SEC Tournament 2018: Quarterfinals Schedule, Live Stream, Bracket Predictions

One of the most chaotic conferences in men's basketball produced a pair of eye-popping results Thursday.

As a result of wins by Alabama and Georgia, Friday's SEC tournament quarterfinals provide plenty of intrigue as both teams scrap for their respective NCAA men's basketball tournament lives.

Mississippi State, who handled LSU in the quarterfinals, is lumped into the bubble conversation with Alabama and Georgia, but it did what it was supposed to do Thursday.

Friday features the debut of the four top seeds at the Scottrade Center in St. Louis. Missouri. Auburn, Tennessee, Florida and Kentucky are all jockeying for the best seed possible in the Big Dance while in search of leaving St. Louis with hardware.

SEC Tournament Quarterfinals Schedule

No. 1 Auburn vs. No. 9 Alabama (1 p.m. ET, ESPN)

No. 4 Kentucky vs. No. 12 Georgia (3 p.m. ET, ESPN)

No. 2 Tennessee vs. No. 7 Mississippi State (7 p.m. ET, SEC Network)

No. 3 Florida vs. No. 6 Arkansas (9 p.m. ET, SEC Network)

*Games can be live-streamed on Watch ESPN.

Bracket Predictions

No. 9 Alabama def. No. 1 Auburn

No. 4 Kentucky def. No. 12 Georgia

No. 2 Tennessee def. No. 7 Mississippi State

No. 3 Florida def. No. 6 Arkansas

Collin Sexton Looking to Keep Alabama Away From Bubble Trouble

If there's one player in the SEC capable of captivating the nation and going on a phenomenal Championship Week run, it's Alabama freshman Collin Sexton. 

Sexton started what he hopes is a fantastic weekend in St. Louis with a game-winning floater at the buzzer to beat Texas A&M Thursday. ESPN's official Twitter account gave us a look at the shot:

The freshman, who averages 18.3 points per game, scored over 20 points in three of his last five games, including the February 21 defeat to Auburn.

Sexton scored 25 points in the 90-71 road loss, and he didn't play in the first meeting between the two teams January 17, which the Crimson Tide won 76-71.

In order to have a chance of knocking off the top seed Friday, Sexton must match the production from his last two games, both against Texas A&M, in which he combined for 50 points.

The 27 points Sexton scored Thursday was the highest total by an Alabama player at the SEC tournament since Rod Grizzard's 33 against Tennessee in 2002, per Cecil Hurt of the Tuscaloosa News:

Sexton can do as much as he wants to individually to power Alabama to the semifinals, but he's going to need some help from his supporting cast.

In the second-round win over Texas A&M, Donta Hall and Dazon Ingram contributed double-digit point totals. In order to keep some pressure off the shoulders of Sexton, Hall, Ingram and John Petty must step up to hit a few key shots.

Depending on which expert you ask, Alabama is either in the Big Dance, or it still has work to do to feel safe.

Regardless of your opinion on the Crimson Tide's NCAA tournament status, everyone agrees they have a massive opportunity in front of them to beat Auburn in the quarterfinals.

If the Sexton-led Crimson Tide pull off a victory Friday, it would be their sixth against a top-25 opponent, and it would help erase the memory of a five-game losing streak at the back end of SEC play.

Georgia Trying For 3rd Win in 3 Days

Regardless of if they win Friday, the Georgia Bulldogs must be commended for making it this far as a No. 12 seed.

Mark Fox's team defeated Vanderbilt in the first round and outlasted Michael Porter Jr. and Missouri in the second round to set up a clash with Kentucky in the quarterfinals.

Although Porter received a ton of hype entering Thursday, it was one of Georgia's freshmen who stole the spotlight, as Teshaun Hightower provided the Bulldogs with 13 points off the bench.

Hightower, who averages 3.3 points per game, scored 13 points in each of his first two SEC tournament games, and he'll need to match that output in order for the Bulldogs to have an opportunity to beat Kentucky.

Mark Humphrey/Associated Press

Georgia was always going to be competitive in the SEC tournament because it possesses a star in Yante Maten, but its success in St. Louis was going to be determined by his supporting cast.

With Hightower emerging as a second scorer, and the rest of the rotation making significant contributions, Georgia stands a decent chance against a Kentucky squad that's been far from consistent.

Although it carries momentum into the quarterfinals, Georgia could suffer from fatigue by playing its third game in three days.

Jeff Roberson/Associated Press

The key for the Bulldogs is to not use all of their energy right away, as they could sputter while Kentucky gains ground after it finds its legs following close to a week off.

Driving Georgia is the potential of a spot in the NCAA tournament, although it has to be said it isn't an attractive team for the selection committee just yet.

Georgia was inconsistent in February, as it lost six games to end up 7-11 in league play. Wins over Tennessee, Florida, Saint Mary's, Alabama and Marquette give the Bulldogs a decent resume, but two defeats to South Carolina and one loss to Vanderbilt stand out as the key blemishes alongside the poor league record.

A victory over Kentucky would go a long way in helping the Bulldogs' case to make the field of 68, but they might be better off winning the SEC tournament to avoid any discussion about their mediocre resume.

Follow Joe on Twitter, @JTansey90.

Statistics obtained from ESPN.com.