Which Team Could Make a Surprise Run in the SEC Tournament?

The SEC Tournament will tip-off today in Nashville as one of the most wide-open fields in recent years make a run at an automatic NCAA tourney bid. 

Regular season champ Kentucky is a slight favorite over Florida but oddsmakers pegged South Carolina, Arkansas and Vanderbilt as live dogs.

We asked former SEC assistant coach and host of Inside the Locker Room Barry Sanderson who he thought could make a surprise run in the five-day.

"I think Auburn will make a deep run because of the ability to shoot the ball and score from various positions on the floor," Sanderson said. "Their players will play loose and have the freedom to shoot the ball, giving them confidence. Tournament play can at times turn into a half court grind but I think Auburn's style will help them on the neutral court in Nashville."

Bruce Pearl's team will have to win five games in five days to pull off the huge upset beginning with Missouri tonight in the 11-14 matchup.

Alabama, meanwhile, enters the tournament as a 50-1 longshot to cut down the net, and Sanderson agrees with oddsmakers.

"I believe Bama will struggle in tournament do to lack of confidence on the offensive end. The half court grind will make a challenged half court team struggle even more.  In my opinion, it will be difficult for them to advance past the quarterfinals."

Should the Crimson Tide get through the winner of Mississippi State-LSU, Avery Johnson's team would meet South Carolina in the quarterfinals. Alabama won the only meeting with the Gamecocks during the regular season, 90-86, in four overtimes.

Check out the full SEC Tournament bracket here.