SEC sets 2027 basketball slate; Vandy bookends with Tennessee
The Southeastern Conference unveiled its 18-game men's basketball schedule for the 2026-27 season on Monday, with Vanderbilt bookending conference play against in-state rival Tennessee. The Commodores open at Tennessee on Jan. 2, 2027, and close at home versus the Volunteers on March 6, while also locking in home-and-homes with Kentucky and Texas A&M.
Key Takeaways
- The SEC released full 2026-27 conference dates on July 27, 2026, with each school playing nine home and nine road games.
- Vanderbilt opens at Tennessee on Jan. 2, 2027, and hosts the Volunteers in the regular-season finale on March 6.
- The Commodores will play home-and-home series against Kentucky and Tennessee, with Texas A&M as the rotating two-game foe.
- Midweek tipoff times and TV designations will be announced by the SEC later.
- Arkansas hosts Missouri to open SEC play on Jan. 2, and the SEC Tournament returns to Nashville's Bridgestone Arena March 10-14.
What did the SEC announce for Vanderbilt in 2027?
According to Vanderbilt Athletics, the league set an 18-game slate in which every member faces every conference opponent at least once. Vanderbilt will host Mississippi State, South Carolina, Auburn, Missouri, Arkansas and Texas, plus Kentucky, Tennessee and Texas A&M, at Memorial Gymnasium.
On the road, the Commodores travel to Florida, Ole Miss, LSU, Georgia, Alabama and Oklahoma, along with the three home-and-home opponents. Season tickets for the 2026-27 campaign are already on sale through vucommodores.com as Vanderbilt aims to build on back-to-back NCAA Tournament appearances.
How does Vanderbilt's early 2027 SEC stretch look?
Conference play starts with a demanding five-game stretch. Vanderbilt visits Tennessee on Jan. 2, hosts Mississippi State on Jan. 5 or 6, goes to Florida on Jan. 9, hosts South Carolina on Jan. 12 or 13, and plays at Kentucky on Jan. 16.
Saturday home dates at Memorial Gym include Missouri (Jan. 23), Texas A&M (Jan. 30), Arkansas (Feb. 6), Texas (Feb. 13) and the Rivalry Saturday finale against Tennessee on March 6.
Midweek February and March games send the Commodores to LSU (Feb. 2 or 3), Georgia (Feb. 9 or 10), Texas A&M (Feb. 20), Alabama (Feb. 27) and Oklahoma (March 2 or 3), with Kentucky visiting Memorial Gym on Feb. 23 or 24. Auburn also visits on Jan. 19 or 20.
How do Arkansas and Missouri's 2027 SEC calendars compare?
Arkansas opens SEC play at home against Missouri on Jan. 2 and closes the regular season hosting Oklahoma on March 6, per the Arkansas Razorbacks. The Razorbacks visit Vanderbilt on Feb. 6 and will look to defend their championship at the SEC Tournament in Nashville from March 10-14.
Missouri's slate mirrors that opener with a road trip to Arkansas on Jan. 2, then a January visit to Vanderbilt on Jan. 23, according to conference coverage of the Tigers' schedule. The Tigers finish the regular season at home against LSU on March 6 after late road games at Georgia and Texas.
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