SEC announces 2018 Men's Basketball schedule



Photo: Phil Ellsworth | ESPN Images

Birmingham, Ala. - The Southeastern Conference unveiled its 126-game men's basketball schedule for the 2017-18 season on Thursday. Conference play tips off the weekend of December 30-31 and runs through Saturday, March 3.

Each SEC team plays the other 13 teams at least one time during league play. They will then play their three permanent opponents a second time and the remaining two games will be scheduled on a rotating basis. The fifth annual Big 12/SEC Challenge will take place on Saturday, January 27.

Kentucky (2), Missouri (4), Alabama (8), Florida (11), LSU (14), Arkansas (20), Texas A&M (27), Auburn (28) and Georgia (31) each have recruiting classes that rank among the top 31 of ESPN's RecruitingNation Class Rankings for 2017. Twenty-six of ESPN's 2015 Top 100 recruits signed with SEC schools, including 21 of the top 66 players.

Three SEC teams (Florida, Kentucky and South Carolina) advanced to the Elite Eight in 2017. South Carolina's appearance in the Final Four marked the fifth time in the last seven years that the SEC has had a team playing on the final weekend.

The SEC Tournament will be played west of the Mississippi River for the first time when the Scottrade Center in St. Louis, Mo., hosts the event from March 7-11, 2018.

Television information and start times will be announced at a later date.