As is, the SEC looks solid with 12 bids, which would beat the Big East record of 11 set in 2011. Arkansas locked itself in — and sent warning signals that this has become a dangerous team — with wins at Vanderbilt and in thrilling fashion over Mississippi State. Georgia won at South Carolina, then outlasted Vanderbilt on Saturday at home.

The calendar has flipped to March, which means it’s time for an annual Sports Illustrated tradition: the Magic Eight. We’re less than two weeks from getting our hands on this year’s bracket, but the Magic Eight aims to predict the eight teams capable of winning the men’s basketball national title before ever seeing the matchups.