristine 31-0, including five showdowns with teams still in the RPI Top 25 and 11 in the Top 50.

There's loads of NBA talent on the roster, making what Calipari has accomplished in Lexington all the more impressive—the team plays for each other and shares the rock well despite an allure for any one star player to take over games on his lonesome.

Aaron Harrison, Andrew Harrison and Devin Booker form a deadly backcourt on both ends of the court, fully complemented by Karl-Anthony Towns and Willie Cauley-Stein down low.

As ESPN College BBall illustrates, the Wildcats are a heavy favorite:

"

Kentucky, Arizona, Villanova & Wisconsin are the odds-on favorites to win their respective conference tournaments. pic.twitter.com/Arq5rQJIDI

— ESPN College BBall (@ESPNCBB) March 8, 2015"

Believe it or not, though, there is a brief blueprint that will help a team pull off the upset—rebound the ball.

The Wildcats started SEC play this year with a pair of iffy overtime wins. First up was Ole Miss, a team that grabbed 32 boards to Kentucky's 34. Next was the aforementioned Aggies, a team that grabbed 52 to Kentucky's 53.

It's nearly impossible to stop the platoon approach Kentucky employs on the glass, but teams have come close and nearly done the unthinkable as a result. Georgia recently lost by eight at the hands of the Wildcats despite winning the battle on the glass.

Talented teams such as Georgia, desperate ones such as Texas A&M and physical under-the-rim tandems such as LSU can win the rebounding war and subsequently stand a fighting chance. 

Should the upset happen? Madness.

Stats and info are courtesy of ESPN unless otherwise specified.